The best smartwatch you can buy right now is the Apple Watch Series 4. It’s beautifully made, has become something of a style icon, and has the very best wearable-device operating system available. If you already own one, or have just picked one up for the first time, you want to make sure you’re getting the best from it. Here are the 10 top features you should be using to get the best out of your watch on a daily basis.
These tips not only apply to the Apple Watch Series 4, but mostly also to the Apple Watch Series 3, and for any Apple Watch running the latest WatchOS 5 software, a list that includes the Series 2 and Series 1 Apple Watch. One more thing: If you like the various straps seen in our pictures, we’ve got our favorite Apple Watch bands listed here.
The Apple Watch app
Even though the Apple Watch can work on its own, and even make calls if you buy the 4G LTE model, the Apple Watch app is essential to setting up, using, and customizing your Apple Watch. It comes preinstalled on all new iPhones, and you’ll first use it to pair and sync your Apple Watch. We will refer to it throughout this guide. We also recommend making sure your Apple Watch is running the latest version of the software, which is currently Watch OS 5, and you can check this through the app.
Track your steps, and close the Rings
Your Apple Watch is a comprehensive fitness tracker. We recommend setting up Apple Health on your iPhone to get the most out of your Apple Watch’s fitness tracking features. Once you have, press the Digital Crown and look for the icon that looks like three rings — blue, green, and red — and tap it. The three rings represent your daily activity goals — movement (red for calorie count), exercise (green for movement), and standing (blue, with a target of standing once per hour).
Scroll down the screen to see your step count, distance walked, and the amount of stairs climbed. The challenge is to “close the Rings” by completing each different activity on a daily basis. Check Apple Health on your iPhone for more data, or go to the Apple Watch app and select Activity to see more. If you’re really committed to using the Apple Watch as a fitness tracker, then select a Watch Face like Activity Digital or Activity Analogue to see your progress on screen all the time.
If you use the Siri watch face, then activity is shown permanently, or on faces like Infograph, activity can be shown as a complication.
How to track a workout
Headed to the gym, out on your bike, or for a run? The Apple Watch can track your workout. Press the Digital Crown and look for the green icon with the image of a person running in it. Tap it and scroll through the list to find which workout suits your activity, with everything from yoga to high-intensity interval training covered.
Tap the three dots to open up individual tracking adjustments, for example, the time target and your calorie count. Tap the card itself to start tracking. Swipe right to see controls like stop and start, or to the left to control any music playing.
Alternatively, the Apple Watch Series 4 has automatic workout recognition. If the watch senses you’re out running or doing any type of exercise, it will alert you and suggest switching to a workout tracking program. This feature works really well in our experience.
Change the watch face
You can change the watch face on the Apple Watch itself, or through the Apple Watch app on your iPhone. To do so on the Watch, you use the pressure-sensitive 3D Touch feature, where the screen responds in a different way when you press down harder on it. On the main time screen, press down with more pressure than usual and hold for a second. You’ll feel a vibration effect and the watch face selector screen will appear. Scroll left and right to see alternatives.
To change specific elements of a Face, look for the Customize button when changing watch faces. To change complications, colors, or visual effects you use the digital crown on the side of the Watch. Twist it to see the different available options on the customization screens, then swipe to change other elements. When you’re satisfied, just tap the center of the screen to select the new face.
In the Apple Watch app on your iPhone, all the Watch faces are displayed at the very top of the main screen. You can tap any that are shown to adjust all the different options and complications, then scroll to the bottom of the page and tap Set as current Watch Face to automatically show it on your Watch. If you set custom Watch Faces up on the Watch itself, these will appear in this list, allowing you to save and select them again in the future.
You can see our favorite Apple Watch faces here, to help you choose which one to display.
Add and play your music
The Apple Watch has enough storage space inside to hold and play songs and playlists ready for use when it’s not connected to your iPhone. This is great for the gym or when out for a run without your phone, as the Apple Watch can also pair with Bluetooth headphones. If you own the 4G LTE version and have it connected to your phone contract, you will see messages and receive notifications at this time too.
Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone and scroll down to find the Music option in the list. The easiest way to add music to your Watch is to sync a playlist. Under the Music option, tap Add Music and then tap Playlists in the list that shows up. Next, select your play list to sync. Now, when you place your Apple Watch on charge the playlist will be synced across to your phone. Depending on the amount of music to transfer, this may take a while. Your Watch and iPhone need to be connected at the same time, so overnight is often a good time; just don’t put the phone in Airplane mode or turn it off.
To play your music, press the Digital Crown on your Watch to open the app display and look for the Music icon. Tap it and you’ll see the playlists that have been synced across. You’ll need a set of Bluetooth headphones connected to listen on-the-move. Exit the Music app and look for the Settings cog on the app display. Tap it and find the Bluetooth menu option. With your Bluetooth headphones in pairing mode, they should appear in the list of available devices. If you’ve paired them before, they should automatically link up.
Alternatively, WatchOS 5 introduced a Podcasts app to the Apple Watch, and podcasts selected in the app are synced across from your iPhone. Siri can also be asked to play music from Apple Music, if you’re a subscriber. To remove music from your Apple Watch, open the Apple Watch app on your phone, go to the Music section, and look for the playlists and tracks synced with it. Swipe to the left on the ones you want to remove and tap the Delete button that appears.
Read and clear notifications
When it’s connected to your phone, or if it’s the 4G LTE version, the Apple Watch will display message, email, and app notifications. To see these you swipe down on the display. Notifications appear in a scrolling list, and a tap will show all the available interactions. You can reply to messages using quick responses, like tweets, and use your voice instead of typing out an email, for example. To ensure notifications remain useful, it’s helpful to clear out a long list of them. Clear them individually with a swipe to the left, or press and hold the screen to see a Clear All option.
See your apps, and install new ones
Press the Digital Crown to see a helicopter view of all the apps installed on your Apple Watch. These icons will consist of pre-installed apps from Apple, and any apps that you have on your iPhone which are also compatible with the Apple Watch. This is an option when you first set up your Watch, but if you’re looking for an app and can’t find it, or want to remove apps, then head to the Apple Watch app on your iPhone and scroll down to the Installed on Apple Watch list. Tap each option to see controls on either deleting or installing the app on your Watch.
To find new apps for your Watch, open the Apple Watch app and select the App Store from the list of options at the bottom of the screen. This takes you to a version of the App Store with all the apps available for your Watch, removing the guesswork from using the main App Store app to find them. The apps you install will require the same app to be installed on your iPhone too.
We’ve got a list of the best Apple Watch apps available here.
Take your heart rate
This is easy. Press the Digital Crown to show the app display and look for the heart icon. Tap it and the Watch immediately starts taking your heart rate. A graph at the top of the screen shows your heart rate history. Twist the Digital Crown to show other screens, breaking down your heart rate data into resting and walking segments.
One thing to remember is to make sure the Apple Watch is securely on your wrist. If it’s loose, the measurement may not be accurate.
Corsa D Tips And Tricks VideosHow to use Apple Pay on your Apple Watch
To use Apple Pay on your Apple Watch it also needs to be set up on your iPhone. If it is when you first set up your Apple Watch, you’ll be prompted to copy over the information. You can ensure the Watch is using the same Apple Pay information by going to the Apple Watch app and looking for the Wallet and Pay option. Tap this, and make sure the Mirror my iPhone option is ticked.
In a store, activate Apple Pay on your Watch by double tapping the button under the Digital Crown. Your preferred payment method is automatically activated and a representation of the card appears on the screen. Hold your Watch near the payment reader in the store to pay with your Watch.
How to use Siri
Siri is at your command on the Apple Watch. You can activate Siri either by long-pressing the Digital Crown, or provided your Watch has WatchOS 5 installed, it supports Raise to Speak — meaning just raising your wrist is enough to wake Siri. Just say the wake word (Hey Siri, or similar) to get Siri to listen.
There are various settings which must be active for Siri to work on your Watch. For example, it must have a connection — either from your phone or a 4G LTE connection — the Raise to Speak feature must be switched on in the Siri and Search option in the Apple Watch app, and the Watch cannot be in Airplane mode. If you use Siri a lot or want to take better advantage of Siri shortcuts, where an app can be controlled using Siri, then select the Siri Watch Face to make using the voice assistant even faster.
How to use the ECG function on the Apple Watch Series 4
This only applies to the Apple Watch Series 4, as earlier versions do not have the ECG feature, and it’s only available in the U.S. for now. Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone and scroll down to the Heart option on the main screen. Here, find and tap the Set up the ECG App in Health option. Read the information, add your date of birth, and look for the Continue prompts.
Eventually, after various warnings on what the ECG cannot do, you’re ready to go ahead. The Apple Watch needs to be closely fitted to your wrist, not too loose, just like it should be for effectively taking your heart rate. Open the App display by pressing the crown, then find and tap the icon shaped like a heart. Sit at a table, rest your Watch arm on it, and press your index finger against the Watch’s crown.
This starts the ECG feature, and results will appear after about 30 seconds. Data is stored inside the Apple Heath app on your phone, along with your other fitness and health information. For additional ECG-related features, we’ve got a complete guide to the ECG function and the alerts it can generate here.
There’s plenty more the Apple Watch can do, but these are the top features you’ll use most often, and are essential for making use of this great Apple product every day.
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1.) AR Emoji
One of the best Galaxy S9 and S9+ features is AR Emoji. The AR Emoji feature can create an avatar version of yourself and it can be modified with different attributes like the expressions, hair color and glasses style. You can set up AR Emoji by opening the camera app, switching to the front-facing camera and tapping AR Emoji from the selections at the top. After you take the photo, then tap through the options that pop up.
2.) Adjust Screen Resolution
Change screen resolution on the Galaxy S9 and S9+
Samsung
The Galaxy S9 has the same 5.8-inch size 3K Quad HD+ OLED Infinity Display and resolution (2960 x 1440) as last year’s Galaxy S8. However, the Galaxy S9 is superior to its predecessor when considering the color accuracy, the brightness, outdoor visibility and reflectivity.
The Galaxy S9 resolution defaults to the lower 2220 x 1080 pixels (FHD+) resolution in order to conserve battery life. If you are constantly charging your device, then I recommend changing your screen resolution to the higher WQHD+ at 2960 x 1440. Or you can reduce the resolution to HD+ at 1480 x 720. You can control this by going to Settings > Display > Screen resolution.
3.) Adjust Touch Sensitivity
In case you have a screen protector on your device, you can increase the touch sensitivity of your device. This can be done by going to Settings > Advanced features > Touch Sensitivity.
4.) Bixby Brings Insights To Your Surroundings
The Samsung Bixby digital assistant has been deeply integrated into the Galaxy S9 camera. And it utilizes augmented reality and deep learning to offer users real-time information about the world.
As users point their camera at objects, Bixby will recognize what you are looking at and show information layered on top of it. This includes a Live Translation function within the Bixby Text mode. Bixby instantly translates signs and menus written in foreign languages and currencies.
When you have the camera app open, tap the Bixby Vision button in the lower-left corner. Then hold the phone up to the text that you want to translate and tap the T button. This will convert the foreign language into English or the other default language that your S9 is set to.
You can control this feature by going to More Options under Bixby Home > My Bixby.
5.) Control The Screen Color Balance
There are four different screen modes for controlling the Galaxy S9 and S9+ display. This includes an adaptive display, AMOLED cinema, AMOLED photo and Basic. And you can also control the temperature by activating the advanced options and adjusting the RGB spectrum. This feature is located under Settings > Display > Screen mode.
6.) Conserve Your Battery
You can use the Device Maintenance features in the Galaxy S9 and S9+ to prevent your battery from quickly draining. There are a few ways to control the battery settings in order to optimize the battery life by going to Settings > Device maintenance > Battery.
The Battery Usage section allows you to view details of the battery usage by item. For example, the Power saving mode allows you to extend battery life by selecting a power saving mode (OFF/MID/MAX). And the estimated remaining battery life for each mode is shown.
The App Power Monitor feature puts apps to sleep so they do not use battery power when it is not being used.
And Unmonitored apps allow you to select apps to exclude from being put to sleep by the App power monitor. And you can configure the advanced battery settings under More Options > Advanced settings.
7.) Create Secure Folders
With the Galaxy S9 and S9+, you can create Secure Folders for apps that contain sensitive information. To set up a Secure Folder, you can go to Settings > Lock screen and security > Secure Folder.
Then you would have to access the secure folder with your PIN number, pattern or password. The iris and fingerprint scanner can also be used for opening the folder.
8.) Customizing The Messages App
Samsung allows you to customize the Messages display. Specifically, you can customize the way Messages appear by changing the theme on your phone and adjusting the font settings.
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To change the Themes on your phone, touch and hold an empty area from a Home screen. And then you can view all the themes by tapping on “View All.” Then select the theme of your choice and touch Apply.
And to download themes, touch and hold an empty area from the Home screen and then tap on Themes. Then swipe up to view the available themes and select the one you want to download and tap on 'Download.'
9.) Dual Bluetooth
The Galaxy S9 and S9+ have Bluetooth 5.0 as a specification. So this means that you can pair two Bluetooth headsets at a time to it. This makes it easier to watch movies or listen to music at the same time. You can pair the two sets of headphones in the Bluetooth settings and activate “Dual Audio.”
10.) Dual Messenger
If you have multiple accounts on Facebook, Messenger, WhatsApp, Skype, Viber, WhatsApp and Snapchat, then you might find the Dual Messenger feature in the Galaxy S9 useful. You can a download a second version of the same app so you can easily switch between your accounts. This can be set up by going to Settings > Advanced features > Dual Messenger. You may have also seen this feature on the Note8.
11.) Heart Load Factor
Samsung first added a heart rate monitor to its Galaxy flagships when it introduced the Galaxy S5 a few years ago. And the Galaxy S9 has a blood pressure reading known as the “heart load factor.”
The heart load factor is a wellness feature that provides insights about your blood pressure. Samsung also shows your stress levels so you can make decisions to lower your blood pressure. Plus Samsung has partnered with UCSF to share blood pressure information. This feature is located in the Samsung app folder > Samsung Health > HLF.
12.) Home Screen In Horizontal Mode
Now you can view your Home screen, app icons and app drawer in a horizontal mode. You can turn this on or off by going to Settings > Display > Home screen > Portrait mode only.
13.) Live Focus And Background Blur
The Galaxy S9+ Dual Camera has a pair of 12-megapixel cameras: one with a f/1.5 wide-angle lens with Super Speed Dual Pixel image sensor and the other with a f/2.4 telephoto lens. Plus the Dual Camera system has dual optical image stabilization (OIS). This camera hardware facilitates two notable features in the Galaxy S9+, which are Live Focus and Background Blur.
The Live Focus feature allows users to adjust the depth of field at any point in the photo-taking process. And the Background Blur feature also allows users to apply shapes like hearts, stars and twinkles to the photo background.
14.) Managing The Biometrics
Samsung has more biometrics than other devices as it supports facial recognition (Intelligent Scan), fingerprint reading and iris scanning. To manage all of them, go to the Intelligent Scan under Settings > Lock screen and security > Screen lock type.
15.) Manually Control The Camera Aperture
One of the signature features in the Galaxy S9 and S9+ is the Dual Aperture cameras, which can adapt to the environment you are in whether it is very sunny or very dark. However, you can manually control the aperture setting by switching to the Pro mode, swiping left twice and tapping on the aperture icon.
When using the camera in landscape mode, you will notice a button at the bottom of the screen that tells you which aperture setting is currently active. This area also allows you to switch back and forth between f/1.5 and f/2.4.
16.) Multitasking With Split Screen
In the Galaxy S9 and S9+, you can split the screen in order to use two apps at the same time. First, you will have to make sure that the “Pop-up view action” is enabled in the Multi-Window menu.
Then you will have to tap on the “View recently used apps” button. Swipe upwards or downwards and select the multi-window icon on the recent app window. That app will launch in the upper window. And then select you would select another app to open in the lower window.
17.) Respond To Text Messages Without Leaving An App
Samsung added the ability to respond to text messages without leaving the app you are currently viewing. When you receive a text message, you simply have to swipe down to expand the window. And after responding, you simply close the window. The edge of the phone will light up when you receive the message.
18.) Selfie Focus
Samsung's Jonathan Wong using the selfie mode on the Galaxy S9 event at MWC
Samsung
The Galaxy S9 has a Selfie Focus mode, which uses software to blur the background. This feature is similar to the Portrait Mode on the iPhone X. You can set this feature up on the Galaxy S9 by opening the selfie camera and tapping on “Selfie Focus.”
19.) Setting Up One-Handed Mode
With the Galaxy S9 and S9+, you can set up One-Handed Mode. This feature makes the display smaller so that you can use one hand to get things done. This can be done by going to Settings > Advanced Features > One Handed Mode.
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20.) Super Slow Motion
The Galaxy S9 and S9+ enables users to record videos in Super Slow Motion so you can capture moments that are fun to watch at different speeds. The Super Slow Motion feature increases the camera shutter speed to 960 fps (frames per second) and can record video four times slower than other slow-motion mobile technology. After the slow-mo video is recorded, you can save it as a GIF, add music to it and display it as a wallpaper on the Home and lock screen.
21.) Turn Dolby Atmos On And Off
The Samsung Galaxy S9 has Dolby Atmos technology that offers 360-degree sound, but it is turned off by default. And you can turn it on by pulling down the quick notification settings. This feature is powered by AKG-tuned stereo speakers at the bottom of the device.
Within the Dolby Atmos menu, there are four modes. There is an Auto mode that optimizes the sound for whatever you are listening to; a Movie mode to deliver the best audio for films, shows and videos; a Music mode that makes “your music sound richer, fuller and more balanced”; and Voice to make voices loud and clear.
22.) Use Samsung DeX For Larger Displays
Another useful feature on the Galaxy S9 and S9+ is Samsung DeX. Samsung DeX allows users to set up a full-screen desktop experience using your Galaxy S9 and S9+ via the DeX platform. Samsung DeX transforms the Galaxy S9 display into a Touch Keyboard and Touch Pad.
Blizzard’s acclaimed team-based shooter is delighting millions with its brash visual style and surprising tactical depth. But while there are many online guides drilling down into the specific nuts-and-bolts of each character, some players are still struggling with the fundamentals of this fresh take on the first-person shooter.
So let us take you through some basics, some not-so-basics and some dirty secrets.
1. Health / Armour / Shields
This is one of the first things Overwatch explains, and it’s pretty clear that a lot of players didn’t take it in. We could go into endless depth but it’s important to understand some basics about how the different types of HP operate: health and armour doesn’t regenerate (unless you’re certain support classes), but shields do regenerate. Hence, with the shield-heavy Zarya, the character’s being set up to bait shots with her shields before dropping her barrier to absorb the fire and power-up (which lets the shield regenerate.)
Much more importantly, having armour as any part of your health pool reduces the damage of incoming fire for as long as it’s there. This is super-effective against high-frequency low-damage weapons, where every shot will be affected, and less so against single-shot big-damage weapons like rockets.
As a practical example take the oft-misunderstood tank D.Va, sometimes seen as a poor alternative to the Reinhardts and Winstons. The whole point of D.Va is that her health pool is disproportionately stacked with armour, and therefore she’s the choice counter for teams attacking with Tracers and Soldier 76. Dash into their vicinity and the shots bounce off you like confetti.
2. Exploit hidden shield effects
To briefly return to the Russian bicep queen, Zarya is built around applying a barrier to herself and teammates, and it has one very special property. The barrier has 200HP but can absorb a single attack greater than that value before disappearing, meaning it has incredible utility against something like Junkrat’s Rip-Tire ultimate or even D.Va’s self-destruct – pop a barrier on yourself and any nearby teammate, and you’ll emerge unscathed from the explosion.
3. Audio cues are practical, not realistic
Overwatch’s incredible sound design is all about information, and it’s worth realising that your teammates’ actions are dialled-down and the enemy has higher priority. So if you hear clunking footsteps, for example, even though there’s a heavy teammate nearby, the game is still telling you something: each character – barring Zenyatta, who floats – has a different sound effect for their footsteps. (If you’re especially keen, there are videos running them down)
Finally, the audio cues for ultimates are different depending on whether it’s a teammate or an enemy. English-speaking characters will have a more aggressive ultimate phrase when on the enemy team, but others like Hanzo or Zarya will speak their native tongue – so if you hear a foreign language it’s always bad. Hey, I didn’t develop it.
4. Fire at anything
There’s a reason Overwatch has infinite ammo, and that’s because Blizzard believed the alternative wasn’t fun enough. Take advantage of this largesse by not waiting for the perfect shot, but firing in the general direction of any sign of the enemy, not least because even potshots that dink foes will build ultimate charge faster. This goes double when talking about Reinhardt’s shield – which a lot of my teammates don’t seem to realise has a finite health bar and is relatively easily destroyed. Abuse the fact that you’ll never run out of bullets / rockets / lasers / whatever.
5. Anti-Bastion
Bastion is one of the biggest roadblocks for new players, because his fixed turret form can shred through opposing teams in seconds. The counters to Bastion are many, and we’ll go over a few, but the principle across all of them is to respond to his position. If you take on a fixed turret and it sees you coming, you’re dead.
First, Bastion in turret form acquires a big shield at the front but a newly vulnerable point on his back – which any flanking character can take advantage of. Roadhog’s hook will not only pull Bastion out of position but put him in his less-powerful walking mode, though finishing him off might require some assistance. But by far the most useful thing to know about Bastion is that you can corner-peek him (as Widowmaker, for example) and aim at the exposed edges of his shield, without his being able to see you and return fire.
The most baller thing to do, of course, is walk right out in front of him as Genji and deflect every single bullet back into his smug robot face.
6. Deflect anything
Genji’s deflection is amazing against Bastion but can be used on any attack in the game with similarly spectacular results. The most beautiful thing about deflect is that it’s a duration ability, so you just need to get the timing roughly right rather than have split-second precision – if you see Widowmaker lining up a shot on you, it’s surprisingly easy to predict the shot within this window and return it with interest.
But this isn’t the half of it, because deflect can be a hard-counter to enemy character’s ultimate abilities. Something like Soldier 76’s ultimate, which makes all his shots tracking headshots, is begging to be deflected. But less obvious is that you can bounce back Hanzo’s twin dragon ultimate – as long as you hit the arrow before it transforms – or even bat back the canister for Mei’s infuriating freeze circle. And this may just be the tip of the iceberg: Genji can even deflect the cluster bombs that Junkrat drops on death (very useful if you’re finishing him with a melee), while in close-quarters he can deflect and steal Soldier 76’s healing “biotic field”, a projectile that drops on the ground.
7. The easy way to time ultimates
Ultimate attacks are the biggest tool any Overwatch hero has, so it’s a tragedy to see players throw them away in small engagements or, even worse, use them in isolation to no good end. Characters like Zarya depend on synchronising their ults with others, and where one ultimate can give an enemy team problems, two or three makes things inevitable.
An easy way to prep for this when playing solo is just hitting tab to see the stats. Under each player on your team there’s space for a tick mark and, if they have the tick, their ult is ready to go. Hang around their general area, use the quickchat option to let them know you’re charged too, and get ready for the cue.
8. Reinhardt’s Shields are permeable
Overwatch’s attacks and abilities have many characteristics that aren’t explicitly identified by the game, and one useful thing to know is that certain characters can attack directly through Reinhardt’s shield barrier. Winston’s tesla cannon goes straight through there, although that depends on a close engagement, but both Symmetra’s orb attacks and Reinhardt’s own fire strike will travel straight through, while any melee attack also gets full damage. Hence, one supposes, his hammer.
9. Tweak character-specific options
Every character in Overwatch has a few dedicated options in the controls screen and, OK, we may be approaching the point of nerd return. There’s little else to do in matchmaking lulls apart from admire your collection, however, so it’s worth getting familiar with your favourite characters’ capabilities – PC Gamer has an exhaustive guide.
Don’t underestimate the life-or-death importance of control options – I couldn’t stand Mercy for ages because her escape ability would so often screw up choosing the intended target, and leave me in the frontlines getting chewed down by the enemy team. Polly pocket games unblocked games. After switching “Guardian Angel prefers beam target” off, however, I started flying where I was supposed to, and the character came alive. Also, toggle mode for her beam will let you look around much easier while still healing.
10. Hidden abilities? Mercy me!
Speaking of Mercy she’s a great example of how many characters have ‘hidden’ abilities – in this case, she passively heals herself when out of combat – and this passive heal is buffed if she’s healing allies. These things become obvious, but the potential of her other basic abilities can be magnified in the right company. One possible combination is with an airborne Pharah – Mercy can jump to her position with Guardian Angel, use her ‘Float’ ability to hover with Pharah above the battlefield, and by the time you’re falling the cooldown for Guardian Angel has reset.
Beyond even this keep an eye out for little bonuses that the game doesn’t explicitly tell you about – an especially useful one is that Genji’s blade dash will reset after a successful kill or assist. This means you can take a risk to chase down opponents with the dash and rely on the reset to escape. Tracer’s pistols will fully reload from a recall, Winston’s ult will restore all his health, Junkrat can double-jump using his mines if you wait for the first cooldown to pass..
11. The other way to heal turrets
As Torbjorn you can sit at the back clanking away on your lovely placeable turret, making sure any damage gets repaired, and no one thinks any the worse of you. But Torbjorn can also be played as frontline defence, which lets you make much more use of his armour pack ability – and necessitates a more fleeting relationship with his turrets. An amazing thing about Torbjorn’s turrets is that they can swallow health packs, so stick one atop a frequently-used medkit. It won’t have the greatest view of the battlefield but, if it’s the right moment, you’ll pick up several easy kills from low-health enemies looking for a medkit – and if they return fire, the turret uses it to heal! A true win-win scenario.
12. The medals rank the team, not your personal bests
The medals received at the end of every round are delicious, but initially I thought they were ranking my own personal records. In fact they reflect your performance within the team in that game – so don’t feel too proud, or downtrodden.
13. Cooldowns are quicker than you think
This is a somewhat similar adjustment to taking advantage of Overwatch’s infinite ammo. There’s a certain unhelpful mentality of waiting for the perfect moment to use your abilities, but recognising that you’re not going to nail a quadkill with every life is important. The cooldowns for most of Overwatch’s characters are very short and the game is built around the abilities much more than the gunplay – get in the habit of using them, rather than saving them for no reason.
14. Use the melee
I know this is forehead-slappingly obvious, but an awful lot of players just don’t use the melee attack. It’s fast, does a guaranteed chunk of damage and is much more accurate in close proximity than the majority of weapons. Abuse it. With characters like Tracer, maybe not an obvious fit, it’s what separates life and death.
15. Attack the flanks, defend the flanks
Simple really, but you’d be amazed how many people continually run up the main thoroughfare after respawning and get one-shotted by a smug Widowmaker for their trouble. All maps have main road and the key to winning on all of them is dominating the side positions, the flanking spots and the nested coves that let defenders set up shop. You should always be attacking the centre but, unless you’re a well-supported tank, never from the centre.
This is a crucial point for some characters’ play styles. Roadhog, for example, is not a tank class in the sense Reinhardt is, in terms of being able to walk into a hail of fire. Instead he’s a tank who flanks, and causes enormous trouble by being close to the enemy, hooking in high-value targets and healing himself constantly.
16. Wait
On the point of flanks, don’t trickle into objectives either – after a bad engagement regroup with respawning teammates and go in together. Marching in one-by-one to a fortified objective is the surest way to lose a match, and there’s little worse than watching your teammates batter themselves like moths against the flame.
17. Damage boost ultimates
Several support classes have damage boost options. Try to get in a pattern of laying this down on a teammate that’s using their ultimate, especially when it’s something like Pharah’s rain of rockets or Soldier 76’s tracking visor.
18. Mei = Bae
Don’t put a wall in front of the enemy team. Put a wall behind the first two or three players to split their team in half and focus down the trapped ones. Stick one in front of McCree at High Noon, things like that.
19. Class-based means counters
Every hero in Overwatch is unique, and this means there are mismatches. Once again the good folks at PC Gamer have an exhaustive run-down of specific class counters, but don’t overthink things – this is a team game and the important thing is not whether you’re hard-countering Bastion, but whether someone on your team is. Turn a corner as Tracer and run into McCree and Genji? Just run away and let others take care of them – you’re there for the clunkier backliners.
20. Skill matters less than brains
The most pleasing thing about Overwatch is how it leaves traditional FPS gameplay intact through certain characters while introducing a new layer of more ability-based tactics with others. And it’s important to recognise that Overwatch is a less purely skill-based shooter than Counter-Strike or Rainbow Six: Siege, and to this ends rewards a different kind of thinking. Team composition will win out over pure twitch skills and the game is tailor-made for switching – so don’t just stick with your favourites.
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