How to enable raise-to-wake on a Samsung Galaxy smartwatch

Galaxy Watch Active 2 Hero
Galaxy Watch Active 2 Hero (Image credit: Chris Wedel/Android Central)

A great feature on some smartwatches is the battery-saving feature known as raise to wake. It's a wonderful option to have, whether you use the always-on display option or not. By enabling this feature, you can have your watch become "active" as soon as the device senses it's been lifted. Activating the watch can show live data on your watch face or make the device ready for your input. Regardless if you want the feature always enabled or just in certain situations, changes are only a few easy steps away from either with the Galaxy Wearable app on your phone or via the watch itself.

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How to enable raise-to-wake through the Galaxy Wearable app

Let's look at the taps needed to turn on the raise-to-wake feature using the Galaxy Wearable app on your phone.

  1. Ensure your phone and watch are connected via Bluetooth.
  2. Open the Galaxy Wearable app on your phone. Source: Chris Wedel/Android Central

  1. Tap on Advanced
  2. Press the toggle beside Wake-up gesture to enable raise to wake.

How to enable raise-to-wake on a Samsung Galaxy smartwatch on the watch

Being able to change the behavior of your watch directly on the device is great for those times you don't have your phone with you.

  1. Open the Settings app on your watch.
  2. Scroll to the option titled Advanced and tap on it. Source: Chris Wedel/Android Central

  1. Scroll until you see Wake-up gesture and tap it.
  2. Press the toggle beside Wake-up gesture to enable raise to wake.

Now your watch's display can be as active or inactive as you want it to be. Remember, by enabling the raise-to-wake, or wake-up gesture, your watch will become fully active once you have lifted your wrist up to look at it. At times the watch may think you are attempting to view the display even when you aren't and activate the screen. Either way, the more times the screen or watch is activated, the more battery that is consumed — food for thought.

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Whether you are using a Galaxy Watch Active 2, Galaxy Watch, or any other one of Samsung's recent smartwatch offerings, you'll need to get the Galaxy Wearable app. The Galaxy Wearable app is used for a variety of functions for using your Samsung wearable, so getting familiar with it is important.

Chris Wedel
Smart Home Writer
Chris Wedel is a fan of all things tech and gadgets. Living in rural Kansas with his wife and two young boys makes finding ways to get and stay online tricky. By utilizing his years of experience with the tech and mobile communications industries — success is assured. When not conquering connectivity challenges and testing new gadgets, he enjoys cruising a gravel road in his UTV with some good tunes.