Morse by Feel Support
Morse by Feel is a free Apple Watch app that teaches International Morse code with haptics instead of sound. It introduces one character at a time using the Koch method, then asks you to name what you just felt. You can feel a random word, tap out characters yourself on a keyer that decodes as you go, type a message and feel it, look up any letter, digit or sign in the chart, and keep an eye on your streak from a complication on the watch face. It runs entirely on the watch: there is no iPhone app, no account, no advertising, no in-app purchase and no network.
Getting started
- Install Morse by Feel from the App Store on the watch itself. Nothing needs to be installed on an iPhone.
- Open the app and tap Feel a dot and a dash on the welcome screen so you know what the two signals feel like before you start.
- Tap Learn. Feel the character the lesson is teaching, then answer the round of prompts that follows. Get enough right and the next character is unlocked.
- Tap Practice to feel a word you already know, tap dots and dashes out yourself, or type a short message and feel it played back.
- Come back for a round a day. Progress shows your streak and how you are doing per character, and Settings holds the speed and dash feel.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an iPhone app as well?
No. Morse by Feel is a standalone watch app. It installs on the watch, keeps everything on the watch, and there is nothing to open on a phone.
Why do the taps stop when I put my wrist down?
watchOS only plays haptics for an app that is on screen and in front. When the watch dims, sleeps or switches to another app, playback stops, and it starts again from the beginning when you come back. Keep the watch awake while you learn. Raising the screen-wake duration in the Watch app under Display & Brightness helps on longer sessions.
Why is it slower than real Morse code?
watchOS gives an app a fixed set of system haptics and will not play two of them closer than about a tenth of a second apart. Proper Morse timing is far quicker than that, so Morse by Feel tells a dot and a dash apart by how they feel rather than how long they last, and paces the elements slowly enough that you can feel each one. Speed in Settings offers Slow, Medium and Fast, and the Farnsworth toggle adds extra space between characters while you are learning.
What does the Dash feel setting do?
It chooses the haptic used for a dash: Long buzz, Strong tap, or Two taps in quick succession. A dot is always one short tap. Tap Feel a dash in Settings to try the current choice. Pick whichever contrast is clearest on your wrist.
How does Learn decide what to teach next?
It follows the Koch method. You start with two characters and a new one is added once you are reliable on the ones you have, so the alphabet arrives a character at a time rather than all at once. Every character is always played at full character speed, which is what stops you counting the elements instead of recognising the rhythm.
How do I start again from the beginning?
Open Settings, scroll to the bottom and tap Reset progress, then confirm. That clears the characters you have learned, your accuracy and your streak. Deleting the app removes everything too.
Contact
Email girgisdavid@hotmail.com and include your watch model and watchOS version.