title: How can local settings be stored on apple watch?
body: <p>I am aware of the methods listed <a href="https://developer.apple.com/library/content/documentation/General/Conceptual/WatchKitProgrammingGuide/Settings.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">here</a> to save preferences across Apple Watch and iOS.</p>
  
  <p>But, they mention that settings cannot be changed on the Apple Watch side, and that a WCSession would be needed to change settings from the watch.</p>
  
  <p>I am looking for a method to store preferences locally on the watch. These preferences are just for the watch (so a shared preferences scheme is not what I'm looking for). Also, the method needs to work with or without the phone present.</p>
  
  <p>My end goal is just to have switches on my Apple Watch app retain their state once the user changes them on the watch. I want their state to be retained if the app is closed and reopened.</p>
  
  <p>Any ideas on how to do this? My only idea so far is to save a file locally to the watch and read from that on launch, but I feel like there must be a simpler way.</p>
  
  <p><strong>EDIT:</strong> I have since realized that even though Apple discourages the setting of preferences on the watch, it is completely possible (UserDefaults can be used EXACTLY as it is in iOS). This allowed me to have local watch settings. Then, if settings need to be transferred between the phone and the watch, Watch Connectivity (specifically, TransferUserInfo) can do the job.</p>