Enable keyboard on watch to send messages

Hi Brownli8,

Thank you for using the Apple Support Communities! On an Apple Watch series 8, you'll want to follow the steps below to use the keyboard:

Send messages from Apple Watch

Create a message on Apple Watch

1. Open the Messages app  on your Apple Watch.

2. Scroll to the top of the screen, then tap New Message.

3. Tap Add Contact, tap a contact in the list of recent conversations that appears, or choose an option:

* Tap  to search for someone in your contacts or to dictate a phone number.

* Tap  to choose from your full list of contacts.

* Tap  to enter a phone number.

7. Tap Create Message.

8. If you’ve set up your Apple Watch to use more than one language, tap Language, then choose a language.

Compose a text message

You can compose a message in a variety of ways—most of them on a single screen. After creating a message, tap the Create Message field, then do one or a combination of the following:

* Use the QWERTY and QuickPath keyboard: (Not available in all languages, Apple Watch Series 7 and Apple Watch Series 8 only) Tap characters to enter them or use the QuickPath keyboard to slide from one letter to the next without lifting your finger. To end a word, lift your finger.

* Suggested words appear as you type. You can also tap a finished or unfinished word to highlight it, then turn the Digital Crown to see suggested words. Stop turning the Digital Crown to enter the highlighted suggestion.

* If you don’t see the keyboard, swipe up from the bottom, then tap the Keyboard button.

Hope this helps!

Have a great day.