Things can go wrong on the water: a broken line, a lost board, a cramp far from shore, or simply drifting away from your group. In those moments, you need a way to call your friends for help. Fast, hands-free, and without fumbling for your phone.
That's Friend Alarm: a one-move safety alert you can trigger directly from your Apple Watch. When you activate it, friends using Friends Compass who are riding near you get an instant alert and can navigate straight to you.
🆓 Free to use - Raising a Friend Alarm is free for everyone, on by default, no setup needed.
⌚ Apple Watch only - Friend Alarm is currently available on Apple Watch. Wear OS support is coming later.
🌐 Internet connection required - Your watch needs connectivity, either through eSIM or a paired iPhone nearby, so the alert can reach your friends.
How to trigger Friend Alarm
During your session, spin the Digital Crown quickly and continuously for a few seconds until the alarm activates. The motion is intentionally distinct from normal watch use, so it won't trigger while you're simply adjusting your watch, and there's a short countdown before it goes off so you can cancel by stopping.
To cancel, spin the crown again.
Once triggered, Friend Alarm:
Sends an instant alert to your friends who are using Friends Compass and riding near you
Shows them your name and the direction to reach you, so they can come find you
Friends who aren't using Friends Compass won't receive the alert
What happens if a friend triggers the alarm?
If one of your friends activates Friend Alarm while you're on the water and you're using Friends Compass, you'll get a clear alert and your Friends Compass will point you directly to them, with live distance updates, so you can reach them as quickly as possible.
When to use it
Friend Alarm is built for moments when you genuinely need help: broken gear you can't fix on the water, cramps, exhaustion, drifting away from your group, or any situation where you would normally try to wave someone down.
⚠️ Important Friend Alarm is not a replacement for emergency services. If you are in life-threatening danger, always contact your local rescue services, such as the Coast Guard, 112, 911, or the relevant emergency number in your area.
Friend Alarm helps your friends reach you faster. It does not contact professional rescue services.
Better together with Friends Compass
Friend Alarm and Friends Compass are designed to work together. The alarm raises the flag; the compass guides your friends to you. Raising a Friend Alarm stays free for everyone, while Friends Compass is part of Surfr PRO.