Tim Hardwick
The Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 models include a powerful Double Tap gesture that you might not know about or haven’t tried yet. Here’s everything Double Tap can do and how you can get the most out of it on your Apple Watch.
Double Tap is a gesture-based feature for Apple Watch models that lets you control watch features by tapping twice with your thumb and index finger. The feature is designed to make it easier to control your Apple Watch when you only have one hand free, like when you’re walking the dog, carrying groceries, or holding a cup of coffee.
What Double Tap Can Do
Double Tap’s functionality is pretty simple. You lift your watch to wake it, then double-tap with your thumb and index finger to control what’s happening on your watch’s screen.
By default, Double Tap selects the primary button in whatever app you’re in. So, for example, if you get a call, you can double-tap to answer, and use it to hang up when you’re done. Likewise, if you’re watching/listening to media, you can pause it and resume it (or skip it). You can also use the gesture on the Apple Watch face to navigate your Smart Stack, widget by widget.
Some other use cases: If you’ve set a timer, double-tapping will pause it. Doing the gesture again will resume the countdown, and when the timer goes off, double-tapping will stop it. Similarly, you can use it to perform other everyday tasks, such as snoozing an alarm, activating the Camera Remote app's shutter button, and dismissing notifications.
In watchOS 11, Double Tap can also be used to scroll through navigable content in any Apple app, including Weather and Messages. You can even use double tap to dismiss a timer that has already ended.
As you might expect, this gesture also assumes that your other hand is busy doing something. For example, if you receive a text message, double-tapping lets you reply with a voice message, and double-tapping again sends the message.
Here's a quick rundown of everything you can do with Double Tap:
- Open the Smart Stack on your watch face, then double-tap again to scroll through the widgets one by one.
- Answer phone or FaceTime calls.
- End phone or FaceTime calls.
- When you receive an iMessage, double-tap to preview it, then double-tap again if you need to scroll.
- Reply to a message using dictation, then send it with Double Tap.
- Take action on notifications. Apple says that double-tapping an incoming notification initiates a primary action, like snoozing a reminder or replying to a message.
- Pause, resume, and end a timer.
- Stop and resume the Stopwatch.
- Snooze an alarm.
- Play and pause music, podcasts, or audiobooks (or skip a track, depending on settings).
- Go to Elevation view in the Compass app.
- Start or stop automatic workout reminders when a workout is detected.
- Take a photo with the Camera remote.
- Record a voice memo with the Voice Memo app.
- Change flashlight modes.
In the Apple Watch Settings app, under Gestures, you can change the playback option from Play/Pause to Skip, and the Smart Stack option from More (switches between widgets) to Select (opens the widget’s associated app). If you have an Apple Vision Pro, you’ll also find a setting to ignore double-tap gestures when you’re wearing a headset.
How to Set Up Double-Tap
If double-tap is disabled on your watch, you’ll need to enable it manually for it to work. This can be done from the wrist or in the Watch app on iPhone, and both menus include options to customize media playback and Smart Stack functionality.
Note that enabling double-tap functionality requires giving watchOS permission to turn off certain accessibility options, including Assistive Touch, Zoom with Hand Gestures, VoiceOver with Hand Gestures, and Quick Actions. If Double Tap is enabled but not working, disabling it and then enabling it again may help in some cases.
On Apple Watch:
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap Gestures.
- Tap Double-tap, then turn on the switch next to Double-tap on the next screen.
- When prompted, tap Turn off accessibility features at the bottom of the on-screen notification.
- Choose your preferred setting for Playback (Play/Pause or Skip) and Smart Stack (Go or Select).
On iPhone:
- Open the Watch app.
- With the My Watch tab selected, tap Gestures.
- Tap Double-tap, then turn on the switch next to Double-tap on the next screen.
- When prompted, tap Turn off accessibility features on the onscreen alert.
- Choose your preferred setting for Playback (Play/Pause or Skip) and Smart Stack (Go or Select).
Apple says double-tap is powered by the S9 chip’s faster Neural Engine, which is why the feature is only available on the 9 series and later, as well as the Ultra 2. Apple said it developed an algorithm that recognizes the “unique signature” of tiny wrist movements and changes in blood flow when you tap your index finger and thumb together.
- How to Use Hand Gestures to Control Your Apple Watch
If you have an earlier Apple Watch model that doesn't support Double Tap, you can always try a similar but more limited accessibility feature called AssistiveTouch, which is available on the Apple Watch Series 4 and newer.
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