Do More Single-Handedly With Double Tap on Apple Watch

Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 models see a multi-functional Double Tap motion that you mightiness not cognize astir oregon haven't yet got astir to trying. Here's everything Double Tap tin do, and however you tin marque the astir of it connected your Apple Watch.


Double Tap is simply a gesture-based diagnostic for Apple Watch models that lets you power ticker functions by tapping your thumb and scale digit unneurotic twice. The diagnostic aims to marque it easier to navigate the Apple Watch erstwhile you person lone 1 manus free, similar erstwhile you're walking a dog, carrying groceries, oregon holding a cupful of coffee.

What Double Tap Can Do

Double Tap's functionality is beauteous simple. You rise your ticker to wake, and past you treble pat your thumb and scale digit unneurotic to power what's happening connected the surface of your watch.

By default, Double Tap selects the superior fastener successful immoderate app you're in. So for example, if you get a call, you tin treble pat to answer, and usage it to bent up erstwhile you're done. Likewise, if you're watching/listening to media, you tin intermission it and resume it (or skip). You tin besides usage the motion from your Apple Watch look to navigate done your Smart Stack, widget by widget.

Some different usage cases: If you've acceptable a timer, double-tapping volition intermission it. Performing the motion again volition resume the countdown, and erstwhile the timer goes off, a double-tap volition halt it. Similarly, you tin usage it to bash different mundane things similar snooze alarms, trigger the Camera Remote app's shutter button, and disregard notifications.


As you mightiness expect, the motion is besides acceptable up to presume your different manus is preoccupied. If you person a text, for instance, a treble pat lets you reply with a dependable message, portion different treble pat sends the message.

Here's a rundown of everything you tin bash with Double Tap:

• Open the Smart Stack from the ticker face, and past Double Tap again to scroll done widgets 1 by one.


• Answer telephone oregon FaceTime calls.


• Hang up telephone oregon FaceTime calls.


• When you get an iMessage, Double Tap to presumption it, and past Double Tap again if you request to scroll.


• Reply to a Message utilizing dictation and past nonstop it with Double Tap.


• Act connected notifications - Apple says a Double Tap connected an incoming notification volition activate the superior action, specified arsenic snoozing a reminder oregon replying to a message.


• Pause, resume, and extremity a timer.


• Stop and resume the stopwatch.


• Snooze an alarm.


• Play and intermission music, podcasts, oregon audiobooks (or skip a track, depending connected settings).


• Change to the Elevation presumption successful the Compass app.


• Start oregon halt automatic Workout reminders erstwhile a workout is detected.


• Take a photograph with the Camera Remote.


• Record a dependable memo successful the Voice Memo app.


• Change Flashlight modes.

In the Apple Watch Settings app, nether Gestures, you tin opt to alteration the playback enactment from play/pause to skip, and the Smart Stack enactment from Advance (swaps done the widgets) to Select (opens a widget's associated app). If you person Apple Vision Pro, you'll besides find an enactment to disregard treble pat gestures erstwhile you're wearing the headset.

How to Set Up Double Tap

If Double Tap is disabled connected your watch, you volition request to alteration it manually for it to work. This tin beryllium done from your wrist oregon successful the Watch app connected iPhone, and some menus see options to customize Media Playback and Smart Stack functionality.

Note that to alteration Double Tap, setup involves giving watchOS support to disable immoderate Accessibility options, including Assistive Touch, Zoom with Hand Gestures, VoiceOver with Hand Gestures, and Quick Actions. If Double Tap is enabled but is not moving for you, disabling it and past turning it backmost connected tin assistance successful immoderate circumstances.

On Apple Watch:

1. Open the Settings app.


2. Tap Gestures.


3. Tap Double Tap, past toggle connected the power adjacent to Double Tap connected the adjacent screen.


4. If prompted, pat Turn disconnected Accessibility Features astatine the bottommost of the on-screen alert.


5. Choose your preferred mounting for "Playback" (Play/Pause oregon Skip) and "Smart Stack" (Advance oregon Select).

On iPhone:

1. Open the Watch app.


2. With the "My Watch" tab selected, pat Gestures.


3. Tap Double Tap, past toggle connected the power adjacent to Double Tap connected the adjacent screen.


4. If prompted, pat Turn disconnected Accessibility Features successful the on-screen alert.


5. Choose your preferred mounting for "Playback" (Play/Pause oregon Skip) and "Smart Stack" (Advance oregon Select).

Apple says Double Tap is enabled by the S9 chip's faster Neural Engine, which is wherefore the diagnostic is lone disposable connected the Series 9 and aboriginal and the Ultra 2. Apple said it developed an algorithm that detects the "unique signature" of tiny wrist movements and changes successful humor travel erstwhile the scale digit and thumb are tapped together.

• How to Use Hand Gestures to Control Your Apple Watch

If you ain an earlier Apple Watch exemplary that doesn't enactment Double Tap, you tin ever effort a akin but much constricted accessibility diagnostic called AssistiveTouch, which is disposable connected the Apple Watch Series 4 and newer.
This article, "Do More Single-Handedly With Double Tap connected Apple Watch" archetypal appeared connected MacRumors.com

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