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Everything You Can Do With the Double Tap Gesture on Apple Watch

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Apr 12, 2001
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With the watchOS 10.1 update that came out today, Apple has added Double Tap to the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 devices. Double Tap was announced when the new models were introduced, but it took some time for Apple to implement it. With Double Tap, you can activate some Apple Watch functions with just one hand.

Apple-Watch-Ultra-2-double-tap-gesture-230912-Faeture-Blue.jpg

Using Double Tap requires you to tap your thumb and index finger together twice, and when you do this, you'll see a little icon on the Apple Watch to let you know that the tap was recognized. Double Tap uses the sensors in the Apple Watch to detect minute movements and blood flow when the fingers are positioned in a certain way.

apple-watch-ultra-double-tap-feature-green.jpg

There are a number of things you can do with Double Tap, and Apple has made it work with some of the most common actions that you might need to perform with one hand.
  • Open the Smart Stack from the watch face, and then Double Tap again to scroll through widgets.
  • Answer phone or FaceTime calls.
  • Hang up phone or FaceTime calls.
  • When you get an iMessage, Double Tap to view it, and then Double Tap again if you need to scroll.
  • Reply to a Message using dictation and then send it with Double Tap.
  • Act on notifications - Apple says a Double Tap on an incoming notification will activate the primary action, such as 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).
  • Change to the 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 in the Voice Memo app.
  • Change Flashlight modes.
In the Apple Watch app under Gestures, you can opt to change the playback option from play/pause to skip, and the Smart Stack option from Advance (swaps through the widgets) to Select (opens a widget's associated app).

While Double Tap can be used with third-party apps through incoming notifications, there is no Double Tap API for third-party apps at the current time. Developers can still customize their apps for Double Tap to an extent by assigning the action that should occur when a Double Tap gesture is used on an incoming notification.

Double Tap is limited to the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 because, as Apple executives said in a recent interview with Tom's Guide, the S9 chip in the new models is the first that is powerful enough for the gesture system.

To use Double Tap, Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Apple Watch Series 9 owners will need to update their devices to watchOS 10.1 through the Apple Watch app on the iPhone. watchOS 10.1 requires an iPhone running iOS 17 or later.

Note that Double Tap will not work when Low Power Mode, Sleep Focus, Theater Mode, or Water Lock is activated, and you must first raise your wrist to wake the Apple Watch to perform the gesture. Double Tap also does not work on watches that are paired as a Family Setup watch.

Article Link: Everything You Can Do With the Double Tap Gesture on Apple Watch
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2023/10/25/watchos-10-1-double-tap-gesture/
CausticSoda said:
Sorry to be late to the party on this... So Double Tap works on other generations of Apple Watch, not just S9 and U2?
Click to expand...
No, it does not, despite these posts.

On previous watches if you enable the Assistive Touch option in the Accessibility Features section of your watch then you can get a similar feature where hand gestures can do certain controls. This is what they're referring to. However, it isn't as fast or accurate as Double Tap, as the previous generation watches do not have the neural engine which this runs on. So yes you can do it - it just isn't quite as good. I do use this accessibility feature on my AWU.
 
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Can anyone verify if the Watch detects the gesture if you use your middle finger to tap against your thumb instead of the index finger? To me that is more natural and less prone to repetitive stress.

Try it yourself. The base of the middle finger is farther from the thumb, thus feels more natural and less awkward, and the middle finger is stronger.

I am guessing the vibration should feel the same to the Watch, but I wish someone could verify.

Edit: Some users below have verified that it works with the middle finger. Thanks.
 
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antiprotest said:
Can anyone verify if the Watch detects the gesture if you use your middle finger to tap against your thumb instead of the index finger? To me that is more natural and less prone to repetitive stress.

Try it yourself. The base of the middle finger is farther from the thumb, thus feels more natural and less awkward, and the middle finger is stronger.

I am guessing the vibration should feel the same to the Watch, but I wish someone could verify.
Click to expand...
It does. I can make it work with my third finger as well, but not the pinky
 
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antiprotest said:
Can anyone verify if the Watch detects the gesture if you use your middle finger to tap against your thumb instead of the index finger? To me that is more natural and less prone to repetitive stress.

Try it yourself. The base of the middle finger is farther from the thumb, thus feels more natural and less awkward, and the middle finger is stronger.

I am guessing the vibration should feel the same to the Watch, but I wish someone could verify.
Click to expand...
Verified. It works with middle finger
 
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Akrapovic said:
No, it does not, despite these posts.

On previous watches if you enable the Assistive Touch option in the Accessibility Features section of your watch then you can get a similar feature where hand gestures can do certain controls. This is what they're referring to. However, it isn't as fast or accurate as Double Tap, as the previous generation watches do not have the neural engine which this runs on. So yes you can do it - it just isn't quite as good. I do use this accessibility feature on my AWU.
Click to expand...

Do you have an older watch and know for a fact that Double Tap on WatchOS 10 doesn't work on it?
 
satchmo said:
Do you have an older watch and know for a fact that Double Tap on WatchOS 10 doesn't work on it?
Click to expand...
I think there is some confusion. The Double Tap feature is only available to Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2.

Assistive Touch works on all current Apple Watches that support watchOS8, however it isn't as smooth or reliable as Double Tap. But this works on any watch. I've been using that for a few years.

Edit: Corrected myself. Assistive Touch works on watchOS8/9 as well of course.
 
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Akrapovic said:
No, it does not, despite these posts.

On previous watches if you enable the Assistive Touch option in the Accessibility Features section of your watch then you can get a similar feature where hand gestures can do certain controls. This is what they're referring to. However, it isn't as fast or accurate as Double Tap, as the previous generation watches do not have the neural engine which this runs on. So yes you can do it - it just isn't quite as good. I do use this accessibility feature on my AWU.
Click to expand...
AMEN...
 
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Minecatt2 said:
Why do people keep acting like this is new? This has been an accessibility feature for a long while.
Click to expand...
Because it is new? The accessibility feature, from my testing, doesn't work as reliably as this does, and it doesn't work with as many things like bringing up your widgets and scrolling through them, among other things. This is new and improved functionality. It also doesn't bring up the big gray box and make the loud "boop" sound. It's just all around better than what we had previously.
 
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While I don't have an Apple Watch, I am glad for what Apple is bringing to the wearables market... It pushes companies like Garmin to improve their offerings. If Garmin could do this, it would be awesome for triggering a lap, for example.
 
"Note that Double Tap will not work when Low Power Mode, Sleep Focus, Theater Mode, or Water Lock is activated, and you must first raise your wrist to wake the Apple Watch to perform the gesture. Double Tap also does not work on watches that are paired as a Family Setup watch."

Ohhhhhh, OK
 
Minecatt2 said:
Why do people keep acting like this is new? This has been an accessibility feature for a long while.
Click to expand...
Because for many people it is; it is being advertised and marketed as a new feature, so the availability of it is reaching a much larger audience now compared to when it was buried in an accessibility menu.
 
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