S9 - Auto-Launch Not Reliable?

[fatnecks]

I've had my watch a few months now and I love it for all kinds of things that I never would have predicted. One of the things I use most is the Auto Launch of audio apps. So when your phone is playing music or podcasts and you raise your watch it automatically goes to the remote control screen for that app. The workout app I use at the gym (StrongLifts) works in a similar fashion.

However, occasionally, this behavior doesn't act like this. As in, you're playing music and you raise the watch and you don't get the auto launch, you just get the normal watch face. When this happens, I usually reboot the watch and then it will generally start to behave normally again. Today while I was at the gym, it really wouldn't cooperate and instead of just rebooting, I decided to experiment during my workout. No matter what I did, I couldn't get it to work properly. Closed all the apps, cleared all the notifications. Opened the workout app on the watch, and when I would drop my wrist, do a set, and raise again, it never worked.

So rebooted and it started working normally again. Anyone else see this? Any other tricks to play besides a reboot?

Thanks!

 

[StumpyBloke]

Same long-standing issue on my ultra2. It either works flawlessly, or doesn’t at all, or comes up with a frozen now playing screen. It does seem to work again after a while but it does seem very random.

 

[fatnecks]

Same long-standing issue on my ultra2. It either works flawlessly, or doesn’t at all, or comes up with a frozen now playing screen. It does seem to work again after a while but it does seem very random.

Yeah, that sounds like the issue. It works 90% of the time, but when it's on the fritz, I've only found that rebooting is the only solution.

 

[sparky672]

Any other tricks to play besides a reboot?

On iPhone, go to Airplane Mode AND turn Wifi OFF. Now Playing instantly pops up on the Watch face correctly synced to whatever is playing on your iPhone. Then you can turn Wifi back on and Airplane Mode OFF. But you'll soon need to do it again. Weird and VERY annoying.

For me, FWIW, iOS 26.5 and watchOS 26.5

 

[doogm]

However, occasionally, this behavior doesn't act like this. As in, you're playing music and you raise the watch and you don't get the auto launch, you just get the normal watch face.

Any other tricks to play besides a reboot?

I hate auto-launch of audio apps myself, because when I glance at my watch I generally want to see the time, but have you tried looking in the Smart Stack to see if the audio app is showing there? (Scroll up on the bottom of the screen, or roll the Digital Crown up to reveal the Smart Stack.)