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Watch Gestures and Buttons
Apple pioneered gestures with its touchscreen iPhone and iPad, and also with trackpad gestures used to interact with your Mac. It comes as no surprise then that Apple Watch also uses gestures, along with controls offered by the side button and the Digital Crown. Here we take a look at how to use those gestures to operate your watch and what they do.
Interacting With Your Watch
Although the gestures offered by the Apple Watch aren't as advanced or as comprehensive as those used in iOS devices or on the Mac, it's definitely worth taking a little time to familiarise yourself with these controls.
Swipe Down
From the main watch screen, swipe down to access the Notification Screen. A red dot at the top of the watch face means you've unread notifications. To get back to the watch screen, swipe up again or press the Digital Crown.
Swipe Up
Swiping up from the watch face takes you to its Control Centre. This gives you quick access to controls that silence your watch, turn it into a flashlight, ping your iPhone, turn on Airplane or Theatre Mode and more.
Swipe Sideways
Tap and hold the screen to access the Watch Faces picker. You can then swipe them left and right to find one you like, tap a face to use it or tap Edit to set it up however you like, choosing complications.
The Side Button
Since watchOS 10, pressing the Side Button gives access to the Control Centre. You can summon the Control Centre whether you're on the main watch face screen or using an app. Roll the Digital Crown to see more.
Tap Screen
The Apple Watch has a touchscreen, so unsurprisingly, its most basic gesture is a simple tap. Do this to operate on-screen buttons and to select options. For example, tap an app icon on the home screen to open it.
Press Digital Crown
A single press on the Digital Crown takes you to the app screen and back. Turn the Digital Crown to see more app icons. Double pressing lets you access a carousel of recently used apps. Press and hold it for Siri.
Turn Digital Crown
Turn the Digital Crown to scroll through menus, or to zoom in and out of a photo or map, like the iPhone's pinch gesture. It can also scroll through messages and emails, and if used on the watch face, access the Smart Stack.
Quick Actions
When not in use, the Apple Watch's
screen dims, or on older models turns off altogether, to save battery power. To wake it or bring it to full brightness, lift your wrist to your face, tap the screen or press any button.
Double Tap
If you have a Series 9 Watch or an Ultra 2, you can use a new gesture. Tapping your thumb and forefinger together, without touching your watch, can answer a call, pause/play music, snooze an alarm, trigger your camera shutter and more.