How to Use Double Tap on Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2

At the 2023 Wonderlust event in September, Apple released the newApple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2. To be honest, the past few iterations of the Apple Watch have been uninspiring, and this time, the new Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 only come with one under-the-hood upgrade, which is the S9 chipset. However, there’s a software feature that caught everybody’s attention, and it’s the newDouble Tap gesture. While the feature did not arrive with the initial release of the watchOS 10, Apple has now enabled this feature with the watchOS 10.1 firmware. So, here’s how you can get the Double Tap feature working on your Apple Watch today and everything you can do with it.

Note:The Double Tap gesture is only available on the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 right now.

What is the Apple Watch Double Tap Feature?

Double Tap is a new gesture-based feature that lets you control various functions of your Apple Watch by pinching your thumb and index finger. As mentioned above, it is exclusive to the Apple Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2. This feature uses the accelerometer, gyroscope, and heart rate sensor tomeasure the changes in blood flowthrough your wrist to detect the double tap.

While Apple already had AssistiveTouch on the Apple Watch, this new feature takes it to a level further by taking advantage of the new S9 SiP found in the latest Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2.

Basically, Apple aims to make it easier for you to navigate through your Apple Watch and perform functions when your other hand is occupied, and only the one on which you wear the Apple Watch is free. The Double Tap feature on the Apple Watch can be useful in situations like when you’re walking your dog, carrying groceries, or holding cups of coffee.

How to Turn On Double Tap on Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2

Unlike other settings, the Double Tap gesture is not enabled by default, so you must turn it on manually to use the feature on your Apple Watch. You can enable the Double Tap gesture directly from your watch or use the Watch app on your iPhone. Here’s how:

On Apple Watch

On iPhone

Uses of Apple Watch Double Tap Feature

Simply put, the Double Tap gesture eliminates the need to touch or tap the primary button on-screen to interact with the Apple Watch and can work literally anywhere in the watchOS interface, including but not limited to notifications and in an app. For instance:

This is how you enable the Double Tap gesture on your Apple Watch Series 9 or Ultra 2. While the feature is exclusive to all Apple Watch models with the S9 chip, you can always use the similar but limited accessibility feature, AssistiveTouch, if you own an Apple Watch Series 4 and newer model. If you’re an Android user and think you are missing out on this feature, here’s how toget Apple Watch 9’s Double-Tap gesture on Galaxy Watches.

Vikhyat Rishi

Vikhyat has a bachelor’s degree in Electronic and Communication Engineering and over five years of writing experience. His passion for technology and Apple products led him to Beebom, where he specializes in writing App features, How To’s and app troubleshooting guides for fellow Apple users. When not typing away on his MacBook Pro, he loves exploring the real world.

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