Fix: Double Tap Gesture Not Working on Apple Watch

With the introduction of the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2, Apple added new features, including the Double Tap gesture. This gesture will allow you to perform actions on your Apple Watch without touching the screen. You simply touch your index finger and thumb twice, and that’s it.

The Double Tap gesture is indeed a big deal as it is extremely useful when you can’t touch the screen. If you have a new Apple Watch and can’t find the Double Tap gesture working on it, you are in the right place. Here, we will tell you the reasons why this feature might not be working and share some solutions to fix the issue.

Why Is The Double Tap Gesture Not Working on My Apple Watch?

There are several reasons why the Double Tap gesture might not be working on your Apple Watch. While this can be a compatibility issue, it can also be due to a software issue. Here are some of the reasons why this gesture doesn’t work:

1. Incompatible Watch: Your Apple Watch is incompatible with the Double Tap gesture.
2. Outdated Software: Your Apple Watch is running an outdated version of watchOS.
3. Double Tap Turned Off: Double Tap feature is turned off on your Apple Watch.
4. Improper Gesture: You are not doing the gesture as expected.
5. No Double Tap Support: Double Tap might not be supported on the app that you are trying to use.
6. Software Glitches: There might be a software glitch that could be preventing the watch from recognizing the Double Tap gesture.

10 Ways to Fix Double Tap Gesture Not Working on Apple Watch

Now that you are aware of the most common reasons behind the Double Tap gesture not working, we can try to fix this issue with some troubleshooting. Let’s start with getting the basics right and then address any software issues.

Fix 1: Check Compatibility

The Double Tap gesture was introduced with the launch of the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2. Apple apparently uses the S9 chip on these watches to accurately detect the double tap done by the user and act accordingly.

As per Apple, the feature cannot be on the older Apple watches due to the lack of processing power to detect the double tap accurately. However, the Double Tap gesture has been available on the Apple Watch as an accessibility feature for years now.

Although the accessibility feature is there on older Apple Watches and has more to it than just a Double Tap, it is not as accurate or good as the Double Tap gesture on the newer Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2. In short, it doesn’t work as expected and is a pain to use.

Unlike the accessibility feature, the Double Tap on the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is much more accurate and works flawlessly all the time. This makes it easy to use and an actually convenient feature.

On top of this, your Apple Watch Series 9 or Apple Watch Ultra 2 needs to be running on the latest watchOS 10.1 update for the gesture to work. Many users bought the new watches solely for this feature but were disappointed to know that it isn’t available out of the box.

Unfortunately, the watchOS 10.1 update is still in the Beta stage, and we don’t know when it will be available to the public. However, if you do want to install the update, you can simply enroll in the Beta, install the update and then leave the Beta program. If you would like to wait for the stable or the official update, you can also do so.

Follow the steps below to install watchOS 10.1 on your Apple Watch Series 9 or Apple Watch Ultra 2:

1. Open the Watch app on your iPhone.
2. Please make sure you are in the My Watch tab.
3. Tap on General.
4. Then, tap on Software Update.
5. Tap on the Beta Updates option.
6. Select watchOS 10 Public Beta.
7. Go back to the Software Update page, and you should see a new update available for installation. Simply tap on Download and Install.

Note: You don’t need to install any Beta updates for your iPhone; it’s only for your Apple Watch.

Follow the steps below to leave the Beta program on your Apple Watch:

1. Once the watchOS 10.1 has successfully been installed, open the Watch app again.
2. Tap on General.
3. Then, tap on Software Update.
4. Tap on the Beta Updates option.
5. Select the Off option.

If you want to know how to enable the Double Tap gesture on your older Apple Watch, skip to the next section.

Fix 2: Update watchOS

As mentioned earlier, your Apple Watch needs to be on the latest version of watchOS for this feature to work. Make sure you have updated your Apple Watch to the latest software update available. Software updates often fix issues and bring improvements and stability to the UI. Follow the steps below to update watchOS:

1. Open the Watch app on your iPhone.
2. Please make sure you are in the My Watch tab.
3. Tap on General.
4. Then, tap on Software Update.
5. If an update is available, tap on Download and Install.
6. Restart your Apple Watch.

Fix 3: Make Sure Double Tap is Turned On

Often, it is our negligence that a certain feature doesn’t seem to work. It would be best to ensure the Double Tap gesture is turned on. Follow the steps below:

1. Unlock your Apple Watch.
2. Press the Digital Crown to access all your apps.
3. Find the Settings app and tap on it.
4. Scroll down and tap on Gestures.
5. Then, tap on Double Tap.
6. Make sure you turn on the toggle next to Double Tap.
7. Scrolling down on this page will give you access to a few customization settings for the Double Tap gesture.

Fix 4: Do the Gesture Properly

If the Double Tap gesture on your Apple Watch still isn’t working, you may not be using it correctly. To do a Double Tap, you must double-tap the joint of your index finger and thumb. Be sure to carry out this gesture exactly as directed. The Watch might not pick up on the gesture if you’re not using the proper form.

Fix 5: Restart your Apple Watch

Restarting can sometimes fix small problems. By restarting your watch, you can hopefully fix short-lived issues with the Double Tap gesture. Follow the steps below to restart your Apple Watch:

1. Press and hold the Digital Crown and the Side button together for a few seconds until the Power Off menu appears.
2. Tap on the Power icon in the top left corner.
3. Tap on Power Off.
4. Now, wait for a minute or two, and then press and hold the Side button for a few seconds to turn your Apple Watch on.
5. Check to see if the Double Tap gesture is now working properly.

Fix 6: Action Might Not Be Supported

The purpose of the Double Tap gesture is to trigger certain actions. However, this gesture may not work with all Apple Watch apps and features. If the blue Double Tap icon jiggles to the left and right when you try to do a Double Tap, it means that you are in an unsupported situation.

Some of the possible functions for the Double Tap gesture are to play/pause music, to answer/end a call, to begin/end a timer, to open the Smart Stack, to snooze an alarm, or to respond to a text message. First, you should make sure the Double Tap gesture can do what you want it to.

In addition to the above-mentioned actions, the Double Tap gesture can do other actions as well. However, it should be noted that not all apps and pages are optimized to take advantage of this feature as of now.

Fix 7: Force Restart your Apple Watch

If a normal restart doesn’t fix the problem, you can resort to a forced restart. This approach is more powerful than a simple restart and can fix problems that the latter may overlook. This is also called a hard reset. Follow the steps below to force restart your Apple Watch:

1. Press and hold the Digital Crown and Side button at the same time for a few seconds until your watch turns off automatically.
2. Your watch will turn on automatically after a few seconds.

Fix 8: Disable and Enable Double Tap

You can try turning off the Double Tap gesture and then back on if it isn’t working after you’ve verified that it is compatible with the desired action. This can often help resolve minor software glitches that could be preventing the feature from working as expected. Follow the steps below:

1. Unlock your Apple Watch.
2. Press the Digital Crown to access all your apps.
3. Find the Settings app and tap on it.
4. Scroll down and tap on Gestures.
5. Then, tap on Double Tap.
6. Turn off the toggle next to Double Tap.
7. Restart your Apple Watch (refer to the steps in Fix 5).
8. Now, follow the same steps above and turn on the Double Tap feature.

Fix 9: Reset your Apple Watch (Optional)

If the Double Tap gesture still isn’t working after trying everything else, resetting your Apple Watch might be your last resort. This more extreme measure will delete all information and configurations from your watch, so proceed with caution. Make sure to take a backup of your Apple Watch before proceeding.

1. Open the Settings app on your companion iPhone.
2. Tap on your name at the top.
3. Then, tap on iCloud.
4. Tap on iCloud Backup.
5. Ensure the toggle next to “Back Up This iPhone” is turned on.
6. Finally, tap on Back Up Now at the bottom.
7. Once you have backed up your Apple Watch, you can simply reset it.

Follow the steps below to reset your Apple Watch:

1. Unlock your Apple Watch.
2. Press the Digital Crown to access all your apps.
3. Find the Settings app and tap on it.
4. Tap on General.
5. Tap on Reset.
6. Then, tap on Erase All Content and Settings.
7. Follow the on-screen instructions to finish the reset.
8. After the reset has been done, pair your Apple Watch to your iPhone and restore all your backed-up data.
9. Check to see if the Double Tap gesture is not working as expected.

Fix 10: Contact Apple Support

If the Double Tap gesture problem persists after trying the aforementioned solutions, it may be time to call in the experts. Get in touch with Apple Support for further troubleshooting. If necessary, they can set up a service appointment and give you situation-specific advice. You can contact them via their website or even call them if possible.

Enable Double Tap Gesture On An Older Apple Watch

Since the Double Tap gesture is enabled by the new S9 chip, it will not work on older Apple Watches. However, you can enable a feature similar to the Series 9 and Ultra 2’s Double Tap gesture on older Apple Watch models from the AssistiveTouch settings. Here’s how to set it up:

1. Unlock your Apple Watch.
2. Press the Digital Crown to access all your apps.
3. Find the Settings app and tap on it.
4. Scroll down and tap on Accessibility.
5. Then, scroll down again and tap on AssistiveTouch.
6. Turn on the toggle next to AssistiveTouch.
7. Tap on Hand Gestures.
8. Turn on the toggle next to Hand Gestures.

Learn the Gestures

1. Pinch: Pinch your thumb and fingers together by tapping them together.
2. Double Pinch: Quickly double-tap your thumb and fingers to create a pinching motion. This feature is similar to the Double Tap gesture.
3. Clench: Make a fist to trigger this gesture.
4. Double Clench: To double clench, rapidly make two fists in a row.

You can modify the Hand Gestures and the resulting actions on your older Apple Watch to suit your individual needs and preferences. The older watch may not deliver as fluid of an experience as the Series 9 or Ultra 2, but it does provide you the option of using hand gestures to control your Apple Watch.

Final Words

The Double Tap gesture on your Apple Watch is extremely useful when it comes to doing quick actions such as snoozing an alarm, playing/pausing a track, or answering/ending a call. Unfortunately, the feature was not available out of the box but is now available with watchOS 10.1.

Moreover, the gesture doesn’t seem to be working for some users. Thankfully, we have compiled a few solutions to fix the issue. Make sure you try all the solutions mentioned above to fix the issue. If the issue persists, you should contact Apple Support for further assistance. Let us know if you have any further questions. Thanks for reading till the end!