watchOS 10.1 to Enable Apple Watch's New 'Double Tap' Gesture

The new Double Tap gesture for the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 will be enabled starting with watchOS 10.1, according to Marques Brownlee, host of the popular tech-focused YouTube channel MKBHD.

Apple Watch Ultra 2 double tap gesture 230912
The first beta of watchOS 10.1 will likely be available by next week, and Apple announced that the software update will be released next month.

Brownlee shared his impressions of the Series 9 and Ultra 2 in the video below, which was highlighted by @M1Astra on X, formerly Twitter.


Double Tap will allow users to tap their watch hand's index finger and thumb together twice to perform common actions on the Apple Watch, such as stopping a timer, playing and pausing music, snoozing an alarm, answering and ending a phone call, opening the Smart Stack, and more, all without touching the screen.

Apple says Double Tap is enabled by the S9 chip's faster Neural Engine, so the feature is only available on the Series 9 and Ultra 2. Apple said it developed an algorithm that detects the "unique signature" of tiny wrist movements and changes in blood flow when the index finger and thumb are tapped together.

A similar but more limited accessibility feature called AssistiveTouch is already available on the Apple Watch Series 4 and newer.

Both new Apple Watch models launch this Friday, but Double Tap will require watchOS 10.1. For now, the latest version is watchOS 10.0.1, released today.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Caution)

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Friday July 4, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...
iphone 16 pro models 1

Here's How the iPhone 17 Pro Max Will Compare to the iPhone 17 Pro

Saturday July 5, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year. As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...
iPhone Car Key Kia

Here's Which Vehicles Offer iPhone Car Keys

Sunday July 6, 2025 3:03 pm PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. Apple has a web page with a list of vehicle models that ...
imac video apple feature

Apple Launching These 15+ Products Later This Year

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
The calendar has turned to July, meaning that 2025 is now more than half over. And while the summer months are often quiet for Apple, the company still has more than a dozen products coming later this year, according to rumors. Below, we have outlined at least 15 new Apple products that are expected to launch later this year, along with key rumored features for each. iPhone 17 Series iPho...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
iphone 17 pro render majin bu

New iPhone 17 Pro Renders Highlight Apple Logo and MagSafe Design Changes

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:43 pm PDT by
New renders today provide the best look yet relocated Apple logo and redesigned MagSafe magnet array of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Image via Majin Bu. Several of the design changes coming to the iPhone 17 Pro model have been rumored for some time, such as the elongated camera bump that spans the full width of the device, with the LiDAR Scanner and flash moving to the right side. ...
Prime Day 25 Feature Warm Triad

The Best Early Prime Day Deals on Apple Products

Saturday July 5, 2025 7:22 am PDT by
Amazon is soon to be back with its annual summertime Prime Day event, lasting for four days from July 8-11, the longest Prime Day yet. As it does every year, Prime Day offers shoppers a huge selection of deals across Amazon's storefront, and there are already many deals you can get on sale ahead of the event. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a ...
airpods pro 2

AirPods Pro 3 to Help Maintain Apple's Place in Earbud Market Amid Increasing Low-Cost Competition

Thursday July 3, 2025 7:25 am PDT by
Apple's position as the dominant force in the global true wireless stereo (TWS) earbud market is expected to continue through 2025, according to Counterpoint Research. The forecast outlines a 3% year-over-year increase in global TWS unit shipments for 2025, signaling a transition from rapid growth to a more mature phase for the category. While Apple is set to remain the leading brand by...

Top Rated Comments

Joe Rossignol Avatar
24 months ago

so we have a new "leaker"? some YouTube "influencer"?
there's not even a 10.1 beta out ...
Marques Brownlee is the most well-known Tech YouTuber for over a decade and you are just casually referring to him as "some influencer." Alrighty then o_O
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)
t0rqx Avatar
24 months ago
Seriously. This is the only so called "new feature" which actually already exist on older watches and they still manage to not ship this with the "final product".

Whats with this BETA products on so called "final products".? Every hardware is shipped with a just released OS, that just get stable after the next major release is around the corner.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
antiprotest Avatar
24 months ago
watchOS 11...

"Our engineers have been working long and hard to develop features that help manage users' carpel tunnel syndrome and repetitive strain injury aggravated by watchOS 10. We think you'll love it."
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
xpxp2002 Avatar
24 months ago
That's a long wait to just move a feature that has already existed for years under Accessibility to a different menu.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
2540497 Avatar
24 months ago
What? It isn’t even available at launch?!
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AstroRexaur Avatar
24 months ago
This can be easily enabled in the AWUltra 1st gen.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)