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 (Neutral)

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Top Rated Comments

Joe Rossignol Avatar
21 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
21 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
21 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
21 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
21 months ago
What? It isn’t even available at launch?!
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AstroRexaur Avatar
21 months ago
This can be easily enabled in the AWUltra 1st gen.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)