The Apple Watch is losing a long-standing multitasking shortcut in watchOS 27, according to hands-on testing with the software’s beta releases. The change removes the ability to quickly switch between recently used apps by double-clicking the Digital Crown.
For years, watchOS included a hidden gesture that let users jump between two apps, or between the most recently used app and the watch face. It functioned much like the app-switching behavior familiar on other Apple devices, and it was popular among users who moved frequently between apps such as Workout and Music.
What Changed in watchOS 27
Starting with the first watchOS 27 beta, double-clicking the Digital Crown no longer cycles between recent apps. In the current beta, a double-click performs the same action as a single click, effectively leaving the gesture without a dedicated function.
The removal appears tied to Apple’s push for a new dynamic app grid. Pressing the Digital Crown now surfaces the Siri app icon, five intelligently suggested app icons, and an icon to open the full app grid. The suggested launcher works well when the desired app already appears among the recommendations, but it does not replicate the speed of the older double-click shortcut for jumping directly between two apps.
A Button-Constrained Device
The change is notable because the Apple Watch offers limited physical controls. Only the Apple Watch Ultra includes a dedicated Action button, making the loss of a double-click gesture more significant on a device with few input options.
Not all double-click functionality is gone. Double-clicking the side button below the Digital Crown still opens cards in Apple Wallet, retaining its existing assignment.
Feedback on the removed gesture was submitted to Apple beginning in June, ahead of the first public beta in July. It remains possible that Apple could restore the shortcut in the final release of watchOS 27, expected to ship this month, or in a later watchOS 27.1 update. As of the current beta, double-clicking the Digital Crown does not switch between apps.
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Image: 9to5mac.com
