GoKawiilApple Watch is becoming a better single-handed device in watchOS 27 thanks to a convenient new tap gesture. Here’s what it does.
New tap gesture available in watchOS 27, joining Apple’s double tap and wrist flick features
Starting with Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 in 2023, Apple made its wearable easier to use via gestures when your hands are occupied.
Double tap was the first gesture. It lets you do things like toggle play/pause for media, answer phone calls, navigate the Smart Stack, and more.
Then last year, watchOS 26 added wrist flick as a gesture to dismiss anything on-screen and return to your watch face.
Now in watchOS 27, a new tap gesture has arrived. Per Apple’s website:
Tap your index finger and thumb together once to select a widget in the Smart Stack and quickly see what’s relevant to you — even if your other hand is occupied.
The tap gesture is as simple as it sounds. It’s the same basic gesture as double tap, but one tap only—and with a different purpose.
I’ve been using the tap gesture in watchOS 27’s beta, and it’s a great complement to Apple Watch’s other gestures.
When double tap first arrived, I found it a bit gimmicky and unreliable. But over the years it’s improved a lot. These days I use double tap all the time for navigating the Smart Stack when my other hand is tied up.
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