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How to keep focus on normal watch face/prevent app from taking focus?

How can I make the watch keep focus on the normal face if an app is running in the background?


I have important complications on my watch face that I want to see whenever I look at my watch (raise my wrist) but there doesn't seem to be any way to prevent an app from grabbing focus.


For example, I use the Strava app to track runs/rides/walks. If I start recording an activity but then switch to the normal watch face by pressing the crown, Strava will take focus again the next time I raise my wrist. Even if I switch to the face to see the time and my complications, and then put my wrist down, the watch will automatically go back to Strava the next time I raise my wrist.


Other apps ("Now Playing" for example) seem to work the same way.


I hate this behavior but cannot seem to get rid of it no matter what watch settings I change. Is there something I am missing, or is this behavior by design? I should be able to run an app in the background on my watch and still have the default face be shown when I raise my wrist. I could even see the functionality of the watch simply restoring the last state of the watch when the wrist is race (or the screen in touched) but the fact that I manually and intentionally switch it to the normal face (time and complications) only to have it automatically switch back to an app...super frustrating.


Is there a setting I've missed? Or was this terrible behavior coded into watchOS on purpose?


Help!


iOS 14.4.2

watchOS 7.3.3

Apple Watch

Posted on May 22, 2021 7:42 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on May 23, 2021 1:52 PM

Greetings LeifD, 


We understand that you’re looking to be able to see your Apple Watch face when you wake your watch, regardless of which app(s) are running in the background. 


On your Apple Watch, please go to Settings > General > Wake Screen > Strava. You'll see a setting under 'When in Session' and you can turn off 'Return to App'. If you turn that off, regardless of whether you're tracking a session with the app, your watch should show the watch face.


Similarly, for 'Now Playing' in Settings > General > Wake Screen disable 'Auto-Launch Audio Apps'. 


Let us know if those settings don't change the behavior.

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

May 23, 2021 1:52 PM in response to LeifD

Greetings LeifD, 


We understand that you’re looking to be able to see your Apple Watch face when you wake your watch, regardless of which app(s) are running in the background. 


On your Apple Watch, please go to Settings > General > Wake Screen > Strava. You'll see a setting under 'When in Session' and you can turn off 'Return to App'. If you turn that off, regardless of whether you're tracking a session with the app, your watch should show the watch face.


Similarly, for 'Now Playing' in Settings > General > Wake Screen disable 'Auto-Launch Audio Apps'. 


Let us know if those settings don't change the behavior.

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How to keep focus on normal watch face/prevent app from taking focus?

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