Watch Double Pinch is not working while trying to dismiss notifications

I recently just got the new iWatch Series 9 but every time I try the double tap with my index finger and thumb, I am not able to answer calls. I've followed the steps above through the settings on the watch itself - I have it available for all times. How else can I troubleshoot to utilize this new feature? I do not see the blue double tap icon either.

Think you’re missing the MichaelCooley’s point. Please re-read the ‘MichaelCooley’ thread [Not the first or neither the last time].

We’re up here. We are not ID10Ts. We all have it turned on at this point and don’t need to know where the settings are. It’s easy to search swiping down on the settings page.

What we are having issues with properly executing the tap/pinch [which is it?] repeatable, not whether it’s on or off. It works sometimes.

There is a nuanced detail to ‘tap/pinch’ the watch is expecting. I’m not getting it and have yet to figure it out and make it repeatable. It works for me sometimes, though always on. I can tap/pinch several times before it executes, sometimes I give up. I haven’t found anything about this detail online that address this and I’ll keep looking.

There seems to be an expectation of ‘knowing’ the double pinch. Palm up? Down? Arm up? Down? Pinch speed? When it works for me I have no idea what I did.

Clear as mud?

Going out on a limb here with inference to MichaelCooley’s thread.

☮️🇺🇦🇮🇱🇵🇸☮️

Try using these ways to fix this issue.

1. Enable Wake on Wrist Raise mode on your Apple Watch. Go to Settings >>> Scroll down and click on Display & Brightness >>> Turn on Wake on Wrist Raise. It allows your Apple Watch's screen to wake up whenever you raise your wrist.

2. Wrist Detection is essential in the Double Tap feature on your Apple Watch. When you raise your wrist, Apple Watch's Waist Detection calls the screen.

3. If your Apple Watch still needs to be upgraded to the latest version of watchOS, you should update your watchOS. It should fix any glitches related to double tap not working on your Apple Watch.

4. You might wonder to hear this, but tattoos may cause difficulties for your Apple Watch. Apple Watch's capacitive touch sensors may face problems detecting touches through tattooed skin. You should ensure your tattooed wrist does not hinder the capacitive touch sensors of the Apple Watch.

I've had the similar issue as the original poster. For a few days after i got my series 8 apple watch, double pinch to dismiss notifications was working. Then double pinch would no longer work for dismissing notifications, although double pinch continued to work for other interactions (e.g start/stop podcast, move front/back)

After initial reboot of the watch, the double pinch started working again for dismissing notifications, but again stopped after a couple of days. Subsequent reboots, and turning assistive touch off/on did not correct the issue.

The same for me. Assistive touch , double pinch is working only for some of the actions. For instance, is working for resuming a workout, but not for pausing it.

Anybody from Apple that can help or escalate this issue? I think is from the latest update , watchOS 9.4.

Hello Michealcooly,

It sounds like you're having trouble using some Assistive Touch features on your Apple Watch.

1. Check out this article for help with setting up Quick Actions and selecting the correct options:

Use AssistiveTouch on Apple Watch - Apple Support

1. Open the Settings app on your Apple Watch.

2. Go to Accessibility > Quick Actions, then choose an option.

You can choose to have quick actions available at all times, available only when AssistiveTouch is enabled, or off. You can also choose Full appearance (a banner appears and the action button is highlighted) or Minimal appearance (the action button is highlighted with no banner).

2. Then, take a look he.er for more details about quick actions when you receive alerts:

Use AssistiveTouch on your Apple Watch - Apple Support

Use quick actions when you receive alerts

Quick actions help you respond when your Apple Watch shows an alert. For example, when you have an incoming call, a prompt lets you know that you can double clench to answer it. You can also use quick actions to snooze an alarm or stop a timer. To dismiss the quick action, perform a double-pinch gesture.

To turn on or turn off quick actions, go to Settings > Accessibility > AssistiveTouch > Hand Gestures > Quick Actions.

Take care.

lyndsay1988 wrote:

I recently just got the new iWatch Series 9 but every time I try the double tap with my index finger and thumb, I am not able to answer calls. I've followed the steps above through the settings on the watch itself - I have it available for all times. How else can I troubleshoot to utilize this new feature? I do not see the blue double tap icon either.

lindsay1988 you have tagged onto this Assistive Touch on Watch SE thread to discuss the new Double Tap which only came in stream with OS 10.1 and only on series 9 and Ultra 2

Its why it is better to start your own discussion

Double Tap should now work in OS10.1 to dismiss calls etc.

Before the 10.1 update, double tap dismissed a notification, but post-update it just scrolls down the the bottom of the notification and wants to reply for example. Is there a way to make it go back to the default of dismissing the notification?

They have turned it off during the last update. I’ve always had “double tap” activated. Apple have made such a big fuss over double tap with the new watch not realising it’s always been a function in gestures. So, forcing you to get the new watch in order to use a function that has always been there. Sketchy apple

When you think about the technology involved in determining which fingers are doing what by blood flow sensors on the wrist, it's a miracle if it works at all.

As this accessibility aid is intended mainly for people who are differently able you can get assistance here.

How to contact Apple for accessibility support - Apple Support

Same issue as op.

I sent the following feedback to https://apple.com/feedback:

Double pinch gesture doesn't work. All other gestures work in every circumstance. I tested all of the gestures in Settings > Assistive Touch > Hand Gestures > Learn more... and all gestures work 100% of the time except for double pinch which wouldn't work once. This is the same issue as 50 others on discussions.apple.com

Also:

1. My Watch is a series 8, the watchOS is 9.6 (20U73) but your watchOS version selector drop-down menu only goes up to 9.4

2. My iPhone is a 14 Pro Max, the iOS is 16.6 (20G75) but your iOS version selector drop-down only goes up to 16.4.1

zXMalachiXz wrote:

Same issue as op.

I sent the following feedback to https://apple.com/feedback:

...

Also:

1. My Watch is a series 8, the watchOS is 9.6 (20U73) but your watchOS version selector drop-down menu only goes up to 9.4

2. My iPhone is a 14 Pro Max, the iOS is 16.6 (20G75) but your iOS version selector drop-down only goes up to 16.4.1

It is not our dropdown selector, we are users like you, it is Apple's dropdown selector and I have been complaining about that for many years. They can be 3 months out of date quite often.

Do not enter the OS versions in the dropdown, simply state it in the text of the bug report.

I don’t think you want Assitive Touch to be on. Instead, go to Settings on your watch and scroll down to Gestures> Double Tap and turn it on.

Chdmnky wrote:

I don’t think you want Assitive Touch to be on. Instead, go to Settings on your watch and scroll down to Gestures> Double Tap and turn it on.

Double Tap is a feature only available on Watch series 9 and Ultra 2. You may be confusing that with the original question from February about assistive gesture double pinch on OS9. on a Watch SE.

I have the Apple Watch SE. My double tap worked until last week. Around April 25th 2024. The prompt showed briefly, then went away. Haven't seen it since, and the double no longer works. If what you say is true, then mine would have quit working months ago. But I have no clue what happened. I may have to call Apple Support.