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Apple Watch Digital Crown is not working, is there a workaround to get out of water lock mode?

Highly disappointed with this product... my digital crown just stopped working out of the blue and Apple has no solution to help me fix it except for me to buy myself a brand new watch. My watch has full functionality for everything that I use it for except that I do swim workouts often and am not able to unlock after to stop the workout and use the watch for anything else. What are the workarounds that I can use? Again, very disappointed in this product (~1 year of having it, and no apple care). This will be the last apple product I purchase, so disappointed. What a waste to buy a new watch....

Posted on Sep 15, 2023 12:54 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Sep 15, 2023 6:27 PM

Hello DianneL624,


Try to clean the Digital Crown.


If the Digital Crown gets stuck or won’t move, check for debris and wipe down your Apple Watch. If you find substances around the Digital Crown, follow these steps to clean it, and repeat as needed:


  1. Turn off your Apple Watch and remove it from the charger.
  2. If you have a leather band, remove it from your Apple Watch.
  3. Hold the Digital Crown under lightly running, warm, fresh water from a faucet. Soaps and other cleaning products shouldn't be used.
  4. Turn and press the Digital Crown continuously as water runs over the small gap between the crown and the housing. 


When the debris or substance has been washed away, dry your Apple Watch with an absorbent, non-abrasive, lint-free cloth. Rotate and press the Digital Crown as you dry it, and be sure to remove water from the surface of the Digital Crown, the space between the Digital Crown and the watch case, and the surrounding surfaces.

1 reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Sep 15, 2023 6:27 PM in response to DianneL624

Hello DianneL624,


Try to clean the Digital Crown.


If the Digital Crown gets stuck or won’t move, check for debris and wipe down your Apple Watch. If you find substances around the Digital Crown, follow these steps to clean it, and repeat as needed:


  1. Turn off your Apple Watch and remove it from the charger.
  2. If you have a leather band, remove it from your Apple Watch.
  3. Hold the Digital Crown under lightly running, warm, fresh water from a faucet. Soaps and other cleaning products shouldn't be used.
  4. Turn and press the Digital Crown continuously as water runs over the small gap between the crown and the housing. 


When the debris or substance has been washed away, dry your Apple Watch with an absorbent, non-abrasive, lint-free cloth. Rotate and press the Digital Crown as you dry it, and be sure to remove water from the surface of the Digital Crown, the space between the Digital Crown and the watch case, and the surrounding surfaces.

Apple Watch Digital Crown is not working, is there a workaround to get out of water lock mode?

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