Why can't I see open apps on watchOS 10?

Quick Double tap on your crown button then swipe left to close.

When I double click the wheel it brings me to app switcher then suddenly shuts off and back to the clock. If I do not swipe left quikly I wont get the X to shut it down.

I figured it out on my own somehow. Don’t push the Digital Crown. Push the power button below it one time. Your apps will pull up, then you can swipe left to close.

I am so annoyed & frustrated with this change

it’s a step backward

youtube app plays on my watch now & I have not loaded the app on it!

Closing open Apple Watch apps

Double-press on the Digital Crown -> Quickly scroll to the app you wish to close, and swipe left on the app, then tap the big Red X.

Being quick to scroll the apps and swipe left can be a pain, so disable the following:

Apple Watch -> Settings -> Accessibility -> Auto-Select Focused App -> Off

My watch 9 rarely pulls up the open apps with the double crown tap. Ive had the watch two days. I usually have to double tap it six to ten times for open apps to show.

I have called support four times since having the watch just trying to get airpods pro to connect.

wish i had not purchased watch.

I mean, that worked, but wow. What a mess this new OS is. The "process list" pops up and if you don't scroll it IMMEDIATELY it just drops away. Unbelievable. This is the most valuable company in the world and their software developers are just as bad as everywhere else.

Thanks - spinning the dial right away worked.

I've closed apps on an iPhone or iPad only rarely and when the app was malfunctioning, and on Watch ~never.

Apple has long intended for this to all work transparently, and for apps to be closed automatically by iOS or iPadOS or watchOS if and as needed; without manual intervention.

But to answer your question, the path with watchOS 10 is to double-press the digital crown, and close the app there.

jvalaskey wrote:

I have series9 watch running watch OS10. When I double click crown it displays task manager with open apps tiles for a split second and then goes to last app used. By it doing this I am not able to selectively close apps. Any ideas why this is happening?

Click the digital crown twice quickly, and then immediately spin the digital crown.

Then using your finger, slide the target app leftward, and tap the ❌

watchOS will automatically manage inactive apps as resources are needed for other apps.

As will happen on other Apple platforms, as well.

Absent rare cases of buggy or wedged apps, I haven't needed to quit any watchOS apps.

max1004 wrote:

I figured it out on my own somehow. Don’t push the Digital Crown. Push the power button below it one time. Your apps will pull up, then you can swipe left to close.

Good you got it going.

That means you’re on watchOS 9, or earlier.

From earlier: “If you’re running watchOS 9 (not Series 9), the switcher works differently, and uses the side button. If your Watch can be updated to watchOS 10, consider updating it. Update your Apple Watch - Apple Support”

rednes800 wrote:

When I double click the wheel it brings me to app switcher then suddenly shuts off and back to the clock. If I do not swipe left quikly I wont get the X to shut it down.

Double-click on the digital crown and then (quickly!) spin the digital crown to select the app, then slide the target app to the left.

Or let watchOS manage the apps, of course.

I have series9 watch running watch OS10. When I double click crown it displays task manager with open apps tiles for a split second and then goes to last app used. By it doing this I am not able to selectively close apps. Any ideas why this is happening?

gerry129 wrote:

I mean, that worked, but wow. What a mess this new OS is. The "process list" pops up and if you don't scroll it IMMEDIATELY it just drops away. Unbelievable. This is the most valuable company in the world and their software developers are just as bad as everywhere else.

I’ve ~never closed watchOS apps. watchOS manages itself.

Without intending this to be snark, if you value the ability to tweak and to manage your device directly, then PineTime and some other choices are a better fit, and are cheaper.

Marinemom329 wrote:

My watch 9 rarely pulls up the open apps with the double crown tap. Ive had the watch two days. I usually have to double tap it six to ten times for open apps to show.

I have called support four times since having the watch just trying to get airpods pro to connect.

wish i had not purchased watch.

If the Watch was purchased directly from Apple, you have 14 days to return with a full refund. Other vendors’ return policies can vary.

Watch should not need to connect to AirPods manually, and should automatically pick up the existing pairing from the paired iPhone. Pairing isn’t really related to closing apps, so I’m (also) not sure if you’re trying to close apps as part of pairing. You've probably already seen this: Use AirPods and other Bluetooth accessories with Apple Watch - Apple Support

Two quick taps on the digital crown (the knurled knob) should get a list of open apps (in squarish tiles, not the line list that shows with a single tap), and sliding to the left should show an X you can tap to close that app. Apple calls this single- and double-tap on the digital crown the “App Switcher”. Use the App Switcher on your Apple Watch - Apple Support

If you’re running watchOS 9 (not Series 9), the switcher works differently, and uses the side button. If your Watch can be updated to watchOS 10, consider updating it. Update your Apple Watch - Apple Support