I agree it is normal if the app was opened but it was not. My setting for “On screen wake show last app” was set to ”While In Session” yet closing, display still comes back on wrist raise. I had never launched the app since the upgrade and even force closed it. Still it comes back on wrist raise without invoking the stopwatch app. It is definitely a bug related to the upgrade.
I had restarted the watch which did not resolve. I have unpaired and paired new with restoring to a backup. So far, this is working now as expected without displaying the stopwatch app unexpectedly.
I reset the watch, and paired it as new (not restoring from backup).
It did not help; the stopwatch (when running) always appears when I lift my wrist, regardless of which watch face I have shown, what complications it has, or how long my wrist has been down (far past the 'within 2 minutes of last use' setting I have enabled for 'last app').
An aside note: resetting the watch as new did fix a few other problems I had, such as phantom alarms going off no matter how many times I cleared them, or that my activity coaching alerts never came up.
So, resetting the watch as new does fix some oddities, but this particular issue appears to be deliberate or a bug that's not fixable even with a clean reset.
Now that you mention it, I havn’t seen the coach yet. I ran that stopwatch every week for 2 years. Clearly a bug or the decision of some pencil pushing programmer who hasn’t thought out the ramifications of a change.
No, it was not working as you describe with OS 3 and earlier.
The stopwatch could run in the background without being displayed on wrist raise. It’s highly annoying the way it’s currently implemented in OS 4, 4.1. It’s clearly a bug, because you can set it to not display the active app after 2 min; but it doesn’t work.
It is a bug. I reported it under my developer license. I’m surprised that it was not fixed with 4.1 release.
I hate it when they break functions that worked fine with the previous version. Doesn’t anyone on the Watch team at Apple use the stopwatch?!
I re-paired the watch but it doesn’t help. I think this must be a bug (or an extremely annoying new “feature” like removal of the ability to browse the iPhone music library using the watch).
They need a “never” setting on the view last app. I have used the stopwatch and timer in the background daily for the last two years and have never had this problem until watchOS 4.
It kind of defeats the purpose of the Apple watch. Why have all those faces if you can’t use them. In the past I used the “Utility” face with the timer running in the background 5 days each week. Why does Apple treat us like we are stupid children who can’t make our own decisions?? Why is “customizing” such a dirty word for Apple?? i.e. why can’t WE decide if we want the Stop Watch running in the background or foreground??? I thing we art wasting our time because I don’t think Apple reads these posts and if they do, they don’t care.
It’s not a feature request, it’s definitely a bug. Apple confirmed that they know the bug exists. I submitted it via my developer account.
It‘s really disappointing they introduced this bug with OS 4; and that it’s been several months and it’s still not fixed.
Agreed. Wrist raise is changed from the iPhone. It doesn’t matter though, it’s a bug that Apple has admitted to. Why it’s taking months to fix is inexcusable. As is the fact that it was a bug introduced in iOS 4. 3 worked fine.
Where did you hear that they admitted it is a bug?? I figure they changed it on purpose thinking someone would prefer it this way. I, for one, can't stand it this way. Stopwatch is so important to me that I almost wish I had not bought the watch. I don't plan on upgrading unless they change the stopwatch. Why have all those faces if you can't use them??
Interesting – I really figured that Apple just figured that they knew what was best for us. Unfortunately, they don't allow us to customize as Android or Microsoft do. I came very close to changing over to Android for that reason.
watchOS 4:
The MacStories Review
watchOS 4: The MacStories Review
I cannot tell you how disappointed I am that I cannot conveniently use stopwatch or timer anymore, as I use it all day long with my job. if you use stopwatch or timer with watchOS 4, Then after about 3 1/2 minutes the watch face reverts back to timer or stopwatch and you can’t use your actual watch face. The timer or stopwatch overrides everything else on the watch, and you can’t use a watch as it is designed to be used. The only way to know the time is to squint and look in the upper right corner of the watch, or repeatedly hit the crown to get back to the watch face that you want to use. My problem is, I don’t always have a free hand to do this and it is very awkward.
Jonathan,
Thanks for all of your help on this forum.
It is definitely NOT normal to always display the active app on wrist raise! It was not the case with WatchOS versions 3 and earlier.
When the stopwatch is running, I want it to run in the background; not display every time I raise my wrist. This is HIGHLY ANNOYING! I cannot believe Apple has not fixed this.
Even if you go back to the watch face after starting the stopwatch, when you raise your wrist and the display wakes, you see the stopwatch!!
I have inadvertently stopped the timing because of this.
WatchOS 4 introduced this.
I really agree. My wife was going to buy me a new Apple watch for my birthday, and I told her not to. The stop watch function is very important to me, and since 4.0 it is a mess. I now use the stop watch on my iPhone instead but then I forget it. I am making mistakes due to the watch 4OS. I updated to 4.2.2 but continue to be disappointed. I reported the problem to Apple months ago by phone and by internet. 2 useless updates since then.
This behavior still makes absolutely no sense. The simple fact that starting the stopwatch on the chronograph, lowering the wrist, then raising to the app is just ridiculously dumb. What is the point of having a chronograph watch face with a stopwatch integrated if the app is just going to take over the screen. Same thing with having the stopwatch as a complication that shows the duration once started. What is the point if the app takes over? I have already submitted this as feedback, see all these posts, and yet apple still will not address this simple item that worked perfectly in OS 3.
I agree. My wife was going to buy me a new Apple watch for my birthday, but I said I didn't want one because it is not as useful anymore. I am sticking with my Series 2. I hate weighing the security advantages against the always possible degrading of the OS as in the OS4. I wish I could downgrade to Watch OS3 so I could use the Utility watch face and the stopwatch simultaneously. I really do not think this is a bug – I think it is an Apple "feature" because Apple believes They know best and most unfortunately they don't allow customization and personalization because they feel we are unqualified to make our own decisions. BTW, I also submitted online as feedback and also to Tech support by phone.
stopwatch on wrist raise after update to watchos 4
