How To Use The Double Tap Feature On Your Apple Watch (And Why You Should)

Apple just revealed the Watch Series 9 at the "Wonderlust" event, and it comes with several improvements over the Watch Series 8, including a new S9 chip, a brighter display, NameDrop, and more. However, what's worth taking a look at is the new Double Tap feature. 

Thanks to S9's advanced neural engine, the latest Apple Watch Series 9 comes with a new gesture allowing users to perform several tasks, such as answering a call, snoozing alarms, starting a stopwatch, etc., all by tapping their index finger and the thumb together twice.

Usually, we interact with the Apple Watch using its touchscreen. While that provides accurate on-screen taps, users can't do much if their other hand is occupied. The Double Tap gesture bridges this gap, enabling users to interact with the watch in a new way, adding to existing gestures, like swiping, wrist raise, and cover to mute. Here's how to use the Double Tap feature on your Apple Watch.

As mentioned earlier, you can tap the index finger and the thumb of your watch-bearing hand twice to activate the Double Tap gesture, which acts as the primary button in an app.

So, if you're in the Music app, you can use the Double Tap gesture to play/pause music. If your alarm is ringing, you can use the gesture to snooze. Similarly, you can find more meaningful ways to use the gesture to get things done faster and more conveniently. 

Last but not least, you can use the feature as a remote camera shutter. You can use it to open the smart stack on the watch face, like turning the Digital Crown.

The new gesture relies on S9's Neural Engine, which uses the watch's gyroscope, accelerometer, and optical heart rate sensor. It incorporates machine learning to detect tiny blood flow changes when double-tapping your index finger and thumb. Double Tap will be available in a software update on the Apple Watch Series 9 next month.