• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Reviews
  • Guides
    • Fitness & Sports Watches
    • Cycling
    • Running
    • Swimming
    • Diving
    • Classic Watches
    • Designer Watches
    • Kids Smartwatches
    • Safety and SOS
    • Sleep Monitoring
  • Brands
    • Apple
    • Garmin
    • Fitbit
    • Samsung
    • Xiaomi
    • Suunto
  • Comparisons
Superwatches - Smartwatches for smart healthy people

Superwatches

Super Smartwatches and Wearables

  • Health and Fitness
  • How To
  • Deals
  • About Us

How to Use Your Apple Watch With Assistive Touch

By Emma Morris. Updated: Feb 9, 2022

Apple watch 7 comes with assistive touch

The majority of Apple device users have never needed to make use of the many additional features found on the iPhone or Apple Watch, and in most cases these features just eat up extra space. For instance, the Accessibility tab contains lots of sound, haptic, and visual elements which many users choose to ignore as they are happy with the current setup of their device, and have no need to tinker with additional controls.

However, Apple Watches have some pretty nifty features you may not know about (read about others in our article on Apple watch tips and tricks). One of the most intuitive and underused functionalities of Apple Watches is Assistive Touch, which allows users to control what happens on the watch screen without even touching it.

In this article, we’ll examine what Assistive Touch is, how it functions, which Apple Watches come with Assistive Touch, and what actions it can perform to help you in your day-to-day life.

How Does Assistive Touch Work on Apple Watches?

Like most technology incorporated into these tiny Apple Watches, the way Assistive Touch actually works is by using on-device machine learning, which has the potential to detect how you are moving your hand or what position it’s in.

Basically, it makes use of a variety of features, including the heartbeat reader, the gyroscope, and the accelerometer (some of the same tech used in Apple’s incident detection feature) to determine how the user is moving the muscles, ligaments, and tendons in their wrist. This clever tech knows when you are doing a whole host of things, including tilting your arm in a certain direction, making a fist, or even pinching your thumb and index fingers together.

Who Is Assistive Touch Designed For?

Assistive touch on apple watch while cycling

Assistive touch was developed specifically for people who have disabilities and may have difficulty using an Apple Watch. This includes those experiencing issues with upper-body mobility, those who don’t have a conventional body, those who are missing limbs or digits, and those who are blind or hard of hearing.

However, this awesome technology is not only useful for differently-abled Apple users, but able-bodied people too. Just a few examples include anyone wearing thick gloves outside who might not be able to touch the watch face properly, chefs or home cooks in the middle of a cooking project, or even a mechanic whose hands and fingers are covered in oil and who needs to answer an incoming call.

As you can see, the Apple Watch with Assistive Touch can be highly versatile, and really comes into its own in a variety of situations.

How to Turn on Assistive Touch on the Apple Watch

Turning on Assistive Touch can be done on your Apple Watch by navigating to Settings > Accessibility > Assistive Touch > On. Or, to see what it’s like first, select Try It Out.

To set your hand gestures with the defaults, you can go through the customization process. The default settings will be set automatically for you, and you will see a focus ring appear:

Open the menu: make a fist twice in a row to double clench

Select: to tap the highlighted item, clench your hand together into a closed fist

Jump forward: tap your thumb and index finger together in a pinch

Jump back: tap the thumb and index together twice in succession to double pinch

Any of these gestures can be changed out with ease by navigating to Hand Gestures, selecting the one you want, and choosing the desired Activation Gesture.

Which Models of Apple Watch Feature Assistive Touch?

As Assistive Touch is a relatively new development on Apple Watches, it can only be found on Series 4, 5, 6 and 7 watches, as well as the Apple Watch SE. Watches from the 4 and 5 Series must be updated with watchOS 8.3 or later to be able to use this feature.

New updates are added regularly, so we can expect to see a wider range of hand gestures used to control the Apple Watch, with much greater accessibility features and precision.

Compare prices and choose your favorite merchant to buy the Apple Watch 7

Product Supplier
Apple Watch 7AmazonView offer
Apple Watch 7eBayView offer
Apple Watch 7AppleView offer
Apple Watch 7TargetView offer
More Apple Watch 7 Offers...

What Can an Apple Watch with Assistive Touch Actually Do?

Activating siri voice assistance on apple watch using assistive touch

As the feature on the smartwatch helps users to navigate the watch’s features, there are lots of ways it can be used in daily situations. Not only does it let you answer a phone call without touching the screen at all, but you can also use it to signal the watch to begin your workouts, check the Settings, open and use apps, as well as activate Siri for you to use voice assistance.

You can even use the feature to Confirm when you need to pay at the checkout with Apple Pay. All you need to do is set up the smartwatch to register a double click on the side as the Confirm button. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Assistive Touch > Confirm with Assistive Touch. Then, press the side button twice, enter the correct passcode, and double click the button again and it will set automatically.

What Is the Assistive Touch Motion Pointer?

If you want to navigate the watch face in a precise way without using your fingers, try using the motion pointer. This shows on the screen as a circle that moves around as you begin to tilt your wrist. The feature activates when your wrist shakes for a couple of seconds (Shake to Start option). After that, you can navigate by moving your wrist, then tapping when the circle lands on the app you want, or using the hand gesture to select it.

You can even set your Apple Watch to select an item automatically after a few seconds if you haven’t done a hand gesture or tapped the screen, which makes it ideal for completely hands-free operation. The motion pointer works well when you need to swipe, too–just move it to the edge of the watch face in the direction you want to swipe, and it will do it for you.

Do you use Assistive Touch on your Apple Watch? Let us know how you use this feature in the comments!

Emma Morris
Emma Morris( Editor and Social Media Manager )

Emma brings over a decade of freelance copy and content writing experience and is our Editor, Social Media Manager, and regular contributor. Specializing in long-form content such as blogs, articles, lead magnets, and white papers, Emma also provides businesses with email marketing, website copy, and landing pages.

Notice: Qualifying purchases through links may support us with commission. Read our editorial policy.
February 4, 2022 By Emma Morris Filed Under: How To/Troubleshooting, News, Technology

You are here: Superwatches > How To/Troubleshooting > How to Use Your Apple Watch With Assistive Touch

Primary Sidebar

News

Introducing The Fitbit Premium Sleep Profile

July 1, 2022

Nothing feels better than a night of restful sleep. But, what can you do if you’re suffering from a lack of sleep or an inconsistent sleep schedule? Meet the Fitbit Premium Sleep Profile, designed to improve your rest and energy levels.  Fitbit is a brand dedicated to health and wellness. From premium sensors to women’s […]

young girl running by the sea wearing running watches for women

Garmin Enduro 2: When Will We Meet This Smartwatch?

June 30, 2022

Which Garmin smartwatch is your favorite? The Fenix? The Forerunner? Or are you awaiting the Garmin Enduro 2? Initially released on the 15th of February 2021, the Garmin Enduro was a long-awaited release from the fitness tech brand. After a year or so of usage, fans are left wondering if there will be a second […]

Fitbit Versa 2

Catch The Fitbit Versa 2 With A 21% Discount

June 29, 2022

It’s time to save on your next smartwatch. The Fitbit Versa 2 is available at a 21% discount, so catch this exciting deal quickly. We’ve always got an eye out for the latest smartwatch deals, ensuring you’re up to date for the most significant savings online. Smartwatches are handy devices that can help you get […]

Apple Watch SE activity tracker and heart rate monitoring

How Accurate Is The Apple Watch Calorie Tracker?

June 28, 2022

Considering a new fitness smartwatch? The Apple Watch calorie tracker is here to help you get into shape with clear information and a sleek design. But, how accurate is this handy calorie-counting tool? If you’re serious about your fitness journey, you’ll want the best metrics. The Apple Watch is one of the most popular smartwatches […]

OS9 & New Features to Expect from Apple

June 27, 2022

With the release of the Apple Watch OS9 and the announcement from Apple at AWWDC 2022, we can see the company pushing toward more of a health and fitness focus. This makes sense for many reasons. First, Apple has a loyal customer base and an extensive line of products that are exclusive to one another. […]

Latest Superwatches Reviews

Garmin Forerunner 955 Review

June 17, 2022 By Superwatches

Meet the Latest TAG Heuer Smartwatch – The Connected Calibre E4

March 14, 2022 By Isobel Coughlan

Instinct 2: Reviewing Garmin’s GPS Watch

March 11, 2022 By Bernadette Gallagher

Latest Guides

Official Apple Watch 7 colors and band options

Apple Watch Accessories- 20 Best in 2022

Best diving smartwatches in 2022

More guides

Watch Our Videos

our videos

Affiliate Disclosure: Superwatches.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchase.
Our participation in affiliate programs is at no extra cost to you.


Copyright © 2022 · Superwatches.com · Privacy · FAQ · Terms · Contact us

facebook      twitter       pinterest      instagram       tumblr       superwatches youtube channel   superwatches tiktok channel


Superwatches is a trading name of Lezgo Limited. US Correspondence address: Lezgo Limited, 935 N Beneva Rd, Ste 609 PMB 2021, Sarasota, FL 34232
Lezgo Limited is a company based in Israel. Company Registration #516280674