Use AssistiveTouch on Apple Watch Ultra
AssistiveTouch helps you use Apple Watch Ultra if you have difficulty touching the screen or pressing the buttons. The built-in sensors on Apple Watch Ultra can help you answer calls, control an onscreen pointer, and launch a menu of actions—all through hand gestures.
Using gestures with AssistiveTouch, you can perform these and other actions:
Tap the display
Press and turn the Digital Crown
Swipe between screens
Hold the side button
Access Notification Center, Control Center, and the Dock
Show apps
Use Apple Pay
Confirm double-clicks of the side button
Activate Siri
Run a Siri shortcut
Set up AssistiveTouch
Open the Settings app
on your Apple Watch Ultra.Go to Accessibility > AssistiveTouch, then turn on AssistiveTouch.
Tap Hand Gestures, then turn on Hand Gestures.
Tip: To learn how to use hand gestures, tap “Learn more” below the Hand Gestures switch, then tap each gesture. When you tap a gesture, an interactive animation shows you how to perform and perfect the gesture.
You can also open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone, tap My Watch, go to Accessibility > AssistiveTouch, then turn on AssistiveTouch.
Use AssistiveTouch with Apple Watch Ultra
With AssistiveTouch and Hand Gestures turned on, navigate your Apple Watch Ultra using the following default gestures:
Pinch: Forward
Double-pinch: Back
Clench: Tap
Double-clench: Show the Action Menu
For example, with the Meridian watch face showing, use AssistiveTouch with the Weather app by following these steps:
Double-clench to activate AssistiveTouch.
A highlight appears around the Calendar complication.
Pinch to move to the Temperature complication, then clench to tap it.
When the Weather app opens, clench once to move from temperature to weather conditions.
Pinch once to scroll down to Air Quality, then pinch once again to see UV Index.
Double-pinch to move back to Air Quality.
Double-clench to show the Action Menu.
Pinch to move forward through the actions; double-pinch to move back.
Select the Press Crown action, then clench once to return to the watch face.
Use the Motion Pointer
In addition to pinching and clenching, with the Motion Pointer you can control your Apple Watch Ultra by tilting the watch up and down and side to side. For example, use the Motion Pointer to navigate the Activity app by following these steps:
With the watch face showing and Apple Watch Ultra in list view, double-clench to activate AssistiveTouch.
Double-clench again to show the Action Menu, pinch to move to the Press Crown action, then clench to tap it.
If it’s not already selected, pinch or double-pinch to move forward or back to the Activity app, then clench to open it.
Double-clench to show the Action Menu, continue pinching until you select the Interaction action, then clench to tap it.
Motion Pointer should be selected.
Clench to turn on the Motion Pointer.
A cursor appears on the screen.
Tilt the watch to place the cursor at the bottom edge of the screen to scroll down. To swipe to the Sharing screen, place the cursor on the right edge.
To tap a button, just hold the cursor over it for a short time.
To return to the watch face, double-clench to show the Action Menu, pinch to select the Press Crown action, then clench to tap it.
Use quick actions
Quick actions help you respond when your Apple Watch Ultra shows an alert. For example, when you have an incoming call, a prompt lets you know that you can double-pinch to answer it. You can also use quick actions to snooze an alarm or stop a timer, start a workout when Apple Watch Ultra detects workout-like activity, and take a photo when the viewfinder and shutter button are showing in the Camera app. To turn quick actions on or off, follow these steps.
Open the Settings app
on your Apple Watch Ultra.Go to Accessibility > Quick Actions, then choose an option.
You can choose to have quick actions available at all times, available only when AssistiveTouch is enabled, or off. You can also choose Full appearance (a banner appears and the action button is highlighted) or Minimal appearance (the action button is highlighted with no banner).
Tip: To practice the quick actions gesture, tap "Try it out.”
Adjust AssistiveTouch settings
You can change the actions assigned to pinch, clench, and the Motion Pointer gestures, as well as adjust the sensitivity of the Motion Pointer.
Open the Settings app on your Apple Watch Ultra, go to Accessibility > AssistiveTouch, then do any of the following:
Customize gestures: Tap Hand Gestures, tap a gesture, then choose an action or a Siri shortcut.
Customize the Motion Pointer: Tap Motion Pointer, then adjust settings for sensitivity, activation time, movement tolerance, and hot edges.
Scanning style: Choose between Automatic scanning, where actions are automatically highlighted one after the other, or Manual, where you use gestures to move between actions.
Appearance: Turn on High Contrast to make the highlight bolder. Tap Color to choose a different highlight color.
Customize Menu: Add favorite actions, adjust the position and size of the Action Menu, and change autoscroll speed.
Confirm with AssistiveTouch: Turn on to use AssistiveTouch to confirm payments with the passcode or any time double-clicking the side button is required.
You can also open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone, tap My Watch, then go to Accessibility > AssistiveTouch.
For more information about AssistiveTouch on Apple Watch Ultra, see the Apple Support article Use AssistiveTouch on your Apple Watch.