10 Life Hacks Every WatchOS 27 User Should Know
watchOS 27 brings a solid set of improvements to your watch —provided your Apple Watch supports it . While this latest update isn’t Apple’s most feature-rich, it does include a number of changes that improve your workouts, health tracking, and finding lost items. This is especially true for owners of the latest Series 12 or Ultra 4 models. If your Apple Watch supports watchOS 27, you should know about these 10 life hacks:
Use this hidden gesture to find the app switcher.
In watchOS 27, Apple changed the double-press action on the Digital Crown. Instead of opening the app switcher, it now launches Audio Intelligence—if you have an Apple Watch Series 12 or Ultra 4. If you don’t have access to these features, the gesture no longer does anything.
Apple seems to have realized its mistake, as evidenced by watchOS 27.2 . When using an app with this latest update, long-press the bottom of the watch screen to activate the app switcher. Now you can switch to another app or close a non-working one. Unfortunately, this only works when you’re already in an app, not on the home screen, but it’s certainly better than nothing.
Add suggested widgets to your home screen with the Siri Modular Watch Face.
While you can download multiple widgets to your Apple Watch, they aren’t truly dynamic. That’s why I’m a big fan of the Smart Stack widgets on Apple Watch, which dynamically update to display contextual information. Now, with the new Siri modular watch face, you can access dynamic widgets on the home screen. For example, if you just parked your car, you’ll see a widget showing its location; similarly, if you have a calendar appointment, it will appear in the center of the screen.
To use the Siri Modular watch face, long-press the screen, scroll to the bottom of the list, tap the Plus button, find and add the Siri Modular watch face. After that, you’ll start seeing dynamic widgets when you turn on your watch. However, don’t expect much customization from this watch face. You can customize the colors and add three small widgets, but that’s it.
Use the new one-tap gesture to open apps and perform actions.
Double-tap is one of my favorite Apple Watch features. By tapping twice with your thumb and index finger, you can, for example, answer a call or message. In watchOS 27, Apple has made this gesture even better. Now, double-tap scrolls through widgets; a single tap opens the selected widget or shortcut. This means you can open and view a weather app or start a workout without touching the Apple Watch screen.
Use Shazam to identify songs even when you’re offline.
The new Music Recognition app on your Apple Watch features built-in Shazam integration. What’s more, Shazam will record your search even when you’re offline and away from your iPhone. Once you’re back online, the service will identify songs that you can view in the Shazam app on your iPhone or Apple Watch.
Apple seems to have a library of songs it uses for offline recognition, because in my tests, it instantly recognized a Coldplay song, even in airplane mode. To use this feature, you can either open the Music Recognition app or add a widget for quicker access. Scroll up on the home screen, scroll down, tap the Edit button, then the Plus button, and add the Music Recognition widget.
Use the Step Count widget to track your step count in real time.
The Apple Watch traditionally lacked a widget or complication for displaying real-time step counts. To check your step count, you had to scroll to the bottom of the Activity app or use third-party apps. But even then, these apps never displayed real-time data. You always had to wait a few seconds for updated stats.
Now, if you have the latest Apple Watch Series 12 or Ultra 4, you can add a real-time step count widget to your Apple Watch face or Smart Stack. This will allow you to always see your exact step count. To use it, go to the bottom of your Smart Stack, tap the Edit button, then tap the Plus button. Here, find and add the new Step Count widget.
Continue your conversations with Siri AI from your iPhone to your Apple Watch.
Siri is no longer a voice assistant used for one-time tasks. With Siri AI, you can conduct multiple conversations simultaneously while maintaining context and memory. While not as powerful as ChatGPT or Claude, Siri AI can be used for brainstorming, research, and capturing ideas for later.
The Siri AI app on iPhone displays all your conversations, and the same happens on Apple Watch. This means you can continue your conversations with Siri AI and view past chats on your Apple Watch. To use this feature, press the digital crown once, then tap the Siri app icon in the center. This will open all your conversations instead of invoking Siri. Tap a conversation to continue the chat on your Apple Watch. Of course, all your actions will be reflected in the Siri app on your iPhone.
Find people and things with your Apple Watch with the new Find My app.
The new Find My app on Apple Watch displays a unified map for finding people, devices, and items. This means you can now locate family members who share their location with you, as well as AirTags or other items found using the watchOS app.
Once the app is open, you can use the Digital Crown to zoom in and out on the map. To navigate, use touch controls. However, the map doesn’t display all objects and people at once. Tap the Menu button in the lower right corner, then switch between “People,” “Objects, ” or “Devices.” If you have multiple objects, you can scroll through them using the Digital Crown.
Use your readiness score to determine how much you need to push yourself.
While it’s not a Whoop-level feature, Apple Watch now includes a readiness score. Instead of separately evaluating your training load, sleep quality, and vital signs, you now have a single number that gives you a complete picture.
The Readiness score ranges from 0 to 10 and is based on your recent physical activity, sleep data, and background health monitoring. If your score is between 8 and 10, your Apple Watch considers you fit, or “go for it.” If it’s below 5, the watch considers you should consider lighter activity. However, this feature is only available on the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4. You can use the new Readiness app on your Apple Watch to view this data, but you can also access it on your iPhone in the new Readiness section of the Fitness app.
Use Maximum Extended Workout mode to extend the battery life of your Apple Watch.
Low Power Mode isn’t the only way to extend your Apple Watch’s battery life. watchOS 27 offers a dedicated “Maximum Extended Workout” mode for longer workouts. In this mode, your Apple Watch disables certain features, such as split workouts and alerts, and reduces the frequency of GPS and heart rate readings to extend battery life throughout your workout. To use it, go to the Workout app and select the desired workout. Tap the “Goals” button in the upper right corner and select “Extended.” Then, switch to “Maximum Extended Workout” and start your workout.
Use sound recognition to receive notifications about sirens, alarms, and other noises.
The Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 feature a suite of Audio Intelligence features that utilize Apple Watch microphones in conjunction with AI models (both local and cloud-based) to recognize sounds, music, and record conversations . This new feature brings one of the iPhone’s accessibility features to the Apple Watch.
Sound Recognition can alert you to sirens, alarms, doorbells, and more, even when your iPhone is away. To set this up, go to the Settings app on your iPhone and select Accessibility > Sound & Name Recognition > Sound Recognition . Here, enable the sounds you want to track, and be sure to turn on the “Detect with Apple Watch” toggle.