With the release of watchOS 27 Apple announced a new feature called “Live rewind” that enabled users with a double press of the digital crown to get a transcript of everything said in the last 15 seconds. This new action fully removed the app switcher which used the double press of the digital crown action.
After hearing feedback from the community, Apple has added back the App Switcher letting users quickly switch between open apps and force close apps. The App Switcher will no longer use the Digital Crown double click, instead it will be similar to iOS and iPadOS.
As shown in the above below you will need to press and hold down the bottom of the screen while in an app to access the app switcher. Slimar to how the iPhone and iPad behave.
Live Rewind will be available in beta in late 2026, and requires Apple Watch Series 12 or Apple Watch Ultra 4, paired with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone 16 or later (excluding iPhone 16e). It will be available in English to start and will not initially be available in the EU.