Apple Watch won’t swipe up or down? How to fix

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Apple Watch

An Apple Watch is a smartwatch that goes hand in hand with an Apple device such as iPhone or iPad. It enables you to complete tasks such as making phone calls and sending and receiving texts and emails. Compared to other smartwatches, it can be a calorie checker and keep track of your daily calorie burn.

Recently, there have been complaints after the Apple Watch has been updated to the 8.6 version. Users can’t swipe up or down on Apple Watch, hence cannot access the Control Center. If you are experiencing this issue, this is the right guide.

Troubleshooting the swipe-up gesture issue 

Several factors may restrict your Apple Watch from swiping up and down. So we have come up with solutions allowing you access to fix the swipe gesture to access the Control Center.

1. Reboot your Apple Watch

Below are steps on how to force a reboot Apple Watch:

  • Press and hold the side button.
  • A Power Off glider will appear on the Watch’s screen. Slide it to Power Off to switch it off.
  • Let it rest for two minutes before switching it on by pressing the side button.

Once the Apple Watch has rebooted, try swiping up and down to see whether it is functional.

READ: Why your Apple Watch Activity is not syncing

2. Restart the Apple Watch

Restarting your Apple Watch may eliminate the system’s glitches and bugs. It is also proven by most users to have solved the issue. Below are steps on how to restart your Apple Watch:

  • Press and hold the side or Power Off button and the Digital Crown simultaneously until an Apple Logo appears on the Watch’s screen.
  • Release the two buttons.
  • Give the Apple Watch some time to boot up.
  • You can then test whether the swipe up and down gesture is working. 

3. Update the Apple Watch

Another reason why the Control Center won’t swipe up on Apple Watch is that its system is outdated.

You should therefore install the latest watchOS for your Watch to operate smoothly.

4. Unpair and re-pair your Apple Watch and iPhone

Alternatively, you can unpair and re-pair your Apple Watch with your iPhone to reestablish the swipe up or down on your Apple Watch.

Remember that when you reconnect your Watch, you should set it up as a new device instead of restoring a backup. Furthermore, the process will not erase any data stored on the Watch or iOS device.

Here are the steps on how to unpair and pair an Apple Watch:

  • To turn the Apple Watch on, press and hold the side button.
  • Position the iPhone near the Apple Watch.
  • A pop-up notification will appear on the Watch and iPhone. 
  • Select Continue.
  • Select Set Up for Myself and then tap on Set Up Apple Watch.
  • A few instructions will be displayed on either screen to complete the pairing process.

Read: Why is my Apple Watch screen black but still vibrates?

5. Clean the Apple Watch’s screen

Since your Apple Watch is strapped to your wrist, it is more than obvious that it is exposed to dirt, water, oil, or any other chemical. Therefore, ensure that it is maintained in a clean and dry environment. Clean off any dirt or water drops before the Digital Crown or watch screen freezes. 

6. Change the Watch faces

Changing the Watch faces is an unpopular method, but that doesn’t mean it will not work. You can solve the swipe-up gesture issue by making a few changes to the watch faces. We, therefore, suggest that you try it using the steps provided below:

  • Swipe left or right on your current Apple watch face.
  • Go through the Watch faces you have at the moment.
  • Stop when you get to the desired watch face.

Fixed Swipe gesture on your Apple Watch

An Apple Watch benefits an iOS user since you can do many tasks without lifting your phone. For example, you can make and receive phone calls, send or receive text messages and emails, and check your calorie burn. You may, however, experience issues where you cannot access the Control Center because you cannot swipe up and down on the watch screen.

The above solutions are currently the only ways in which you can fix an unresponsive Apple Watch screen. Remember to update your watchOS to the latest version and maintain it in a clean and dry place. If your Apple Watch’s screen cannot swipe up and down, contact Apple customer support or visit the Apple store for professional help.