AI-generated editorial illustration; not a documentary photograph.
The watchOS 27.2 beta restores the Apple Watch app switcher removed in watchOS 27, according to a Cult of Mac report published September 22, 2026. The feature once again provides a list of recently used apps, although opening it now requires a press-and-hold gesture at the bottom of the display rather than a double-press of the Digital Crown.
Recent Apps Return
After invoking the switcher from within an app, users can move through recent apps by turning the Digital Crown. Swiping left on an entry also reveals an X button for closing that app. These controls largely reproduce the switcher's previous browsing and app-management functions while changing how users reach them.
The Old Shortcut Is Still Missing
On watchOS 26 and earlier, double-clicking the Digital Crown opened the app switcher, while a double-press could quickly return users to the preceding app. Apple removed that behavior in watchOS 27, and the beta described by Cult of Mac does not restore the direct jump to the last app.
The revised gesture may therefore help people who regularly alternate between watch apps, but it does not fully reverse the watchOS 27 change. It also requires users accustomed to the Crown shortcut to adopt an on-screen interaction that begins while another app is open.
Crown Controls Have Changed
In watchOS 27, a single click of the Digital Crown opens a dynamic app grid that recommends five apps using activity and location context. That view also includes shortcuts for Siri and the complete app drawer. Cult of Mac reports that Apple appears to be reserving the Crown's double-press action for Live Rewind, part of the Audio Intelligence feature set.
The app switcher is currently described as a beta feature rather than a public release. Cult of Mac expects Apple to distribute watchOS 27.2 in late October or early November, but the source does not cite a confirmed release date from Apple.
Source: watchOS 27.2 will restore a useful Apple Watch feature, but there’s a catch
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