watchOS 10: How to use Smart Stack, Control Center, & Digital Crown on Apple Watch!

Apple changed how you use Apple Watch with watchOS 10, redefining what the Digital Crown and Side Buttons do, along with adding a new Smart Stack with widgets and a full app switcher. Here is how to use all the new features in watchOS 10.

Chapters ➡
0:00 Intro
0:39 Digital Crown
2:11 App Switcher
3:28 Smart Stack
5:32 Side Button
6:45 Exclusive Deals
7:52 Wrap Up

Grab the LOWEST prices on Apple gear! 👇

Follow our social channels! 👇

New here? AppleInsider has been around since the 1997 covering anything, and everything Apple. This YouTube channel will give you the best coverage for anything Apple related. New MacBooks? We'll cover them! New iPhones? We got you covered on that as well. Want to get the most out of your new Apple product? We've got videos to help you with that. Make sure to subscribe, comment, and share our videos!

AppleInsider may earn commission on purchases made through affiliate links.

[kiplittle]

Not being able to swipe between watch faces anymore is a terrible idea. I used multiple faces set up with different complications but now I will have to go into edit to change faces. A major loss of functionality and just a hassle. Not happy.

[MrMorajo]

I miss the dock :( I can't get to "Shazam" fast anymore, without scrolling through all apps list :(

[chicagocarless]

So, in other words, they rearranged EVERYTHING in order to add offscreen widgets, instead of just sliding them in a different way. And now our muscle memory has to relearn where control center and the dock live now. That’s not a small change. That’s adding a heck of a lot of unnecessary UI friction.

[Anakena]

Pretty desappointing update. Love the app screen redesign but aside from that they’re taking away too many useful feature.

[notnotjake]

I am really gonna miss double tapping crown to jump to last app and also the Dock which used to be the side button.

[TimeAndOrSpace]

Personally I loved having the dock accessible by the side button, and I can pin my favourite 10 apps in any order. Now, you can only access recent apps by a double tap of the crown, but can't pin favourite apps anymore. Such a downgrade.

[DurfDiggler]

No more Dock / Favorites? I use that almost every day.

[beccabonk]

Omg, I’m having trouble with the double-click change App function! It either brings me back to App view screen or engages Siri. Frustrating. Does just the crown get double pressed or does one need to hold the side of the watch at the same time? This is my first watch - the SE - and I’m ready to return it. 😮 Thank you!

[TheRampage]

Did they take away the side button to show apps are open I don’t like using the crown thing

[courtenay]

How does the ultra enter night mode on the wayfinder face now if scrolling up on the crown brings up the smart stack?

[dwightwilkinson]

Thank you for the information I had a hard time trying to figure out how to get the control center

[HowardBrazee]

How do I get a bigger list of widgets? I'd like the settings app there (or really, I'd like the low-power switch). My wife wants easy access to her oxygen sensor.

[kazazel]

Hey. Where is the notification center now ? 🤔

[dbrewood]

Hmm mostly good, however I use the Dock a lot, I take it that functionality is now lost?

[krystbudziak]

It appears with this update the ability to track total steps in the weekly summary of the fitness app is no longer available. Weekly summaries for move, exercise and stand goals are still active but not for steps, distance or flights climbed. Or am I missing something? Why roll out an update that removes previous functionality?

[princejron]

On the smart stack, at the bottom there is the quick launcher row of 3 icons. Are we able to add another row/stack of another 3 icons? For example maybe a stack of 3 for navigation apps, and a different stack of 3 for workout apps

[mikeward]

How many widgets are you limited to? Can you have different widgets for each watch face or are they persistent across all watch faces?

[xXAbooXx]

I guess he hasn't realized he cant switch watch faces 3:40 like we use too..

[towertone]

Like myself there are many here who miss the dock. Apple really screwed the

[gustasram]

Has anyone find a way on how to lock the ongoing activity so you don't get unwanted presses on the watch screen?