How to turn off Wrist Flick on an Apple Watch

2 min read · 3 steps · Updated 4 October 2026

Device

Apple Watch

Shown on

watchOS 26 (Apple Watch)

App

Settings

Path

Settings › Gestures

Real screenshots

3 of 3 steps

Checked

October 2026

Sources

1 official, linked below

Wrist Flick is a gesture: quickly turn your wrist over and back to dismiss anything and return to the watch face. Apple lists what it can do: mute incoming calls, stop timers, dismiss notifications and more, even with your hands full. If it reacts when you do not mean it, switch it off.

The screenshots show watchOS 26.5 on an Apple Watch Series 11.

Step by step

1. 

   Open Settings on the watch

   Press the Digital Crown to see your apps and tap the Settings gear.

   Done

2. 

   Scroll down and tap Gestures

   Gestures is below App View.

   Done

3. 

   Scroll down and switch off Wrist Flick

   In the picture it is on. The note below reads: quickly turn your wrist over and back to dismiss anything and return to your watch face.

   Done

Good to know

The main switch at the top of the page is called Gestures. Double Tap has its own row below it: how to use Double Tap on an Apple Watch.

Covering the screen with your palm is a separate gesture: how to mute an Apple Watch by covering it with your hand.

In short: Settings, Gestures, Wrist Flick off.