Overview
- The App Switcher reappeared in watchOS 27.2 beta 2 after community reports, with the restoration first documented on Apple Den Discord and shared on X by user Bones.
- Users open the switcher by pressing and holding the bottom of the watch screen while inside an app rather than double‑pressing the Digital Crown.
- Once open, the App Switcher behaves like earlier versions: turn the Digital Crown to scroll recent apps and swipe left on an app to reveal an X to close it.
- The Digital Crown double‑press remains assigned to Apple’s Live Rewind/Audio Intelligence feature, so the old double‑press shortcut was not restored.
- Because this change is in a developer/public beta, Apple may alter the gesture or remove the App Switcher again before the final watchOS 27.2 release, and installing betas carries risks for users.