Key Takeaways
- For months, Apple Watch customers have been reporting ‘ghost contact’ points with their gadgets.
- Apple is engaged on a repair, however till it arrives, the corporate is advising prospects to drive restart their wearables when the problem begins.
- Customers also needs to guarantee their machine is operating the newest model of watchOS.
My sister makes use of an Apple Watch and has been complaining about her watch responding to ‘ghost touches’ for a number of months. Because the know-how professional for the household, she reached out to me for recommendation. After wanting into the problem, I found that it is one thing many Apple Watches have reported experiencing in latest months, and that Apple is working on a software fix for the issue.
Apple Watch Series 10: What we know
The Apple Watch Sequence 10 might function a redesigned physique and new well being monitoring options when it arrives later this yr.
Within the meantime, the corporate is reportedly advising folks to restart their watches and guarantee they’re up to date. Till then, let us take a look at precisely what which means and easy methods to cease your Apple Watch from doing its personal factor while you aren’t deliberately touching it.
What’s the ghost contact problem on Apple Watch?
Phantom faucets and swipes
Over the previous a number of months, an growing variety of Apple Watch customers have been asking: “Why is my Apple Watch doing issues even when I’m not tapping it?”
Fortuitously, there isn’t any paranormal exercise inflicting false touches in your Apple Watch, and Apple has acknowledged the problem and is working to resolve the issue.
Basically, the ghost contact Apple Watch problem is when your Apple Watch is appearing as if the display is being tapped, even when it is not. It could be altering shows, opening up totally different apps on the watch, or scrolling by your widgets with out you interacting with the display as if an invisible ghost is tapping in your watch display.
Fortuitously, there isn’t any paranormal exercise inflicting false touches in your Apple Watch, and Apple has acknowledged the problem and is working to resolve the issue. The unique memo from Apple representatives acknowledging the Apple Watch contact problem recommended that this was primarily affecting Series 9 and Ultra 2 Apple Watches. Primarily based on experiences within the Apple assist boards and the case with my sister, the problem additionally seems to have an effect on Sequence 7, Sequence 8, Sequence 9, and Extremely 1 watches.
watchOS 10.4 fixes the Apple Watch’s false touch bug, among other improvements
It additionally provides new emoji, and Double Faucet enhancements.
For some Apple Watch customers, the unintended touches are minor and rare, however for different folks, the Apple Watch ghost contact is irritating and may virtually render the watch unusable. Some have even reported that the touches occur so often and will be so concerned that they get locked out of their watch or the machine retains glitching and freezing.
One consumer, for instance, took to the Apple support forums in late November 2023 with a put up titled ‘Apple Watch responding to ghost contact.’ They wrote: “Extremely 2 now has a thoughts of its personal. It’s HAL doing random issues with no interplay from me. I am now locked out as a result of random digits are entered on my login display. Beginning to hate this machine and the substandard apps.”
Dozens of different customers responded that that they had an identical problem and plenty of supplied their very own touches and the following frustrations. For instance, an Apple Watch consumer just lately responded to the thread, saying that that they had the very same problem with their Apple Watch Extremely 2 operating watchOS 10.2. “It began when my AWU2 switched the lights on in my home by way of HomeKit,” they wrote.
“After that I used to be not in a position to attend a telephone name as a result of the show was unresponsive. Faucet gesture did not work both. Then all of the sudden the keypad opened and the watch began dialing.” That individual advisable different Apple Watch house owners take away the Residence App from their watch face simply in case the problem continues and begins affecting their sensible dwelling gadgets.
Tips on how to cease ghost touches on an Apple Watch
Power reset your watch and maintain the watchOS updated
Phantom touches on an Apple Watch can clearly be irritating, so that you would possibly really feel inclined to tear the factor off your wrist and throw it within the drawer.
Nevertheless, Apple has reportedly suggested customers to not change watches particularly due to this problem, and the corporate must be rolling out a software program replace that stops this from taking place.
Though it will not be potential to completely forestall the problem from occurring till Apple has fastened the bug within the software program, the company is recommending that customers make it possible for the software program on their watch is totally up-to-date after which carry out a drive reset when the ghost touches are taking place.
Right here is easy methods to drive restart an Apple Watch:
- Maintain each buttons (the Digital Crown and the aspect button) concurrently for 10 seconds or till you see the Apple emblem reappear.
- Anticipate the watch in addition again up.
Additionally it is necessary to just remember to maintain the Apple Watch working system up-to-date by accepting and putting in all software program updates.
You possibly can verify for a software program replace in your iPhone or within the Apple Watch settings.
Right here is easy methods to replace the Apple watchOS immediately on the watch:
- Press the Digital Crown button to deliver up the Residence Display.
- Faucet the Settings app.
- Faucet the Normal choice.
- Faucet Software program Replace.
- Faucet Set up to replace watchOS.
Right here is easy methods to replace watchOS utilizing the Watch app in your iPhone:
- Open the Watch app in your paired iPhone.
- Faucet the My Watch tab.
- Faucet Normal.
- Faucet Software programReplace close to the highest.
- If a software program replace is offered, it is possible for you to to faucet Obtain Replace.
- Enter your iPhone or Apple Watch passcode.
- It is best to see the progress wheel seem in your watch, indicating that the software program replace is being downloaded and put in.
watchOS updates can take some time, so do not panic in case your watch display is caught within the progress wheel or goes darkish for some time and takes what appears like perpetually to get by the replace and reboot. That mentioned, do not plan on putting in the replace if you’re planning to go out for a run or want to make use of your watch straight away; wait till you’ve gotten a minimum of 20 minutes while you will not want to make use of your watch.
Lastly, false touches and unintended swiping by the Apple Watch shows usually tend to occur if there’s moisture or debris on the display. Make certain to maintain the touchscreen free from particles, oily fingers, and water droplets after getting your watch moist. You possibly can clear the touchscreen with a microfiber fabric or different delicate, lint-free fabric.
The excellent news is that the drive reset resolution solved the problem for the consumer within the boards quoted above, although it took about 5 minutes for the restart to forestall extra false touches. Hopefully, the Apple watchOS 10.4 replace will resolve this problem, so it is very important carry on prime of the Apple watchOS updates.
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