How to Use Apple Watch Digital Crown, Action & Side Buttons

Every Apple Watch has a Digital Crown with a Home button, a side button, and two band release buttons. But the Apple Watch Ultra and Ultra 2 have an additional Action button that can be customized. I'll teach you how to use all these multi-functional buttons to make the most of your Apple Watch!

Jump To:

• Apple Watch Buttons Explained & Identified
• Every Way to Use Apple Watch Digital Crown & Buttons
• FAQ

Apple Watch Buttons Explained & Identified

Every Apple Watch model has at least four buttons, while the Apple Watch Ultra and Ultra 2 have a fifth button. The Digital Crown has a button, also known as the Home button; below that is the the Side button. The Apple Watch Ultra and Ultra 2 have an Action button on the other side of the Digital Crown and side buttons. On the back/underside of the watch, there are two band release buttons.

1. The Apple Watch band release buttons are located on the back of the watch and are used to take watch bands off when you change them.
   
   
2. The buttons you'll be using the most are the Digital Crown and the side button. What is Digital Crown on Apple Watch? It is inspired by the crown on a mechanical watch. This turnable knob is classically used for winding, whereas on an Apple Watch, it is used for scrolling or changing the volume.
   
   
3. It also has a pressable button called the Home button.
   
   
4. On the same side as the Digital Crown and Home button, you will find the Side button.
   
   
    
5. The Apple Watch Ultra and Ultra 2 introduced a brand new orange button called the Action button. You can customize the Action button to do seven different things.
   
   

When I mention the Digital Crown in this article, I will be referring to the rotating function. When I mention the Home button, I will be referring to the pressable button on the Digital Crown. To learn more about Apple Watch, sign up for our free Tip of the Day Newsletter.

Every Way to Use Apple Watch Digital Crown & Buttons

There are so many different ways to use your Apple Watch Digital Crown, Home button, Side button, and Action button. They can be used to control all the features of the watch. Let's cover the different ways to use each button and button combination.

7 Things You Can Do with the Home Button

The Home button, located on the Digital Crown, can be on the left or the right side of your Apple Watch display. You can change the orientation of your Apple Watch and the side on which the buttons are. Learn how to customize your Apple Watch's button orientation here.

1. Home Screen & Watch Face Shortcuts

Pressing the Home button once will take you from your watch face to your Home Screen. The Apple Watch Home screen is where you will see all your apps. If you press the Home button while on your Home Screen, you will return to your watch face. The watch face is where you can see any complications, pull up your notifications menu, and access your Control Center.

2. Return to the Most Recently Opened App

Double-pressing the Home button will take you back to the app that you had opened most recently. If you are using two apps simultaneously, for example, the Weather app and the Calendar app, you can double-press the Home button to switch apps. 

3. Activate Siri

There are three ways to activate Siri on your Apple Watch that can be enabled in the settings. One of them is pressing and holding the Home button. If this doesn't work, then you will need to check your Siri settings.

4. Take a Screenshot

Press the Home button and the Side button at the same time to take a screenshot. Screenshots will be automatically saved to the Photos app on your synced iPhone. Before you do this, you must first enable screenshots on your Apple Watch. 

5. Do an ECG Reading

The Apple Watch Series 4 and later have built-in electrodes in the Home button that can measure electrical signals across your heart, also known as ECG (sometimes EKG). This measures your heart's rhythm and detects irregularities that may indicate atrial fibrillation. You have to set up the ECG app to get your reading.

6. Pause Your Workout

If you press the Home button and Side button simultaneously during a workout, you pause the workout. You can resume it by pressing the two buttons simultaneously again. If you have screenshots enabled, this will also take a screenshot while pausing or resuming the workout.

7. Expel Water from Speaker or Turn Off Sleep Mode

On an Apple Watch SE and an Apple Watch Series 2 or later, the Home button can be used to unlock your screen after turning on the Water Lock or activating Sleep Mode. Press and hold the Home button when your watch has Water Lock of Sleep Mode on to turn them off. Turning off the Water Lock creates vibrations and a high-pitched sound that expels water from the speaker. You can learn more about your Apple Watch's waterproof functions.

4 Things You Can Do with the Digital Crown

The Digital Crown is the dial or the rotating mechanism located on the Home button. It has different functions based on which app you are using it in.

1. Zoom In & Out While Taking Photos

Your Apple Watch can function as a remote for your iPhone while taking photos in the Camera app. If you rotate the Digital Crown while in the Camera app, it will zoom your iPhone camera in and out.

2. Controlling the Volume

If you are listening to music on your iPhone or another Apple device, your watch can act as a remote. You can then use the Digital Crown to raise or lower the volume. If you have Bluetooth speakers, headphones, or earbuds connected and playing music or Time to Walk directly on your Apple Watch, you can also use the Digital Crown for volume control.

3. Steer a (Fictional) Vehicle or Character

The Digital Crown can also be used as a digital steering wheel in various Apple Watch racing games. It can also move the paddle in Pong, steer the snake in modern Snake games, and have other game controls. Explore the world of Apple Watch games here.

4. See Your List of Most Used Apps & Delete Them

Pressing your Digital Crown twice (quickly) will take you to your Dock, which shows your ten most-used apps. If you swipe left over an app in the dock and tap the red x, you can force close the app and get it out of your Dock until you re-open it.

7 Things You Can Do with the Side Button

The Side button on your Apple Watch is the longer, thinner button located next to the Digital Crown. Based on your watch's orientation, it might be above or below the Digital Crown.

1. Quickly Access Your Control Center

Pressing the Side button will take you to your Control Center. You can customize the Control Center to show certain features and not others. My favorite Control Center feature is the iPhone ping, which makes a noise on my iPhone so I can find it easily.

2. Make an Emergency Call

Press and hold the Side button to use the emergency SOS call function. Once you press and hold the button, a screen with two or three options will appear. Here you can select if you want to turn off your phone, call the emergency number, or see your Medical ID if you have one set up. If you keep holding in the Side button, a countdown will appear to call 911. Learn how to avoid accidental 911 calls.

3. Make an Apple Pay Payment

Double-tap the Side button to enable Apple Pay. Whatever card you see on the screen is the one that will be charged if you hold it near a contactless reader. If you have several cards on Apple Pay, you can use the Digital Crown to scroll between them. You can also switch between them by swiping up or down with your finger.

4. Check Someone’s Medical ID

When you press and hold the Side button, you can get access to your Medical ID by swiping right on the ID icon. If you ever encounter someone who is having a medical emergency, you can see if they have a Medical ID set up on their watch to see if you can help. The Medical ID might also have an emergency contact that you can tap to contact.

5. Use Backtrack to Retrace Your Steps

Apple Watch Series 6 and later watches have a Backtrack feature in the Compass app. You can use this if you get lost on a hike to retrace your steps and find your way home.

6. Sound the Siren (Apple Watch Ultra & Ultra 2 Only)

The Apple Watch Ultra and Apple Watch Ultra 2 have a loud Siren that can create a sound that can be heard up to 600 feet away. The 86-decibel Siren is meant to help lost hikers get help, even if they are unable to make a call or yell for an extended amount of time (or at a certain volume). Learn more about the Apple Watch Ultra Siren.

7. Force Restart Your Apple Watch

You can turn off your Apple Watch by pressing and holding the Side button then selecting Power Off from the menu. However, if your Apple Watch is stuck in zoom, is frozen, or experiencing other issues, you can always force restart. To force restart, press and hold the Home and Side buttons simultaneously. Keep holding them in until you see the Apple logo; this will usually take around 10 seconds. Once your watch is powered off, you can press the Side button again to turn it on again.

7 Things You Can Do with the Action Button

Only the Apple Watch Ultra and Apple Watch Ultra 2 have the orange Action button on the opposite side of the Digital Crown and Side button. The Action button is customizable, and it can be programmed to start a workout or stopwatch, mark a waypoint, backtrack your steps, start a dive, or activate a shortcut of your choice. Some of these options offer a second function if you press the Action button soon after pressing it the first time.

I hope this Apple Watch tutorial on buttons has helped you learn new ways to navigate your watch! You should now be confident using the Side button, Home button, and the Digital Crown on Apple Watch. Mastering these buttons can help you make the most of your watch and give you easier access to everything you need. Next, learn how to use different gestures to navigate your Apple Watch like a pro!