The new Apple Watch Wrist Flick feature is the fastest way for you to dismiss an alert without tapping on your display. This simple gesture can be done with just your watch-wearing hand, so that you can hide notifications easily, even if your hands are full.

Why You’ll Love This Tip

Dismiss notifications you don’t care about with a simple gesture.
One-handed gestures let you hide alerts even if your hands are full.

How to Use Apple Watch Wrist Flick Feature

System Requirements

This tip was tested on an Apple Watch 10 running watchOS 26 paired to an iPhone 16 Pro Max. You'll need an Apple Watch Series 9 or newer model running watchOS 26 or later for this tip to work. Find out how to update to the latest version of watchOS.

Flicking your wrist to hide incoming notifications is the quickest way to get them off your watch. Learn how to enable the Wrist Flick feature and use the gesture to dismiss notifications with one hand. You can access your settings directly on your watch, but it is easier to do using your iPhone’s larger display.

Open Watch app on your iPhone.
Navigate to the My Watch tab if you’re not already there. Tap Gestures.
Toggle Wrist Flick on.

Once this is toggled on, when you receive a notification on your watch, you can dismiss it by quickly turning your wrist over and then back. If you don't nail the gesture on your first go, keep trying. It can sometimes take a bit to get the gesture down, but once you do, it will become second nature. Your watch will return to the watch face when you nail the wrist flick. Don't forget that this feature also works on Apple Watch Ultra models.

Now you know how to use the Apple Watch Wrist Flick feature! Next, learn how to use other Apple Watch gestures. Don’t forget to check out our free Tip of the Day for more great Apple Watch tutorials.