How to Fix Apple Watch Won’t Swipe Up (8 Ways)

Apple Watch is one of the best smartwatches available in the market right now. However, when you buy your brand new Apple Watch only to find out that Apple Watch won’t swipe up, this can be frustrating. If you are unable to Swipe up on your Apple Watch, you won’t be able to open up the control center or even pop up the menu. As a result, things could get pretty nasty. But don’t worry, if your Apple Watch won’t swipe up, read this guide to fix it.

Why Are You Unable to Swipe Up On Your Apple Watch?

There can be plenty of reasons to why you are unable to swipe up on your Apple Watch. The first reason can be that your watch has dust or water droplets sitting above and causing interference with the touch screen.

Sometimes it is also possible that you are swiping up just too fast, and the Apple Watch isn’t registering the touch response. Either way, there can be a watch face issue. Sometimes a watch doesn’t support swiping-up gestures, not because it wasn’t meant for swipe up but because it has a bug or glitch.

Finally, there can be a software issue that can only be fixed by an update. Nonetheless, if Apple Watch’s TFT is at fault, you have no other option than to visit Apple Service Center. Now that you know all the possible causes, let’s start fixing this.

How to Fix Apple Watch Won’t Swipe Up

Here we have listed 8 ways that will help you fix Apple Watch won’t swipe up issue completely. Make sure to read the fixes in the order they are mentioned.

Fix 1: Force Shutdown and Turn on the Apple Watch

If you are having trouble swiping up on your Apple Watch, the first method to fix it is to force shutdown followed by turning it on. This method is different from restarting. We are recommending force restart because you cannot normally restart the device since you are unable to swipe up. Therefore, follow these steps to perform this:

1. Press and hold the Side key for 3 seconds until you see the shutter.
2. Now, slide the Power Off slider to the right.

Now, your Apple Watch will shut down. Press and hold the key again to restart, and your swiping issue will be fixed. Double-check whether you can swipe up regularly or if it is getting stuck while doing so. If yes, follow up with the next fix.

Fix 2: Force Restart Apple Watch

If the above fix hasn’t help you, force restarting the Apple Watch might do the trick. The trick doesn’t involve any swiping gestures, so you won’t face any problems. Follow these steps to perform a force restart:

1. While your Apple Watch is turned on, press and hold the Digital Crown and Side button together.
2. Keep it pressed until you see the Apple logo on screen.
3. Depending on your model of iWatch, you might also need to keep pressing the buttons and releasing them simultaneously.
4. Once you see the Apple logo appearing on screen, leave the button and wait for the watch to restart itself.

Once the restart is complete, try using your watch to check whether Apple Watch won’t swipe up problem is resolved or not.

Fix 3: Change the Apple Watch Face

As simple as this may sound, some apple watch faces are stubborn and don’t let users swipe up. They are not actually stubborn, but in fact, they get corrupt and cause mishappenings.

Suppose you download a new apple watch face and the download is unfinished or it is possible that the download was actually corrupt, swiping issues might occur. As a result, you should try changing the watch face to check whether you are able to swipe up normally.

Fix 4: Try Swiping Slowly

It is possible that you are sipping up too fast. So fast that Apple Watch is not registering the touch. This isn’t typically a problem. But touch screen devices tend to register touches slower sometimes due to ongoing processes.

For example, if an update is being downloaded, you may feel like the touch is responding slowly. This is just an example and many more things could be happening inside the software. So, try to swipe up slowly and see whether it works.

Fix 5: Check for Water Drops

In case you have been near a pool or swimming lately, some water drops are still there on the top of your watch. These small droplets of water won’t damage the internals, but due to static electricity, they might cause interference with the capacitive touch screen. Read our guide to  removing scratches on Apple Watch Screen to learn about this better.

Fix 6: Unpair and Re-pair the Watch

If the above steps haven’t helped you fix the unable to swipe up issue on Apple Watch, it is now time to unpair the watch and then re-pair it. Follow these steps:

1. On your iPhone, open the Watch app.
2. Tap on General.
3. Now, in the next window, scroll down to Reset.
4. Now finally, tap on Erase Apple Watch Content and Settings.
5. Tap on Confirm when prompted.
6. Depending on your iPhone and watch model, you may be asked for Apple ID Password. If you don’t have that, check our guide to reset Apple Watch without Apple ID.
7. Now pair your watch again.

Once your watch is paired, you can also restart your Watch. Once everything is complete, try swiping up to open the menu or anything else that requires swiping. If everything seems fine, your issue has been fixed.

Fix 7: Check for Updates

If the above methods haven’t helped you, updating your Apple Watch might be the way out. Although if the above methods have helped, it is always in your best interest to keep your watch updated so that issues don’t occur over time. Follow these steps to update your watch:

1. Make sure your iPhone is connected to the internet.
2. Open the Watch app and tap on General.
3. Now tap on Software Update.
4. If there’s an update available, you will see the notification.
5. Tap on Update.

Once you tap on Update, the latest firmware will be downloaded and installed on your Watch. From there on, you won’t have to face any problems.

Fix 8: Visit Apple Service Center

If none of the above methods have helped till now, it is possible that your Apple Watch is either defective or has a TFT problem. Since TFT problems cannot be handled by the general user, it is always wiser to take it to the nearest Apple Care store.

If you have an Apple Care plan, you won’t have to spend a dime. The same things goes if your Apple watch is under warranty. However, if you have neither, the Apple Service Center will be able to give you clear details about the charges and what needs to be done.

The Bottom Line

Well, that’s all we have here about how you can fix if Apple Watch won’t swipe up. We hope you found this guide useful and helpful. If you still have any doubts or queries, make sure to comment down below.

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