The Simulated Clicks
The Apple Watch features a brilliant piece of engineering inside the Digital Crown (the scrolling dial on the side). When you slowly turn the dial to scroll through a list of emails, the watch utilizes its internal “Taptic Engine” to deliver tiny, precise vibrations to your wrist. This creates the physical illusion that you are turning a mechanical gear that is clicking into place. While this haptic feedback is incredibly satisfying and helps you scroll precisely, the constant micro-vibrations consume battery power. Furthermore, some users simply find the buzzing sensation annoying. If you prefer the dial to spin silently and smoothly without vibrating your wrist, you can disable the haptics.
How to Turn Off Crown Haptics
You can disable the mechanical clicking illusion via the watch settings.
- Open the Settings app directly on your Apple Watch (the grey gear icon).
- Scroll down the main list and tap on Sound & Haptics.
- Scroll down to the “Haptics” section.
- Look for the toggle switch labeled Crown Haptics.
- Toggle this switch to the Off position (the green background will disappear).
A Smooth Scroll
The change is instantaneous. Place your finger on the Digital Crown and spin it. The dial will continue to smoothly scroll through your applications and menus on the screen, but the watch will remain perfectly still. The tiny, mechanical clicking vibrations are completely gone, saving a small amount of battery and providing a totally silent scrolling experience.