How to access Notification Center and Control Center on Apple Watch

In this brief tutorial, we will show you how to access the notifications pane and the Control Center on your Apple Watch when you’re not on the watch face but inside other apps.

Two Apple Watch mockups showing its Notifications Center and Control Center

Similar to other Apple devices like the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Vision Pro, your Apple Watch also has a Notification Center and a Control Center.

As you may have figured out, the Notification Center is the dedicated place that stacks all your new app notifications. And the Control Center has quick buttons to turn on and off handy features like Wi-Fi, Airplane mode, Theater Mode, Flashlight, DND, and such.

Here’s how to open them irrespective of where you’re in the watchOS interface.

Open the Notification Center

If you’re on the watch face, swipe down from the top of the Apple Watch screen to see your pending notifications.

Opening Notifications Center on Apple Watch from watch face

If you’re not on the watch face but inside another app, touch and hold the top edge of the display. As the handle appears under your finger near the top of the display, just swipe down to get to the Notification Center.

Opening Notifications Center on Apple Watch when inside an app

Open the Control Center

The process for this differs based on the watchOS version running on your Apple Watch.

watchOS 10 and later

Simply press the side button once to open the Control Center on your Apple Watch. It works irrespective of whether you’re on the watch face or inside an app.

Opening Control Center on Apple Watch

watchOS 9 and earlier

Swipe up from the bottom of the watch face to open the Control Center.

However, if you’re inside an app, tap and hold the bottom edge of the display. When the handle appears under your finger near the bottom edge of the display, simply pull up to drag the Control Center overlay into full view.

Opening Control Center while using the official iDownloadBlog app for Apple Watch

Do more on your Apple Watch: