How to Fix It When Your Apple Watch Is Upside Down

Get your wrist display facing the right way

By
Evan Killham
Evan Killham Lifewire
Evan Killham
Editor and Writer
  • University of Nebraska
Evan Killham is a Lifewire editor and writer who has been appearing all over the internet since 2009 helping people swap out hard drives or pin down an elusive feature on their Apple Watch. 
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Updated on December 17, 2022
Reviewed by
Ryan Perian
Ryan Perian headshot
Reviewed by Ryan Perian
  • Western Governors University
Ryan Perian is a certified IT specialist who holds numerous IT certifications and has 12+ years' experience working in the IT industry support and management positions.
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Apple Watches are reliable, popular wearable devices, but they occasionally experience glitches. A common glitch is an Apple Watch displaying upside down. An upside-down watch display takes most of the utility out of the device. Most likely, however, the watch's orientation is set differently than how you want to wear it, and it's an easy fix.

An Apple Watch with an upside-down display

DeFodi Images / Getty

How to Fix an Upside-Down Screen on Apple Watch

Try the following straightforward fixes to get your Apple Watch to display correctly. Try these fixes in the order presented (easiest to most difficult) for your best chances of success.

  1. Check the Watch app settings on your iPhone. The most likely problem is that your watch orientation setting is incorrect. In the iPhone's Watch app, go to General > Watch Orientation and choose the correct wrist and digital crown position. If the settings look fine, try switching them to other options and switching back.

    Because the Apple Watch uses a screen instead of a pre-printed watch face, you can change the screen to accommodate if you want to wear the watch with the digital crown on a different side than how it comes out of the box.

  2. Modify settings on your Apple Watch. If the iOS app doesn't work, press the Digital Crown on your Apple Watch to open the Apps screen and select Settings > General > Orientation.

  3. Restart your Apple Watch. Restarting a device often fixes glitches. On your Apple Watch, hold the Side button until the Power Off switch appears, and then swipe right to turn off the device. Wait around 30 seconds, and then press and hold the Side button again until the Apple Watch starts back up.

  4. Do a hard restart on the Apple Watch. If you can't turn off your watch, try a hard restart. Hold the Side Button and Digital Crown simultaneously for a few seconds until the Apple logo appears on the screen, and then release the buttons and let the watch start up.

  5. Update the Apple Watch system software. In some cases, a misbehaving Apple Watch needs a software update. In the Watch app for iOS, go to General > Software Update to see if a new version of watchOS is available. If so, follow the on-screen directions to install it.

  6. Reset the Apple Watch to factory settings. This is the last resort. A reset completely deletes your Apple Watch data and returns all its settings to their defaults. You can restore your data from a backup, however. In the Watch app, go to General > Reset and follow the prompts.

If the upside-down display is the only problem the Apple Watch is experiencing, you can still use it while wearing it upside down. However, you may not get accurate results with features like the accelerometer or heart rate sensor, so it's best to fix the issue.

Causes of an Apple Watch Displaying Upside Down

An upside-down Apple Watch display is usually due to a software setting, assuming you're wearing the device correctly. Usually, adjusting the settings is enough to fix the issue. However, you might also need to reset it.

FAQ
  • How do I wear my Apple Watch upside down?

    If you want to wear your watch upside down, you can take the band off your Apple Watch and put it back together so that the digital crown is facing the opposite direction. Then, flip the screen orientation ​by going to Settings > General > Orientation.

  • Why should I wear my Apple Watch upside down?

    Changing which side the digital crown is on can help prevent you from accidentally pressing the button while doing pushups or other workouts. It also lets you more easily control the crown with your thumb.

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