How To Turn Off “Now Playing” on Apple Watch

The Apple Watch is a great device, but it may sometimes display some unwanted apps or functions on the watch face. One of these annoying functions is the “Now Playing” screen that appears when you play audio or video files on your iPhone. 

Fortunately, you can turn off the “Now Playing” screen on your Apple Watch with a few straightforward steps.

We compiled this article to show you how to turn off the “Now Playing” screen on the Apple Watch and other related issues.

Method #1: How To Turn Off the “Now Playing” Screen on the Apple Watch From the Settings App

The “Now Playing” screen on your Apple Watch can be annoying, especially when you want to glance at something else – such as time, weather conditions, or blood pressure level – as you go about your daily activities. You can disable the function from the Settings of your Apple Watch. 

However, the process is slightly different on the older and newer versions of Watch OS.

How To Turn Off “Now Playing” on Older Versions of the Apple Watch

Follow these steps to turn off the “Now Playing” screen on older versions of the Apple Watch.

1. Press the Digital Crown.
2. Select Settings.
3. Click “General“.
4. Tap on “Wake Screen“.
5. Scroll down to “Auto-Launch Audio Apps“.
6. Move the toggle to the left until it’s gray to turn off the “Now Playing” screen.

How To Turn Off “Now Playing” on Newer Versions of the Apple Watch

If you have the more recent version of the Apple Watch, you won’t find the “Auto-Launch Audio Apps” option under “General” settings. Follow these steps to turn off the “Now Playing” screen on a newer version of the Apple Watch.

1. Hit the Digital Crown.
2. Navigate to Settings.
3. Scroll down the menu and tap on “Display & Brightness“.
4. Locate the “Auto-Launch Audio Apps” option.
5. Move the toggle to the left to disable the “Now Playing” screen on the Apple Watch.

Method #2: How To Turn Off “Now Playing” on Apple Watch From the Watch App on iPhone

You can disable the “Now Playing” screen on your Apple Watch from the Watch App on your iPhone. Here’s how to do it.

1. Launch the Watch App.
2. From the “My Watch” tab, scroll down and select “General“.
3. Click on “Wake Screen“.
4. Locate “Auto-Launch Audio Apps“.
5. Disable the Auto-Launch Audio Apps by moving the toggle to the left.

For newer versions of the Watch App, follow these steps instead.

1. Open the Watch App.
2. Tap on “Display & Brightness” under the “My Watch” tab.
3. Scroll down the menu and locate “Auto-Launch Audio Apps“.
4. Move the toggle to the left to turn off the automatic display of the “Now Playing” screen on Apple Watch.

How To Open the “Now Playing” Screen Manually on Apple Watch

Although you have turned off the “Now Playing” screen on your Apple Watch Face, it is still in sync with your iPhone. If you play an audio or video file on your iPhone and want to manage the playback using the watch, you can manually access the “Now Playing” screen.

 Here’s how to open the “Now Playing” screen manually.

1. Click on the play button at the top of the screen of your Apple Watch.
2. The “Now Playing” screen appears on the watch face again, letting you manage your playlist.

Conclusion

When you play a video or audio file on your iPhone, a “Now Playing” screen will appear automatically on your Apple Watch Face if the Auto-Launch Audio Apps function is on. The “Now Playing” screen can be annoying because you must keep pressing the digital crown to view other important details on your watch face. Use the Settings app on your Apple Watch or Watch app on your iPhone to disable Auto-Launch Audio Apps.

Frequently Asked Questions