Every once in a while, an app on the Apple Watch — like an app on the iPhone — will start behaving weirdly. Maybe the app doesn't update information, or maybe it just doesn't perform the way that you know that it should. Fortunately, it is possible to force quit and then restart a fresh copy of the app. Before watchOS 3.0 was released, this was done using the side button twice — once to access the power down menu, and then again to quit the app. But after the new watchOS 3 was released on September 13th, I wasn't sure how to quit an app. And I needed to do so this past Sunday when I wanted to use my watch to follow the score in the Saints versus Carolina game but the ESPN app on my Apple Watch wasn't working.
You can no longer force quit an app just using the side button — presumably because of the new SOS feature by which you can hold down the side button to trigger an emergency call to 911. But force quitting an app is still possible. Here is how it works in watchOS 3.
First, hold down the side button until the power menu appears. A simple press isn't enough because that brings up the dock. Instead, hold it down for about 2-3 seconds until you see this screen:
Next, hold down the digital crown button. A quick press of the digital crown button isn't enough; that instead will just bring you back to the last app that you used — the app that you were trying to quit. Instead, when the power menu is displayed you need to hold down the digital crown for about 2-3 seconds.
You will know you are done when you see the app launcher screen:
At this point, you can launch the app again. Hopefully, once the app is restarted, it will behave normally for you.
And if you were watching the scores of a football game, hopefully your team won. Even if it was thanks to a field goal in the final seconds.
