Last week, we mentioned that Apple changed the behavior of the second hand on the Clock app icon in low power mode in iOS 26.1. The second hand does not move continuously, but ticks every second like a quartz watch.
The analog watch face on the new Apple Watch works similarly, using a sweeping second hand in active mode and a ticking second hand in always-on mode. If you’re like me and prefer quartz-like movement, there is a workaround that can help.
Apple Watch has always used a second hand that moves continuously on an analog clock face, similar to an automatic watch. That didn’t change until Apple Watch Series 10. The display on Apple Watch Series 10/11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3 can update once every second.
This allows the time to always be displayed in seconds, but the second hand on analog dials switches between a quartz movement and an automatic movement. I understand why the Apple Watch works this way, and I like the ability to always display seconds, but I find this switch a little jarring and unnatural.
If you have a choice, set the second hand to always tick instead of moving continuously. Perhaps Apple will add the option in a future watchOS update, but for now I thought of a workaround.
The ticking second hand is only used in always-on mode, so changing one setting will most likely bring you to always-on mode: (Settings) app > (Display & Brightness) section > (Wake on on wrist raise) option toggled off.
We do not recommend running your Apple Watch full time in this state. The biggest drawback is that the watch face becomes significantly dimmed in this inactive state. You’ll also lose one-handed gestures like double-tap to scroll through widget stacks or interact with notifications.
Still, if you want your Apple Watch to feel like a quartz analog watch, this mode is the way to go. You can also wake up the display by tapping, clicking a button, or scrolling the Digital Crown.
You can also swipe down to see Notification Center, swipe up to see widgets, or tap a complication to launch an app without starting the watch. Always-on mode didn’t always work that way, but Apple added instant responsiveness in a software update.
Please note that this only works with Apple Watch Series 10/11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3. Also, if you don’t want it to be always on, disabling Wake on Wrist Raise will keep the screen off.
I’ve been using this “just watch” mode for a few days now, only enabling a few notifications and disabling the automatic launch of live activities. Try it yourself and see what you think. Wake on Wrise You can toggle Raise on at any time to return to normal.
