Despite the fact that the Apple Watch is a touch device, it often requires the digital crown to perform some functions. That is why any failure with the crown must be examined and repaired as soon as possible to enjoy the best experience with the watch. In this article we discuss the possible causes of this failure, as well as its possible solutions.
First of all, reboot the device
On many occasions there are problems that appear to be hardware and really are software. The prolonged use of applications and other functions of the Apple Watch can sometimes generate some failures derived from processes that have remained in the background and prevent the correct functioning of the system. The way to suddenly end all these processes is by turning the watch off and on afterwards, so this is the first piece of advice we give you to rule out that this is the source of the failure in the digital crown.
Other possible software problems
To completely rule out that the source of the problem with your Watch is the software, we recommend updating watchOS to the latest version available. Remember that you can do this from the watch itself, going to Settings> General> Software update. You can also do it from the corresponding iPhone app, going to the My watch tab and then General> Software update.
Also one way to get rid of software problems is to restore Apple Watch and set it up as new. This definitely ends any errors of this type, but considering that it is a more tedious process than the previous ones and that it does not guarantee that it will solve the problem of the digital crown, we would recommend doing this as a last solution if all the ones that we explain later do not do they work.
Remove any type of casing
If you have any type of casing, whether it is of greater or lesser coverage, it is highly recommended to remove it from the Apple Watch. Also the screen protector if you have it. Although not usually common, these could be interfering with the haptic responses and even the movement of the digital crown.
Clean the digital crown
Sometimes without realizing it we can have the watch with traces of dirt, either dust or any other component. Taking into account that the Apple Watch is also an off-road device that we take anywhere, this becomes even more evident. Cleaning the digital crown is really complex because it has hardly any space and is a very small element, so you must do it very delicately and always with a wipe or elements such as swabs that do not release lint or are sharp.
You could also put it under the water tap, but as long as your device is an Apple Watch Series 2 or later and has water resistance. Remember not to use soaps or other types of abrasive liquids. Afterwards, dry the device well with a dry cloth and try to remove any traces of water from its interior with the watchOS functionality dedicated to it and that you have available from the Control Center.
Go to Apple if you have no choice
If you have not been able to fix the digital crown of the Apple Watch in any way, it is best to go to Apple itself to repair it. Otherwise, you can contact an authorized technical service. You can manage all this from the Apple website or from the Support app in iOS. In this way you can be sure that the experts will be able to find the origin of the problem and offer you a solution that in many cases could be free if it is a factory defect and is covered by the warranty.