How to customise Apple Watch control centre with iPhone app buttons

Here’s how to add, remove, and use iPhone Control Centre buttons on your Apple Watch with watchOS 26 in a few simple steps.

Apple has changed how Apple Watch users reach key tools. With watchOS 26, the Control Centre now lets users add more buttons, change their order, and include controls linked to iPhone apps. The update also allows users to undo changes at any time and return to the default layout.

Know how to add, arrange, and reset iPhone-linked Control Centre buttons on your Apple Watch. (REUTERS)

By MD Ijaj Khan

Ijaj Khan is a technology journalist and Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times, with over three years of experience covering the consumer technology industry. His work spans smartphones, laptops, wearables, gaming, appliances and AI - from hands-on reviews, comparison and buying guides to breaking news and in-depth features that help readers cut through the noise and make informed decisions. Before joining HT Tech, he worked with Jagran New Media, where he sharpened his instincts for fast-paced digital reporting. He holds a Post Graduate Diploma in English Journalism and Mass Communication from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Delhi. Whether he's testing the latest flagship smartphone, tracking a major AI announcement, or putting a gaming laptop through its paces, Ijaj approaches every story with the same goal - making technology feel relevant and easy to understand for everyday users, not just enthusiasts. When he's not in front of a screen for work, he's usually travelling to a new city, hunting for great food, or keeping tabs on what's next in tech before everyone else catches on.

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The Control Centre still offers quick access to core options such as the flashlight, Low Power Mode, and the feature that helps locate a misplaced iPhone. The difference lies in how much control users now have over what appears on the screen and how it works.

iPhone-linked Controls Come to Apple Watch

Earlier versions of watchOS allowed only limited changes, mostly involving Apple’s own tools. With watchOS 26, Apple introduced the Control Widget API. This change lets iPhone app developers create controls that appear directly in the Apple Watch Control Centre.

These controls can work even if the app does not have a separate Apple Watch version. When a user taps one of these buttons on the watch, the action runs on the paired iPhone. This setup allows quick access to app functions without opening the phone.

Apple also lets users assign some of these controls to the Action button on Apple Watch Ultra models. Users can also place them in the Smart Stack for faster access. At present, only a small number of apps support this feature, but more may follow as developers update their apps.

How to Change Control Centre Buttons

To edit the Control Centre on Apple Watch, press the side button to open it. Scroll to the bottom and tap “Edit.” Users can then move buttons, remove them, or add new ones.

The edit screen shows a “Suggested” section at the top to reduce scrolling. A separate “From Your iPhone” section appears at the bottom. This section lists third-party controls, provided the app developer has created a compatible widget.

If the new layout does not work for you, resetting is simple. On the Apple Watch, open Settings, tap Control Centre, and select “Reset Control Centre layout.”

Users can also reset it from the iPhone. Open the Watch app, tap “My Watch,” go to Control Centre, and tap “Reset Control Centre.”