Google Pixel Watch 4 replaces Touch Lock with Water Lock in Wear OS 6 Quick Settings

When Google started rolling out Wear OS 6 alongside the Pixel Watch 4, most users expected a few new tricks, some polish, and maybe a hidden AI sprinkle or two. What they didn’t expect was for one of the most familiar icons in the Quick Settings panel, the Touch Lock, to quietly shapeshift into something else entirely.

That “something else” is the new Water Lock feature, and it’s already making waves (pun intended) for all the wrong reasons.

A familiar face in a new wetsuit

If you’ve used any previous Pixel Watch, you know exactly where the Touch Lock icon lived. That icon of a hand tapping a screen that you could tap to keep accidental wrist or shower taps at bay. But with Wear OS 6, that same spot now shows a new icon: a droplet of water.

At a glance, this change might seem cosmetic, but it’s actually a sign of Google merging two ideas into one. The new Water Lock not only disables touch input like Touch Lock did, but also prevents accidental interactions when the watch is submerged. Once you’re done swimming, the feature even plays a sound to eject water from the speaker, just like Samsung’s Galaxy Watch does.

In short: Touch Lock didn’t vanish; it evolved.

The confusion stems from the icon swap and label change. In previous Pixel Watch models (and on Wear OS 5), Touch Lock was clearly represented by that hand icon and could be toggled with a single tap. With Wear OS 6, that icon has been replaced by a water droplet sitting in the exact same spot on the Quick Settings grid.

To make matters trickier, Google didn’t include an on-screen label or tooltip to explain the change. So for returning users, the disappearance of the hand icon looks like the removal of a core feature.

That’s why Reddit threads and Google community posts are cropping up with complaints about the missing Touch Lock. Some users assumed the function was gone entirely; others even contacted Google Support, only to be told (incorrectly) that the feature had been discontinued.

What’s new under the surface

Water Lock’s debut coincides with Wear OS 6’s push to make the Pixel Watch lineup more swim-friendly. The system now automatically detects when you’re submerged and activates Water Lock on its own, blocking accidental taps and helping your workouts stay accurate. Once you’re done, the feature can play a short “ejection sound” to clear water from the speaker grill, a clever nod to functionality Samsung and Apple users have enjoyed for years.

There’s also a new swimming mode that can track laps, strokes, and distance with surprising precision. And yes, it turns on Water Lock automatically too. That means fewer missed laps and fewer moments of accidental pausing mid-swim.

Some users aren’t sold on the change. They argue that Water Lock requires extra steps compared to the old Touch Lock, making it less convenient when they just want to prevent accidental button presses, especially outside the pool. Others feel the automatic trigger removes some of the control they liked in earlier versions. For them, Google’s “evolution” feels more like a redesign that forgot its roots.

Either way, if you’ve just unboxed your Pixel Watch 4 and are frantically swiping through Quick Settings wondering where “Touch Lock” went, relax. It’s still there, just dressed up in a new icon and a fancier name.

So no, your beloved Touch Lock didn’t drown. It just learned how to swim.