Apple Unveils WatchOS 26 with AI-Powered Features and Design Overhaul

WatchOS 26 is live: Every Apple Watch that will get the new software update

The public beta for the Apple Watch's latest software just arrived. Apple launched the public beta for iOS 26, WatchOS 26, and more, on Thursday. The software updates don't skimp on new WatchOS features, like an AI-powered fitness coach, Live Translation for Messages, and many more. Also: Everything announced at WWDC 2025: iOS 26, AI, MacOS, iPad OS The new features subtly infuse AI into regularly used apps and functionalities, improve peskier features, like the Call Screener, which monitors unknown numbers for spam, or notification volume adjustments that take your ambient environment into account before sending a blaring Apple Watch ping. If you're interested in trying out the new software ahead of its official rollout in the fall and want to test-run the beta today, you will have to own one of the compatible Apple Watches. Plus, to update your Apple Watch to the latest software, you'll also need to update your iPhone as well. Also: Your Apple Watch is getting an upgrade. Here are the best features coming to Watch OS 26 WatchOS 26 requires iPhone 11 or later or iPhone SE in tandem with one of the following Apple Watches. Certain Apple Intelligence-powered features, like Live Translation and Workout Buddy, require one of the following iPhone models: all iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Max with Apple Intelligence enabled. A public beta is now available through Apple's Beta Software Program. After you've enrolled, be sure to back up your phone, which you'll need to update with the iOS 26 software before you update the WatchOS 26 software. Looking for the next best product? Get expert reviews and editor favorites with ZDNET Recommends.

WatchOS 26 public beta is out right now - 8 new Apple Watch features you can try

Your iPhone, Apple Watch, and other Apple-owned devices are getting a big overhaul. The best part? You won't have to pay a dime for them -- all you have to do is update your software. Several new features are coming to WatchOS 26, and the public beta software is now available for interested users to try. Just remember: before updating to the public beta, it's encouraged to backup your device. Reddit users in the r/Apple Watch subreddit are already getting into the latest update and providing commentary on their most and least favorite features. The features touch everything from Fitness to Messages, and include a major design update across Apple's platforms for a more unified look and naming mechanisms that reflect the year the software debuts. Also: The best Apple Watch of 2025: Expert tested and reviewed In addition to WatchOS updates, Apple also introduced AI feature developments, like Live Translation and on-screen Visual Intelligence, like Hold Assist for phone calls and Polls for Messages, and more. For those interested in trying out the beta software, WatchOS 26 is supported on the latest Apple Watches. Owners of these devices can download the OS, though it may have some bugs. Here are the features we're most excited to try out on WatchOS 26 now that the public beta is live. Your Apple Watch interface, along with the rest of your Apple devices, is getting the Liquid Glass design treatment. Apple's "broadest design update ever" introduces a fluid and clear across-platform display overhaul inspired by VisionOS's visual interface. Liquid Glass can reflect or refract whatever is behind or in front of it to create a transparent, glassy look. PCMag: I visited a secret brain implant company and got a glimpse of our cyborg future This will change how your Smart Stack, notifications, icons, and more appear. Icons on your watch's lock screen or app page will look clear instead of their current opaque appearance, reflecting the light on your wallpaper or on apps. The next time you record a workout on the Fitness app, you'll have a personal fitness coach waiting for you. AI-powered Workout Buddy uses your fitness data history it has gathered through the app, to provide you with real-time insights during your workout. Workout Buddy rapidly considers your fitness history, paces, Activity Rings, Training Load, and more to deliver feedback and encouragement ahead of, during, and after your exercise. It is available in English for these workout types: Outdoor and Indoor Run, Outdoor and Indoor Walk, Outdoor Cycle, HIIT, and Functional and Traditional Strength Training. It's about time Apple debuts an AI health feature that incorporates personalized data insights. Other wearables, like Oura and Whoop, have health coaches or advisors that create reports or customize activity recommendations based on a user's activity levels and behaviors. I'm excited to test out this feature and see how it compares to the competition. Also: I switched to the Apple Watch after a four-year hiatus - here's why it's near perfect now Workouts are also getting a facelift with more customizable workout and race route features. The Workout app has four new buttons for further customization, including Goals, Custom, Pacer, and Race Route. Apple Watch users can additionally select playlists or podcasts they regularly listen to during workouts within the Workout app. Smart Stack's prediction algorithm is improving. The algorithm now includes more contextual data, like sensor and routine data, to hint at certain apps or functionalities. For example, a hint for the Functional Strength Training workout might pop up once you enter your gym in the morning, or the Backtrack hint might pop up once Apple Watch registers you're in a location with no cellular connectivity. Apple Watch Notifications are getting, thankfully, self-aware. Instead of loudly pinging you in silent environments -- something that constantly happens to me in my quiet office -- the new feature interprets the ambient noise of your environment to adjust your notification volume while delivering a text or app update. Apple Intelligence brings Live Translation to Messages in Apple Watch. The AI-powered feature translates conversations to a user's preferred language on their wrist. Also: I was on the fence with the Apple Watch 10, but these 3 features changed my mind The feature is available on Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Ultra 2, and it currently supports English (US, UK), French (France), German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish (Spain), and Chinese (simplified). Apple Watch will use the context clues from your Messages to suggest relevant actions, like sending a Check-In when a user is on their way home or an Apple Cash pop-up when a friend sends you the dinner bill. Apple also says that Smart Replies are getting even smarter with its on-device language model, which provides "precise" and "relevant" responses to conversations. Move over Double Tap. A new hand motion just dropped for the Apple Watch. Wrist Flick is designed for dismissing notifications and calls, or silence pings. All a user has to do is turn their wrist. The Notes app arrives on Apple Watch. As does Hold Assist and Call Screening, two new iOS feature that notify user to return to a call on a phone call hold and screen unknown numbers. Live Listen, an accessibility feature for those deaf or hard of hearing, provides live captions on your iPhone using audio that Apple Watch monitors. Also: Every iPhone model you can update to iOS 26 (and which ones don't support it) The Watch acts as a remote control to start or pause these conversations. Lastly, watch faces will be easier to customize with a redesigned watch face gallery, and photo faces use custom content to shuffle images on your watch screen. You'll need an iPhone 11 or later or iPhone SE in addition to following Apple Watches. Keep in mind that some Apple Intelligence-powered features, like Live Translation and Workout Buddy, require one of the following iPhone models: all iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Max with Apple Intelligence enabled.

WatchOS 26 public beta is here - here are the features you'll get

Your iPhone, Apple Watch, and other Apple-owned devices are getting a big overhaul. The best part? You won't have to pay a dime for them -- all you have to do is update your software. Several new features are coming to WatchOS 26, and the public beta software is now available for interested users to try. Just remember: before updating to the public beta, it's encouraged to backup your device. Reddit users in the r/Apple Watch subreddit are already getting into the latest update and providing commentary on their most and least favorite features. The features touch everything from Fitness to Messages, and include a major design update across Apple's platforms for a more unified look and naming mechanisms that reflect the year the software debuts. Also: The best Apple Watch of 2025: Expert tested and reviewed In addition to WatchOS updates, Apple also introduced AI feature developments, like Live Translation and on-screen Visual Intelligence, like Hold Assist for phone calls and Polls for Messages, and more. For those interested in trying out the beta software, WatchOS 26 is supported on the latest Apple Watches. Owners of these devices can download the OS, though it may have some bugs. Here are the features we're most excited to try out on WatchOS 26 now that the public beta is live. Your Apple Watch interface, along with the rest of your Apple devices, is getting the Liquid Glass design treatment. Apple's "broadest design update ever" introduces a fluid and clear across-platform display overhaul inspired by VisionOS's visual interface. Liquid Glass can reflect or refract whatever is behind or in front of it to create a transparent, glassy look. PCMag: I visited a secret brain implant company and got a glimpse of our cyborg future This will change how your Smart Stack, notifications, icons, and more appear. Icons on your watch's lock screen or app page will look clear instead of their current opaque appearance, reflecting the light on your wallpaper or on apps. The next time you record a workout on the Fitness app, you'll have a personal fitness coach waiting for you. AI-powered Workout Buddy uses your fitness data history it has gathered through the app, to provide you with real-time insights during your workout. Workout Buddy rapidly considers your fitness history, paces, Activity Rings, Training Load, and more to deliver feedback and encouragement ahead of, during, and after your exercise. It is available in English for these workout types: Outdoor and Indoor Run, Outdoor and Indoor Walk, Outdoor Cycle, HIIT, and Functional and Traditional Strength Training. It's about time Apple debuts an AI health feature that incorporates personalized data insights. Other wearables, like Oura and Whoop, have health coaches or advisors that create reports or customize activity recommendations based on a user's activity levels and behaviors. I'm excited to test out this feature and see how it compares to the competition. Also: I switched to the Apple Watch after a four-year hiatus - here's why it's near perfect now Workouts are also getting a facelift with more customizable workout and race route features. The Workout app has four new buttons for further customization, including Goals, Custom, Pacer, and Race Route. Apple Watch users can additionally select playlists or podcasts they regularly listen to during workouts within the Workout app. Smart Stack's prediction algorithm is improving. The algorithm now includes more contextual data, like sensor and routine data, to hint at certain apps or functionalities. For example, a hint for the Functional Strength Training workout might pop up once you enter your gym in the morning, or the Backtrack hint might pop up once Apple Watch registers you're in a location with no cellular connectivity. Apple Watch Notifications are getting, thankfully, self-aware. Instead of loudly pinging you in silent environments -- something that constantly happens to me in my quiet office -- the new feature interprets the ambient noise of your environment to adjust your notification volume while delivering a text or app update. Apple Intelligence brings Live Translation to Messages in Apple Watch. The AI-powered feature translates conversations to a user's preferred language on their wrist. Also: I was on the fence with the Apple Watch 10, but these 3 features changed my mind The feature is available on Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Ultra 2, and it currently supports English (US, UK), French (France), German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish (Spain), and Chinese (simplified). Apple Watch will use the context clues from your Messages to suggest relevant actions, like sending a Check-In when a user is on their way home or an Apple Cash pop-up when a friend sends you the dinner bill. Apple also says that Smart Replies are getting even smarter with its on-device language model, which provides "precise" and "relevant" responses to conversations. Move over Double Tap. A new hand motion just dropped for the Apple Watch. Wrist Flick is designed for dismissing notifications and calls, or silence pings. All a user has to do is turn their wrist. The Notes app arrives on Apple Watch. As does Hold Assist and Call Screening, two new iOS feature that notify user to return to a call on a phone call hold and screen unknown numbers. Live Listen, an accessibility feature for those deaf or hard of hearing, provides live captions on your iPhone using audio that Apple Watch monitors. Also: Every iPhone model you can update to iOS 26 (and which ones don't support it) The Watch acts as a remote control to start or pause these conversations. Lastly, watch faces will be easier to customize with a redesigned watch face gallery, and photo faces use custom content to shuffle images on your watch screen. You'll need an iPhone 11 or later or iPhone SE in addition to following Apple Watches. Keep in mind that some Apple Intelligence-powered features, like Live Translation and Workout Buddy, require one of the following iPhone models: all iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Max with Apple Intelligence enabled.

watchOS 26 preview: a subtler take on AI

Victoria Song is a senior reporter focusing on wearables, health tech, and more with 13 years of experience. Before coming to The Verge, she worked for Gizmodo and PC Magazine. Apple just launched the watchOS 26 public beta, which means everyone can now try the latest software heading to the Apple Watch this fall. That includes new Apple Intelligence features, such as Workout Buddy, new messaging features, the Wrist Flick gesture, and more. I've been using the developer beta and have some thoughts to share. Apple Intelligence doesn't arrive on watchOS 26 with a bang. So, why bring it to the watch now, and why this particular set of features? David Clark, Apple's senior director of software engineering for watchOS, told me it was a matter of highlighting the Apple Watch's "core competencies": fitness and staying connected. AI fitness features are all the rage. Fitness tracking generates a mountain of data, and contextualizing it into digestible insights is a Herculean task -- a task AI is supposedly good at. Even so, while watching the Workout Buddy sizzle reel during the WWDC keynote, I morphed into Tina from Bob's Burgers. In it, you see a woman run through a neighborhood as an AI-generated voice reads out her pace and other stats. Minutes after the keynote ended, my phone buzzed with texts. They all asked the same question: how much am I going to hate this Workout Buddy? After using it, I'd venture: not that much, actually. Workout Buddy is more subtle than the sizzle reel implied. "An important challenge to be considered when applying any technology, AI or otherwise, is how can real value be added to an experience?" explains Clark. He notes Apple Watch is already adept at tracking activities, but with Workout Buddy, the goal was to "bring something that was less technical data" and more motivational. Workout Buddy begins every session with a pep talk and ends with a summary of what you just did. The middle of your workout is where the AI magic is supposed to happen. On a run, Clark says, Workout Buddy will note your pace whenever you hit a mile. You might also get a celebratory message if you hit your 100th mile of the year, and so on. Running lends itself to a chattier Workout Buddy. In a walk or a high-intensity interval training session, Clark says, you might not hear from Workout Buddy at all. In my walks, I only heard from Workout Buddy at the beginning and end of my workouts. The "contextual bit" was that the AI told me of my progress toward closing my rings for the day, and whether I was making good progress compared to my average. It was much chattier during my runs, reading out my segment times, what music I listened to, or if I'd closed a ring. Workout Buddy doesn't feel like AI. (Though you need your watch to be paired to an Apple Intelligence-capable phone to use the feature.) It's not a chatbot. You can't ask questions about your data -- or anything else for that matter -- during a workout. Audio cues for stats aren't new, either. Plenty of fitness apps have been doing that for years. Technically, the AI-powered bits are twofold. Workout Buddy voices have been trained on Apple Fitness Plus trainers. (You can choose from three at the moment.) And it's pulling historical tidbits from your data and notifying you in real time. Most fitness apps tend to motivate you with historical data as badges within the app. It's not something that's typically delivered in real time as an audio cue. Because I haven't hit too many running milestones this year -- my PRs are sadly nonexistent so far -- I can't adequately say Workout Buddy helped me feel more motivated. Was it nice to hear I was on track to close my rings at the end of a workout? Sure. If you're a longtime runner like me, milestones aren't an everyday thing. But from past experience, I'd appreciate a Workout Buddy giving me an encouraging stat at mile 10 of a half-marathon. I wish you could customize Workout Buddy. It'd be cool to tweak the settings so I'd get 30 percent more motivation during a race or gain insights to take it slow during hot weather. Perhaps this is where Workout Buddy is headed. But for now, this feels like a more cautious implementation. It's a little clearer as to why Workout Buddy gets the marquee billing when you see the other ways Apple Intelligence shows up on the wrist. While it's on guardrails, it's more overtly AI than the rest of watchOS 26's Apple Intelligence features. A lot of the Apple Intelligence features you'll see on the Watch this year will be an extension of what's available on the phone. That includes Live Translations and Smart Actions (i.e., if you get texted your share of a bill, you can tap to send it via Apple Cash) in Messages. But there are other features that are more broadly AI-powered outside the Apple Intelligence nomenclature. One such feature is the improved Smart Stack. The Smart Stack was first introduced in watchOS 10, and is meant to surface the widgets you need at the right time. This year, you also get a small icon on your watchface prompting you toward a widget when you might need it. It sounds silly, but it's a clever tweak. According to Clark, the improved Smart Stack algorithm now incorporates multiple signals from apps. That includes Live Activity data, environmental cues (e.g., if you're in a remote location without LTE or Wi-Fi), or recently used apps. Smart Stack has always been hard to notice. The Uber widget popping up has generally been the Smart Stack use case I'm most aware of. But the other day, I was making dinner, and while setting a timer, I saw a prompt for the weather widget. Apparently, a giant flood warning was issued because of an impending torrential downpour. That led my spouse and me to swap our cars so their fancy sports car could sit in the garage. It's a small thing, but useful nonetheless. Double tap, or the pinchy pinch, is handy. But it might be dethroned by Wrist Flick, or the flippy flip. When you get a notification you don't want, you can just twist your wrist to dismiss it. It is hands-down my favorite addition to watchOS 26. "The thing we wanted to accomplish with this was rounding out the story of 'I'm either going to take action or I'm going to decide that's not for me now,'" says Clark. "There's a really nice symmetry to motioning away from what you're viewing to acknowledge 'I'm kind of done with that, I'm dismissing that.'" Wrist Flick has been super useful for me, a receiver of Too Many Notifications. It takes a second to remember to use it. But the combination of Double Tap and Wrist Flick has made me into a notification triage machine. I wonder why we haven't always had this as a default. I've been testing the developer betas, and a lot could change before the final version of watchOS 26 arrives this fall. But based on what I've seen in watchOS 26? It's the features that fade into the background that left the strongest impression. Photography by Victoria Song / The Verge

Your Apple Watch is getting a big upgrade for free - 8 WatchOS 26 features you can try now

Your iPhone, Apple Watch, and other Apple-owned devices are getting a big overhaul. The best part? You won't have to pay a dime for them -- all you have to do is update your software. Several new features are coming to WatchOS 26, and the public beta software is now available for interested users to try. Just remember: before updating to the public beta, it's encouraged to backup your device. Reddit users in the r/Apple Watch subreddit are already getting into the latest update and providing commentary on their most and least favorite features. The features touch everything from Fitness to Messages, and include a major design update across Apple's platforms for a more unified look and naming mechanisms that reflect the year the software debuts. Also: The best Apple Watch of 2025: Expert tested and reviewed In addition to WatchOS updates, Apple also introduced AI feature developments, like Live Translation and on-screen Visual Intelligence, like Hold Assist for phone calls and Polls for Messages, and more. For those interested in trying out the beta software, WatchOS 26 is supported on the latest Apple Watches. Owners of these devices can download the OS, though it may have some bugs. Here are the features we're most excited to try out on WatchOS 26 now that the public beta is live. Your Apple Watch interface, along with the rest of your Apple devices, is getting the Liquid Glass design treatment. Apple's "broadest design update ever" introduces a fluid and clear across-platform display overhaul inspired by VisionOS's visual interface. Liquid Glass can reflect or refract whatever is behind or in front of it to create a transparent, glassy look. PCMag: I visited a secret brain implant company and got a glimpse of our cyborg future This will change how your Smart Stack, notifications, icons, and more appear. Icons on your watch's lock screen or app page will look clear instead of their current opaque appearance, reflecting the light on your wallpaper or on apps. The next time you record a workout on the Fitness app, you'll have a personal fitness coach waiting for you. AI-powered Workout Buddy uses your fitness data history it has gathered through the app, to provide you with real-time insights during your workout. Workout Buddy rapidly considers your fitness history, paces, Activity Rings, Training Load, and more to deliver feedback and encouragement ahead of, during, and after your exercise. It is available in English for these workout types: Outdoor and Indoor Run, Outdoor and Indoor Walk, Outdoor Cycle, HIIT, and Functional and Traditional Strength Training. It's about time Apple debuts an AI health feature that incorporates personalized data insights. Other wearables, like Oura and Whoop, have health coaches or advisors that create reports or customize activity recommendations based on a user's activity levels and behaviors. I'm excited to test out this feature and see how it compares to the competition. Also: I switched to the Apple Watch after a four-year hiatus - here's why it's near perfect now Workouts are also getting a facelift with more customizable workout and race route features. The Workout app has four new buttons for further customization, including Goals, Custom, Pacer, and Race Route. Apple Watch users can additionally select playlists or podcasts they regularly listen to during workouts within the Workout app. Smart Stack's prediction algorithm is improving. The algorithm now includes more contextual data, like sensor and routine data, to hint at certain apps or functionalities. For example, a hint for the Functional Strength Training workout might pop up once you enter your gym in the morning, or the Backtrack hint might pop up once Apple Watch registers you're in a location with no cellular connectivity. Apple Watch Notifications are getting, thankfully, self-aware. Instead of loudly pinging you in silent environments -- something that constantly happens to me in my quiet office -- the new feature interprets the ambient noise of your environment to adjust your notification volume while delivering a text or app update. Apple Intelligence brings Live Translation to Messages in Apple Watch. The AI-powered feature translates conversations to a user's preferred language on their wrist. Also: I was on the fence with the Apple Watch 10, but these 3 features changed my mind The feature is available on Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Ultra 2, and it currently supports English (US, UK), French (France), German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish (Spain), and Chinese (simplified). Apple Watch will use the context clues from your Messages to suggest relevant actions, like sending a Check-In when a user is on their way home or an Apple Cash pop-up when a friend sends you the dinner bill. Apple also says that Smart Replies are getting even smarter with its on-device language model, which provides "precise" and "relevant" responses to conversations. Move over Double Tap. A new hand motion just dropped for the Apple Watch. Wrist Flick is designed for dismissing notifications and calls, or silence pings. All a user has to do is turn their wrist. The Notes app arrives on Apple Watch. As does Hold Assist and Call Screening, two new iOS feature that notify user to return to a call on a phone call hold and screen unknown numbers. Live Listen, an accessibility feature for those deaf or hard of hearing, provides live captions on your iPhone using audio that Apple Watch monitors. Also: Every iPhone model you can update to iOS 26 (and which ones don't support it) The Watch acts as a remote control to start or pause these conversations. Lastly, watch faces will be easier to customize with a redesigned watch face gallery, and photo faces use custom content to shuffle images on your watch screen. You'll need an iPhone 11 or later or iPhone SE in addition to following Apple Watches. Keep in mind that some Apple Intelligence-powered features, like Live Translation and Workout Buddy, require one of the following iPhone models: all iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Max with Apple Intelligence enabled.

Your Apple Watch is getting a big upgrade for free - 8 WatchOS 26 features I'm using now

Your iPhone, Apple Watch, and other Apple-owned devices are getting a big overhaul. The best part? You won't have to pay a dime for them -- just update your software. Several new features are coming to WatchOS 26, and the public beta software is now available for interested users to try now, if you don't want to wait until the official launch later this fall. Reddit users in the r/Apple Watch subreddit are already digging into the latest update and commenting on their most and least favorite features. The features touch everything from Fitness to Messages, and include a major design update across Apple's platforms for a more unified look and naming mechanisms that reflect the year the software debuts. Also: The best Apple Watch of 2025: Expert tested and reviewed In addition to WatchOS updates, Apple also introduced AI feature developments, like Live Translation and on-screen Visual Intelligence, like Hold Assist for phone calls and Polls for Messages. If you want to try it out, make sure your Apple Watch supports WatchOS 26, and be sure to back up your device beforehand. Here are the features we've enjoyed using on WatchOS 26 now that the public beta is live. Your Apple Watch interface, along with the rest of your Apple devices, is getting the Liquid Glass design treatment. Apple's "broadest design update ever" introduces a fluid and clear across-platform display overhaul inspired by VisionOS's visual interface. The idea is that the Liquid Glass reflects or refracts whatever is behind or in front of it to create a transparent, glassy look. PCMag: I visited a secret brain implant company and got a glimpse of our cyborg future This will change how your Smart Stack, notifications, icons, and more appear. Icons on your watch's lock screen or app page will look clear instead of their current opaque appearance, reflecting the light on your wallpaper or on apps. Personally, I love the way Liquid Glass appears on my Series 10 smartwatch and find the design innovative and futuristic. The next time you record a workout on the Fitness app, you'll have a personal fitness coach waiting for you. AI-powered Workout Buddy uses your fitness data history it gathers through the app to provide you with real-time insights during your workout. Workout Buddy rapidly considers your fitness history, paces, Activity Rings, Training Load, and more to deliver feedback and encouragement ahead of, during, and after your exercise. Also: I ran with the Apple Watch and Galaxy Watch - here's the better AI coach I tried out the feature on a few runs, and was delighted by how subtle (and not annoying!) the feature was. When Apple first announced it, I expected there would be a voice in my ear throughout my entire workout, but it only pings me during important moments of my workout, like when I've run another mile, or when my heart rate reaches a high zone. I can customize these features within the Workout app, which also got a little redesign itself. Each workout appears larger on the Apple Watch screen, so you can easily click on your workout of choice, set your Workout Buddy preferences, and customize the Workout View for only the most relevant information at a glance. Also: I compared the best smartwatches from Samsung, Google, and Apple - here's how Galaxy Watch 8 wins It's about time Apple debuts an AI health feature that incorporates personalized data insights. Other wearables, like Oura and Whoop have health coaches that create reports or customize activity recommendations based on a user's activity levels and behaviors. I'm excited to test out this feature and see how it compares to the competition. Workouts are also getting a facelift with more customizable workout and race route features. Apple Watch users can also activate their Apple Music playlists in the Workout app by tapping the music note in the bottom corner. This enables the Autoplay feature, which automatically turns on your tunes once you begin your workout. I can see Spotify or Soundcloud adding support in the future. Smart Stack's prediction algorithm is improving. It now includes more contextual data, like sensor and routine data, to hint at certain apps or functionalities. For example, a Functional Strength Training workout might pop up once you enter your gym in the morning, or the Backtrack hint might pop up once Apple Watch registers you're in a location with no cellular connectivity. This feature is one of those simple but effective examples of Apple Watch learning your routine, monitoring how you use its technology, and implementing helpful suggestions just when you need it. Also: I was on the fence with the Apple Watch 10, but these 3 features changed my mind Apple Watch Notifications are getting, thankfully, self-aware. Instead of loudly pinging you in silent environments -- something that constantly happens to me in my quiet office -- the new feature interprets the ambient noise of your environment to adjust your notification volume while delivering a text or app update. I've been wearing the watch since updating to WatchOS 26 and I can say that this change has been so subtle that I haven't even noticed, but also, that might be the entire point. Apple Intelligence brings Live Translation to Messages in Apple Watch. The AI-powered feature translates conversations to a user's preferred language on their wrist. The feature is available on Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Ultra 2, and it currently supports English (US, UK), French (France), German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish (Spain), and Chinese (simplified). Apple Watch will use the context clues from your Messages to suggest relevant actions, like sending a Check-In when a user is on their way home or an Apple Cash pop-up when a friend sends you the dinner bill. Apple also says that Smart Replies are getting even smarter with its on-device language model, which provides "precise" and "relevant" responses to conversations. Move over, Double Tap. A new hand motion just dropped for the Apple Watch. Wrist Flick is designed for dismissing notifications and calls, or silence pings. All a user has to do is turn their wrist. I've used this a few times to dismiss messages I don't want to reply to or calls from random numbers, and it's worked easily. The Notes app arrives on Apple Watch. As does Hold Assist and Call Screening, two new iOS feature that notify user to return to a call on a phone call hold and screen unknown numbers. Live Listen, an accessibility feature for those deaf or hard of hearing, provides live captions on your iPhone using audio that Apple Watch monitors. Also: Every iPhone model you can update to iOS 26 (and which ones don't support it) The Watch acts as a remote control to start or pause these conversations. Lastly, watch faces will be easier to customize with a redesigned watch face gallery, and photo faces use custom content to shuffle images on your watch screen. You'll need an iPhone 11 or later or iPhone SE in addition to following Apple Watches. Keep in mind that some Apple Intelligence-powered features, like Live Translation and Workout Buddy, require one of the following iPhone models: all iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Max with Apple Intelligence enabled.

I Tested Apple watchOS 26 Beta, and Liquid Glass Won Me Over

I'm PCMag's senior analyst covering smart home and wearable devices. I've been writing about tech professionally for nearly a decade and have been obsessing about it for much longer than that. Prior to joining PCMag, I made educational videos for an electronics store called Abt Electronics in Illinois, and before that I spent eight years covering the smart home market for CNET. After updating my Apple Watch Ultra 2 to the watchOS 26 beta, I immediately noticed a difference. The next version of Apple's smartwatch software puts Liquid Glass design elements like transparent icons front and center for a fresh aesthetic that will be consistent across the company's platforms. First announced at WWDC in June, the watchOS 26 public beta is available to download and try now ahead of its general release this fall. Aside from Liquid Glass, some of the other watchOS 26 changes are intentionally subtle. Notifications change volume automatically based on ambient noise level, for instance. The Smart Stack of widgets will now prompt you with a button at the bottom of the watch face if there's a timely suggestion to share, like enabling Do Not Disturb when a meeting on your calendar is about to start. In addition, the Workout app gets a big update with a new layout, music suggestions, and an AI-based Workout Buddy that offers words of encouragement as you run. Plus, a new wrist flick gesture lets you quickly dismiss notifications or calls. If you're interested in trying out the software on your own Apple Watch, read on for instructions on how to get the public beta up and running. If you don't want to take the risk, wait for the stable version in the fall. Meanwhile, check out my first impressions of watchOS 26 beta below. For this first look, I tested the watchOS 26 developer beta 4 version that came before the public beta release. How to Get the watchOS 26 Beta Grabbing the watchOS 26 beta is free and easy to do as long as you have a current Apple Watch and some time for downloading. Specifically, you need an iPhone 11 or later and an Apple Watch 6 or later (the second-generation Apple Watch SE and both versions of the Apple Watch Ultra are eligible). To get started, you'll need to sign up for Apple's beta software program using your Apple ID. Next, download the iOS 26 beta to your phone, which is also public. Go to Settings > General > Software Update > Beta Updates to get it. After your phone has iOS 26, you must go through a similar process through the Watch app. Open the app, switch to the My Watch tab, and navigate to General > Software Update > Beta Updates. While the software is downloading, Apple recommends keeping your phone and watch close to each other with the watch on the charger. Both the iOS 26 and the watchOS 26 update files are pretty big, so expect each step to take 30 minutes or more, depending on your internet speed. They also need additional time to install after the download. If possible, keep both devices plugged in to avoid any potential battery issues. Note that this is still beta software, and you can't go back once you install it. I haven't encountered any major issues thus far, aside from slight occasional lag, but bugs that you wouldn't find in a general release version are still possible. Liquid Glass I found the Liquid Glass look, the headlining new design feature of watchOS 26, to be a little underwhelming initially, but I did come to appreciate some of its more subtle implementations over time. The first thing I noticed was the clear number buttons on the lock screen. On the Photos watch face, a personal favorite, the numerals denoting time can now be transparent. This reduces busyness and helps your selected images stand out a little more, but honestly, the difference to me is minimal. With watchOS 11, the layout of the numerals on the watch face already adjust to fit around the subject of your selected photo, so making them translucent doesn't change much. After downloading the watchOS 26 beta, the numbers on the Photos watch face stayed white until I tinkered with it and added more images (of my cats, of course) via the Watch app on my iPhone. At that point, they automatically switched to translucent, though you can scroll down and use the Time Color option to change them back if you'd like. Aside from that particular watch face and the lock screen, lots of other details have a translucent effect added. Certain cards in the customizable Smart Stack, icons in the control panel, and even certain in-app controls have that Liquid Glass look. Altogether, I find the redesign stylish without being distracting. The Workout App The updates to the Workout app also seem minor at a glance, but watchOS 26 makes it easier to access useful customization options and offers new AI-based guidance. When you first open the app, your last selected workout is shown in the center of the screen, with a play button underneath. Four new buttons in the corners allow you to fine-tune your exercise experience. The upper left button lets you customize which metrics you want to see on the screen during that particular workout. By default, the main workout-tracking screen still shows metrics like heart rate, pace, and distance, but you can change the data displayed on this page. You can also add and customize additional stat pages to scroll through, with options varying by workout type. For outdoor runs, for example, you can add a screen showing form metrics like cadence and stride length. Other available options include a page with heart rate zones and pages with segments and splits. You can rearrange, add, remove, or customize any of these per workout type. These customization options were previously available, but buried behind several menu layers, making them difficult to find. The lower left button opens a page to select media for that workout type. With this menu, you can choose what you want to listen to or let Apple pick for you. It will tailor the choice based on your established preferences and the type of workout you're doing. Your selected music or podcast will then automatically play every time you start that workout. The top right corner opens a menu with special features like Pacer to keep you on track with any speed goals and Race Route for competing against your own times. From this menu, you can also set up custom workouts with specific time splits or custom goals for the workout based on time, distance, or calories burned. Finally, the button in the lower right lets you set up alerts if you want the watch to tell you if you're dipping above or below a certain pace or heart rate value. The alerts even offer form metrics, so your watch can tell you if your cadence falls outside an expected range of values. The lower right button also turns on the biggest new feature of the Workout app, called Workout Buddy. Workout Buddy is an AI-powered guide that offers verbal encouragement as you exercise. At launch, it's compatible with outdoor and indoor runs and walks, outdoor cycling, high-intensity interval training, and both traditional and functional strength-training workouts. Workout Buddy uses your fitness data to offer tailored feedback, so it can tell you if you're running your fastest mile yet or if you're behind your usual pace. It offers words of encouragement as you start, marks key milestones as the workout proceeds, and provides an overview at the end, focusing on accomplishments. Note that Workout Buddy has stricter hardware requirements than the beta software itself. You need a recent iPhone equipped with Apple AI (the iPhone 15 Pro or 15 Pro Max, and any iPhone 16) as well as synced Bluetooth headphones like AirPods for this feature to work. Since Workout Buddy uses generative AI, you'll need to keep your phone with you during a run. Plus, your phone needs to keep a cellular connection, so Workout Buddy might go quiet for a while if you're running through a dead zone in the woods. Samsung has an AI-powered Running Coach with verbal prompts on its Galaxy Watch 8, which gets repetitive after a little bit, but only requires the watch itself to function. Even with the right equipment, I ended up fiddling with my Apple Watch for a bit, trying to get the first Workout Buddy voice prompt. You need to tap the lower right button in the Workout app, select Workout Buddy, and then toggle it on. After that, make sure you scroll down and select your preferred voice. If you don't select one, Apple won't choose one for you by default, and the feature won't actually work. I hope that changes for the general release version. Soothing voice enabled, I started an outdoor run and was greeted by a warm message. Workout Buddy congratulated me on getting started and called back to my fast 5K time from the week prior as a potential goal before prompting me to get moving. Though it did put that 5K time in my brain to start, Workout Buddy is not meant to be prescriptive during workouts. It won't actually tell you to speed up or slow down unless you set those goals for yourself in the Pacer menu. Instead, throughout the workout, Workout Buddy simply keeps you updated with relevant stats related to your previous performance. If you previously set up pace reminders for outdoor running, the same information will also now be delivered in the voice you selected for Workout Buddy. Workout Buddy told me when I completed a mile and when I closed my Move and Exercise rings, and it gave me a rundown of my stats for the workout when I arrived back at my place and called it a day. A lot of its prompts seem to simply add a pleasant voice and conversational tone to the notifications your watch already delivers on-screen, but I appreciated its comparisons to my past runs, and the voice offered a nice element of encouragement that I found especially helpful during the tough middle section of my morning jog. Smart Stack Hints The Smart Stack is a customizable list of widgets that displays information relevant to your day. It can show the weather, calendar appointments, your activity rings, and more. You can reorder and add widgets yourself, or let Apple customize the list for you. As of watchOS 11, Apple could use context clues to surface relevant widgets to the top of the stack, like the Workouts app when you arrive at the gym. WatchOS 26 takes the next step in bringing those immediately relevant widgets to your attention. If your watch recognizes an activity or event and has a widget that would be helpful for it, the device will let you know with a small circular icon at the bottom of the watch face that you can tap to jump straight to the feature. For example, with your camera open, your watch will display a small button that you can use to open camera controls. I found this feature particularly helpful when taking pictures, and it's unobtrusive otherwise if you don't actually want the assistance. This particular notification is another element that uses the Liquid Glass transparency. Gestures, Notes, Notifications, and More WatchOS 26 adds another gesture to the Apple Watch repertoire. In addition to tapping your fingers together to select, you can now flick your wrist to dismiss a notification, silence alarms, or mute incoming calls. The gesture worked reliably in my testing. The software update also brings the Notes app to your wrist for the first time, allowing you to add and sync notes with your other Apple devices. Notes you've recently edited on a separate gadget will show up as a suggestion in the Smart Stack for easy access on the watch. So you never miss something important, watchOS 26 can automatically raise and lower the volume of notifications based on the ambient noise level in the room. It won't ding at full volume in a library, for instance, but will be as loud as it can if it's trying to get your attention in a noisy restaurant. I didn't actually notice this change in action during my testing, but that could be because it does a good job of sounding a notification at the appropriate volume. As for other new features, Live Translation is available in the Messages app, so you can text with someone writing in a different language. In the Phone app, you can initiate Call Screening for unknown numbers or Hold Assist when calling businesses, and use Live Listen to see real-time captions on your watch of audio captured by your phone. After a few days of testing, I'm just scratching the surface of all of the subtle changes added with watchOS 26, and I'm sure there's much more to see. The full release will undoubtedly be timed with Apple's next smartwatch in the fall. In the meantime, be sure to check out all of our current favorite smartwatches.

Apple's watchOS 26 Beta Makes the Cat Pics on My Watch Face Look Even Cuter

After updating my Apple Watch Ultra 2 to the watchOS 26 beta, I immediately noticed a difference. The next version of Apple's smartwatch software puts transparent design elements front and center for a fresh aesthetic that will be consistent across the company's platforms. Thanks to the Liquid Glass makeover, I can see more of my cat on the Photos watch face, which I'd call a good thing. First announced at WWDC in June, the watchOS 26 public beta is available to download and try now ahead of its general release this fall. Aside from Liquid Glass, some of the other watchOS 26 changes are intentionally subtle. Notifications change volume automatically based on ambient noise level, for instance. The Smart Stack of widgets will now prompt you with a button at the bottom of the watch face if there's a timely suggestion to share, like enabling Do Not Disturb when a meeting on your calendar is about to start. In addition, the Workout app gets a big update with a new layout, music suggestions, and an AI-based Workout Buddy that offers words of encouragement as you run. Plus, a new wrist flick gesture lets you quickly dismiss notifications or calls. If you're interested in trying out the software on your own Apple Watch, read on for instructions on how to get the public beta up and running. If you don't want to take the risk, wait for the stable version in the fall. Meanwhile, check out my first impressions of watchOS 26 beta below. For this first look, I tested the watchOS 26 developer beta 4 version that came before the public beta release. How to Get the watchOS 26 Beta Grabbing the watchOS 26 beta is free and easy to do as long as you have a current Apple Watch and some time for downloading. Specifically, you need an iPhone 11 or later and an Apple Watch 6 or later (the second-generation Apple Watch SE and both versions of the Apple Watch Ultra are eligible). To get started, you'll need to sign up for Apple's beta software program using your Apple ID. Next, download the iOS 26 beta to your phone, which is also public. Go to Settings > General > Software Update > Beta Updates to get it. After your phone has iOS 26, you must go through a similar process through the Watch app. Open the app, switch to the My Watch tab, and navigate to General > Software Update > Beta Updates. While the software is downloading, Apple recommends keeping your phone and watch close to each other with the watch on the charger. Both the iOS 26 and the watchOS 26 update files are pretty big, so expect each step to take 30 minutes or more, depending on your internet speed. They also need additional time to install after the download. If possible, keep both devices plugged in to avoid any potential battery issues. Note that this is still beta software, and you can't go back once you install it. I haven't encountered any major issues thus far, aside from slight occasional lag, but bugs that you wouldn't find in a general release version are still possible. Liquid Glass I found the Liquid Glass look, the headlining new design feature of watchOS 26, to be a little underwhelming initially, but I did come to appreciate some of its more subtle implementations over time. The first thing I noticed was the clear number buttons on the lock screen. On the Photos watch face, a personal favorite, the numerals denoting time can now be transparent. This reduces busyness and helps your selected images stand out a little more, but honestly, the difference to me is minimal. With watchOS 11, the layout of the numerals on the watch face already adjust to fit around the subject of your selected photo, so making them translucent doesn't change much. After downloading the watchOS 26 beta, the numbers on the Photos watch face stayed white until I tinkered with it and added more images (of my cats, of course) via the Watch app on my iPhone. At that point, they automatically switched to translucent, though you can scroll down and use the Time Color option to change them back if you'd like. Aside from that particular watch face and the lock screen, lots of other details have a translucent effect added. Certain cards in the customizable Smart Stack, icons in the control panel, and even certain in-app controls have that Liquid Glass look. Altogether, I find the redesign stylish without being distracting. The Workout App The updates to the Workout app also seem minor at a glance, but watchOS 26 makes it easier to access useful customization options and offers new AI-based guidance. When you first open the app, your last selected workout is shown in the center of the screen, with a play button underneath. Four new buttons in the corners allow you to fine-tune your exercise experience. The upper left button lets you customize which metrics you want to see on the screen during that particular workout. By default, the main workout-tracking screen still shows metrics like heart rate, pace, and distance, but you can change the data displayed on this page. You can also add and customize additional stat pages to scroll through, with options varying by workout type. For outdoor runs, for example, you can add a screen showing form metrics like cadence and stride length. Other available options include a page with heart rate zones and pages with segments and splits. You can rearrange, add, remove, or customize any of these per workout type. These customization options were previously available, but buried behind several menu layers, making them difficult to find. The lower left button opens a page to select media for that workout type. With this menu, you can choose what you want to listen to or let Apple pick for you. It will tailor the choice based on your established preferences and the type of workout you're doing. Your selected music or podcast will then automatically play every time you start that workout. The top right corner opens a menu with special features like Pacer to keep you on track with any speed goals and Race Route for competing against your own times. From this menu, you can also set up custom workouts with specific time splits or custom goals for the workout based on time, distance, or calories burned. Finally, the button in the lower right lets you set up alerts if you want the watch to tell you if you're dipping above or below a certain pace or heart rate value. The alerts even offer form metrics, so your watch can tell you if your cadence falls outside an expected range of values. The lower right button also turns on the biggest new feature of the Workout app, called Workout Buddy. Workout Buddy is an AI-powered guide that offers verbal encouragement as you exercise. At launch, it's compatible with outdoor and indoor runs and walks, outdoor cycling, high-intensity interval training, and both traditional and functional strength-training workouts. Workout Buddy uses your fitness data to offer tailored feedback, so it can tell you if you're running your fastest mile yet or if you're behind your usual pace. It offers words of encouragement as you start, marks key milestones as the workout proceeds, and provides an overview at the end, focusing on accomplishments. Note that Workout Buddy has stricter hardware requirements than the beta software itself. You need a recent iPhone equipped with Apple AI (the iPhone 15 Pro or 15 Pro Max, and any iPhone 16) as well as synced Bluetooth headphones like AirPods for this feature to work. Since Workout Buddy uses generative AI, you'll need to keep your phone with you during a run. Plus, your phone needs to keep a cellular connection, so Workout Buddy might go quiet for a while if you're running through a dead zone in the woods. Samsung has an AI-powered Running Coach with verbal prompts on its Galaxy Watch 8, which gets repetitive after a little bit, but only requires the watch itself to function. Even with the right equipment, I ended up fiddling with my Apple Watch for a bit, trying to get the first Workout Buddy voice prompt. You need to tap the lower right button in the Workout app, select Workout Buddy, and then toggle it on. After that, make sure you scroll down and select your preferred voice. If you don't select one, Apple won't choose one for you by default, and the feature won't actually work. I hope that changes for the general release version. Soothing voice enabled, I started an outdoor run and was greeted by a warm message. Workout Buddy congratulated me on getting started and called back to my fast 5K time from the week prior as a potential goal before prompting me to get moving. Though it did put that 5K time in my brain to start, Workout Buddy is not meant to be prescriptive during workouts. It won't actually tell you to speed up or slow down unless you set those goals for yourself in the Pacer menu. Instead, throughout the workout, Workout Buddy simply keeps you updated with relevant stats related to your previous performance. If you previously set up pace reminders for outdoor running, the same information will also now be delivered in the voice you selected for Workout Buddy. Workout Buddy told me when I completed a mile and when I closed my Move and Exercise rings, and it gave me a rundown of my stats for the workout when I arrived back at my place and called it a day. A lot of its prompts seem to simply add a pleasant voice and conversational tone to the notifications your watch already delivers on-screen, but I appreciated its comparisons to my past runs, and the voice offered a nice element of encouragement that I found especially helpful during the tough middle section of my morning jog. Smart Stack Hints The Smart Stack is a customizable list of widgets that displays information relevant to your day. It can show the weather, calendar appointments, your activity rings, and more. You can reorder and add widgets yourself, or let Apple customize the list for you. As of watchOS 11, Apple could use context clues to surface relevant widgets to the top of the stack, like the Workouts app when you arrive at the gym. WatchOS 26 takes the next step in bringing those immediately relevant widgets to your attention. If your watch recognizes an activity or event and has a widget that would be helpful for it, the device will let you know with a small circular icon at the bottom of the watch face that you can tap to jump straight to the feature. For example, with your camera open, your watch will display a small button that you can use to open camera controls. I found this feature particularly helpful when taking pictures, and it's unobtrusive otherwise if you don't actually want the assistance. This particular notification is another element that uses the Liquid Glass transparency. Gestures, Notes, Notifications, and More WatchOS 26 adds another gesture to the Apple Watch repertoire. In addition to tapping your fingers together to select, you can now flick your wrist to dismiss a notification, silence alarms, or mute incoming calls. The gesture worked reliably in my testing. The software update also brings the Notes app to your wrist for the first time, allowing you to add and sync notes with your other Apple devices. Notes you've recently edited on a separate gadget will show up as a suggestion in the Smart Stack for easy access on the watch. So you never miss something important, watchOS 26 can automatically raise and lower the volume of notifications based on the ambient noise level in the room. It won't ding at full volume in a library, for instance, but will be as loud as it can if it's trying to get your attention in a noisy restaurant. I didn't actually notice this change in action during my testing, but that could be because it does a good job of sounding a notification at the appropriate volume. As for other new features, Live Translation is available in the Messages app, so you can text with someone writing in a different language. In the Phone app, you can initiate Call Screening for unknown numbers or Hold Assist when calling businesses, and use Live Listen to see real-time captions on your watch of audio captured by your phone. After a few days of testing, I'm just scratching the surface of all of the subtle changes added with watchOS 26, and I'm sure there's much more to see. The full release will undoubtedly be timed with Apple's next smartwatch in the fall. In the meantime, be sure to check out all of our current favorite smartwatches.

watchOS 26 public beta brings smarter workouts and app upgrades

Apple is now offering the first public beta of watchOS 26, the next major update for Apple Watch, ahead of its official fall release. While the biggest visual update may appear to be the limited Liquid Glass elements, the substance of watchOS 26 exists in how it integrates with Apple Intelligence for smarter workouts and more context-aware communication. After some hands-on time with the update, here's what stands out so far. watchOS 26 is the 12th version of the Apple Watch operating system. At a high level, the new version builds on work that started in watchOS 10 in 2023 and continued with watchOS 11 in 2024. The naming convention has changed, replacing what would be watchOS 12 with watchOS 26, but the timeline for progress is consistent with recent releases. (Apple made each device operating system unify behind a single version number, 26, this year to signal the year ahead, 2026, when each release will be used the most.) Apple is deploying a visionOS-inspired redesign to each operating system this year, bringing some of the visual flare of Apple Vision Pro to the rest of the product portfolio. In watchOS 26, the use of the Liquid Glass design element is present in a few places: Smart Stack widgets, Control Center tiles, and system elements like passcode entry, navigation controls, and notification platters. Like the Lock Screen on iPhone, Apple has also included a Liquid Glass digital clock option for the popular Photos watch face. Structurally, watchOS 10 delivered the biggest redesign to Apple Watch two years ago. The use of Liquid Glass in watchOS 26 is a bit sparse if you spend most of your time looking at other watch faces. A future version could benefit from having Liquid Glass numerals around analog clock faces or larger Liquid Glass digits on more digital watch faces. For now, the places where Liquid Glass makes an appearance adds charm, like color from Control Center tiles spilling over into nearby tiles that are otherwise inactive and transparent. Passcode entry is also delightful now, returning to a rounded button design, now with Liquid Glass effects, instead of the squared off version that resembled the dial buttons in Phone. Unlike the iPhone and iPad, Apple Watch never existed during the photorealistic era that ended with iOS 7. The limited places where Liquid Glass appears in watchOS 26 gives us a bit of that feeling without the absolute absurdity of rich skeuomorphism. Apple is putting its generative AI system to work with a new feature called Workout Buddy. The voice-driven coaching assistant analyzes your personal workout history in real time and delivers contextual motivation. This includes everything from a personalized pep talk to pacing alerts during a run. You can choose from three synthesized voices trained on Apple Fitness+ trainers. Combined with the redesigned Workout app layout (four-corner navigation for quick access to metrics, media, Pacer, and alerts), the fitness experience feels like a big focal point in watchOS 26. The catch, however, is that Workout Buddy requires having your Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone nearby to actually work. That's understandable given the limited processing power and unpredictable network conditions on the watch. Still, it's an obvious goal for future hardware and software to make Workout Buddy a standalone feature. Personally, bringing my phone along for some outdoor and most indoor workouts is no big deal. However, I prefer to run without my iPhone, and I'm not sure I want to change that for Workout Buddy after almost a decade of going phone-free with cellular. The best part of Workout Buddy is when it provides milestone updates like hitting 500 miles walked this year or hitting a new personal record on a cycling ride. I also like the punch of personalization and motivation that comes when Workout Buddy says you're working out with whatever band or artist you're playing. Workout Buddy is less impressive when it redundantly reports your pace and mile duration, such as "your pace for the last 12 minutes and 32 seconds was 12 minutes and 32 seconds." Smart Stack has evolved into a more context-aware feature, thanks to Smart Stack hints. When your watch recognizes that you're in a specific scenario like near your iPhone's camera or in a dark environment, it can surface relevant widgets like launching the camera remote or opening flashlight with a tap. watchOS 11 already did a good job of surfacing relevant widgets to the Smart Stack, but you only saw them if you swiped up to view the vertical widget carousel. watchOS 26 effectively pushes those suggestions through to the watch face. Like a lot of intelligent features, it's nice when the system gets the suggestion right, but it's more of a subtle touch to appreciate when it gets it right. Smart Stack hints are fleeting, so it's possible to miss them as they appear, but Apple has to strike a balance with momentarily obscuring content on the watch face. watchOS 26 also introduces automatic volume adjustment. The Apple Watch can now assess ambient noise and adjust notification volume accordingly. I know a lot of readers have had their iPhone muted since the Apple Watch came out, and their Apple Watch muted in favor of haptic feedback for silent alerts. While I run this configuration often, I do enjoy and benefit from a lot of tones related to Workout and Fitness. Apple Watch has also improved in recent years with more tone configuration options. You still can't assign a tone to a specific contact like on iPhone, but you can at least set a different tone for Messages and Mail. Apple Watch speakers have gotten quite loud in recent hardware versions too. This alone makes the smart volume adjustment feature come in handy if you use your watch unmuted. Live Translation in Messages, powered by Apple Intelligence, can now automatically translate texts and responses in real time. Smart Replies also get a boost with better context-awareness and on-device processing. Apple Watch already benefited from notification summaries if your iPhone used the Apple Intelligence feature. Bringing more of those AI benefits to the Messages app on the watch is a nice touch. And for the first time, the Notes app comes to Apple Watch, with full access to existing notes, Siri dictation, pinned notes, and Smart Stack integration. I've wanted Notes on the Apple Watch for as long as I can remember. Reminders could already display a checklist, and some notes use that same format. Apple Watch displays have also continued to increase in size over the years, adding a full software keyboard and drawing text entry. In use, the Notes app is great for both referencing existing entries and creating quick entries. One thing you can't do is make edits to existing notes (aside from checking off items on a checklist). This is probably by design to avoid accidentally erasing something important. If so, Notes should include version history (something that's long been missing) as a solution. A future version could even do these like geotag location and include watch-specific data like heart rate and steps data for health-related notes. Otherwise, the Notes app is pretty well featured. It displays pinned notes, proper formatting, collapsible sections, and even tiny handwritten notes that I create with Apple Pencil on iPad. I'd like to be able to tap to open and zoom into these handwritten notes, but I'm just impressed that they display at all in the first version of Notes on Apple Watch. watchOS 26 builds on the double tap gesture with a new one-handed interaction: wrist flick. A quick flip of the wrist away from you can now dismiss notifications, silence a call, or close the Smart Stack. Double tap could already dismiss some things if that was the prominent button like on basic notification. The new gesture, however, is great for alerts that have other prominent actions like answering a call or replying to a message. I could see wrist flick to dismiss alerts be more popular than double tap, although the latter feature I think is more impressive. What I still want to see from a hands-free gesture is opening Notification Center. That's still an action that I take regularly that requires a free hand. Double tap opens the Smart Stack from the watch face. I'd like to see one gesture used for Smart Stack and another for Notification Center. Wrist flick is generally meant to signal dismissing or closing something, but I could make an exception for opening Notification Center. Three things on Apple Watch faces. First and perhaps my favorite watchOS 26 change: more analog watch faces show a sweeping seconds hand in always-on mode, including Utility. This feature being limited to one existing face and two new faces when Apple Watch Series 10 debuted was a bit perplexing. Apple included support on the latest Pride and Unity faces, bringing the total with support to five. watchOS 26 doesn't make it universally available, but it's at least in many of the analog faces that present a standard clock. Second, watchOS 26 continues a trend that started with watchOS 11. Last year, Apple removed four watch faces and added two new ones. New versions of Pride and Unity were later added, bringing us to net zero. watchOS 26 goes further by removing five faces for no obvious reason. I'm still not over the great Explorer watch face being cut last year. Apple Watches have far more local storage than I can ever fill. Watch faces are also added by choice, not pre-assigned by default. It's very strange to me, especially because of the next thing. That's the redesigned Face Gallery. What was previously a list of watch faces with a few collections for newly added, Pride, and Unity, for example, now includes lots of collections like clean faces, analog faces, data rich faces, and more. This improves discovery with a growing number of watch faces. However, the watch face list is instead shrinking (or at least staying the same if Apple Watch Series 11 adds three new options). Apple has a solution for its color picker, presenting main colors and current seasonal colors while past color options are off by default and added back by the user. The face picker effectively worked this way already. Additional features include letting the Workout app select your Apple Music playlists or podcasts automatically based on workout type, Call Screening and Hold Assist in the Phone app, and more. Speaking of Phone, you still can't use other apps during a call from the Apple Watch, but that just leaves something to look forward to in watchOS 27 or beyond. Overall, the Liquid Glass elements add character in ways that enhance the user experience, Workout Buddy brings personalized feedback to a core Apple Watch experience, and the Notes app is a welcome addition after 12 versions. We can probably expect a new watch face or two (or three) to come to watchOS 26 when the final version is released. I'm hoping these are digital and analog faces that show off Liquid Glass on the watch face in a nice way. The Apple Intelligence features like Workout Buddy and Live Translation requiring an iPhone or now is reasonable, but achieving on-device or server-based support in the future should be a clear objective. Apple Watch probably doesn't need to run the full large language model to power these features, and light weight models are getting more efficient and capable all the time. Ultimately, Apple Watch should become a primary interface for interacting with AI, whether that's Siri powered by a server-powered model or another tool like ChatGPT or Claude. Notably, these work on all iPhones thanks to servers, regardless of Apple Intelligence support, which is how AI features on Apple Watch could work if network connectivity was reliable enough. I'd certainly be willing to try with existing cellular models (or on wifi/with my iPhone's network connection). Other changes include Live Listen controls with Live Captions for accessibility, configurable Control Center tiles that will really shine with new watchOS 26 apps, background image support and Smart Actions in Messages like sharing location with Find My and using Check In, configurable widgets for customizing what apps like Weather show in the Smart Stack. watchOS 26 for Apple Watch supports Series 6 and up, SE 2, and Ultra models. It requires a paired iPhone with iOS 26. The public beta is out now, and the final release is expected in September.

watchOS 26 after one month: Three new features I've been using a lot - 9to5Mac

This fall, watchOS 26 will arrive as the next major Apple Watch software update. After more than a month using the beta on my Apple Watch, here are the new watchOS 26 features that I've been using the most. When the Apple Watch Series 9 launched, it came with a new double tap gesture that I was originally excited about, but ended up barely using. I was afraid watchOS 26's wrist flick gesture would be a similar story. But so far, I've found wrist flick a much more reliable and natural addition. Here's how it works: When a user raises their wrist to check a notification but isn't ready to respond, they can quickly turn their wrist over and back to dismiss the notification. The wrist flick gesture can be used to dismiss notifications and incoming calls, silence timers and alarms, and return to the watch face. Wrist flick is exclusive to three Apple Watch models: Apple Watch Series 10, Series 9, and Apple Watch Ultra 2. But if you have the supported hardware, wrist flick is a great new way to interact with watchOS 26 one-handed. watchOS 26 includes a design overhaul for the Workout app, but there's also a big AI addition: Workout Buddy. Workout Buddy is an AI-powered feature that provides "personalized, motivational insights" during a workout session. Here are the details: To offer meaningful inspiration in real time, Workout Buddy analyzes data from a user's current workout along with their fitness history, based on data like heart rate, pace, distance, Activity rings, personal fitness milestones, and more. A new text-to-speech model then translates insights into a dynamic generative voice built using voice data from Fitness+ trainers, so it has the right energy, style, and tone for a workout. Workout Buddy processes this data privately and securely with Apple Intelligence. Although I don't always love Workout Buddy interrupting my audiobook, podcast, or music, I have to admit that its insights and encouragement have grown on me. For example, last week I skipped what would normally be a workout day, and this week I've been reminded by Workout Buddy that my 28-day training load is dipping. Some users might see this as shaming, but it's helped motivate me to stay on track. Apple Watch has always been designed for micro-interactions, with anything that takes more than a couple seconds being better suited for iPhone. For example, I've always seen Messages as one of the Watch's most important apps, but often I've found myself pulling out my iPhone to craft replies. In watchOS 26, that's started to change. Smart Replies get even more precise for users whose device language is set to English, with an improved on-device language model that can generate relevant responses based on the content of a conversation. I've definitely noticed Smart Replies sounding much more natural to me than before, which has been great for saving me from needing to pull out my iPhone as often. Which watchOS 26 features have been your favorites so far? Let us know in the comments.