Apple presented a quite drastic alternate to its working machine naming conventions this yr. What would’ve been watchOS 12 is now watchOS 26, for the reason that corporate made up our minds to forestall labeling its working techniques sequentially and as an alternative identify them in keeping with the fiscal yr they’re launched. Each and every OS now, from iOS 26 to macOS 26, additionally has a brand new, overhauled show aesthetic known as Liquid Glass, which makes sure apps, icons, buttons, and pop-ups seem like frosted glass and different options seem like raindrops.
WatchOS 26 has new Apple Intelligence options, which can be small and measured quite than giant and sweeping—however for Apple Watch fanatics, the truth that there may be now Apple Intelligence to your wrist in any respect could be sufficient. Right here, I’m going to stroll thru one of the crucial new guidelines and methods you’ll now see to your Apple Watch. (If you wish to examine it directly from Apple, you’ll accomplish that right here.)
Up to date September 15, 2025: WatchOS 26 is now out. We tweaked the language on this tale to replicate that, added main points on tips on how to obtain it, and added extra data on new options.
Is Your Apple Watch Suitable?
How one can Set up WatchOS 26
First, test that your telephone and watch are absolutely charged and hooked up to Wi-Fi. Pass to the Watch app to your iPhone and click on Settings > Basic > Tool Replace. Make a selection watchOS 26 (if it hasn’t already routinely up to date!). You might be completed!
The Most sensible WatchOS 26 Options
Liquid Glass
Courtesy of Apple
Lots of the Liquid Glass redesigns were optimized for the larger displays of the Mac, iPhone, and iPad. However hiya, glance, the numerals at the clock face now have a translucent frost! You’ll additionally see slight specular highlights across the edges of the buttons whilst you glance carefully. Good Stack—Apple’s layered widget machine—may also make the most of Liquid Glass in order to not difficult to understand the display.
Exercise Pal
Courtesy of Apple
Exercise Pal makes use of the entire workout information accrued through the Apple Watch—middle charge, tempo, distance, and many others.—and makes use of it to supply customized, upbeat encouragement (“you overwhelmed it!”) all the way through your workout consultation. Apple Intelligence analyzes your information to supply those insights and to make use of voice encouragement derived from Health+ running shoes. It could actually additionally mark key moments, like working a mile in particular speedy. It is to be had for only some workout routines, like indoor and outside strolling or working, outside biking, practical and standard power coaching, and HIIT—and sure, you’ll flip it off if the theory of a cheerleader for your ear is hell for you, too.
The Exercise app itself has additionally gone through a redesign, with 4 buttons within the 4 corners of the watch face to assist you faucet on every function. Customers can arrange track and podcasts inside the Exercise app, and Apple Song can both make a choice track or supply ideas for a suitable playlist.
Sleep Rating and High blood pressure
Courtesy of Apple
WatchOS 26 now gives two new well being options. The primary is a brand new Sleep Rating, which takes under consideration the time you went to mattress, the length of your sleep, and the selection of interruptions to categorise your sleep on a five-point scale—both Very good, Top, OK, Low, or Very Low. While you click on on Sleep Rating within the Well being app, you’ll additionally see your middle charge and respiration charge whilst drowsing.
The replace additionally provides the power to trace imaginable indicators of high blood pressure. Undiagnosed high blood pressure, or hypertension, impacts round one-third of all adults and will purpose kidney illness, middle assaults, or stroke. The Watch now makes use of information from the optical middle charge observe to test your information over 30 days for imaginable indicators of high blood pressure and can notify the person. The research have been advanced with research of over 100,000 folks, and the function is now FDA-cleared.
Good Stack
Courtesy of Apple
Good Stack now accommodates extra contextual information, like location and the person’s regimen, to supply extra useful guidelines. As an example, for those who arrive on the health club at your same old time, your Apple Watch might mark your location and slide a exercise regimen to the highest of your Good Stack.
Messages and Notifications
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If you happen to personal a Watch Collection 9, Watch Collection 10, or Apple Watch Extremely 2, you’re going to now be capable of use a brand new wrist-flick gesture (just like Double Faucet) to push aside notifications or incoming calls, silence timers, and go back to the clock face. A machine-learning fashion makes use of information from the accelerometer and gyroscope to catch the person’s wrist motion.
The Apple Watch now additionally helps Reside Translation in Messages (once more, you’re going to want an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone). In case your language is about to English, the watch will be offering activates in Messages, like suggesting Apple Money if the person is requested for a donation. Name Screening and Dangle Lend a hand may also come to the telephone app at the watch, letting customers come to a decision whether or not to take or decline calls or ask for more info.
New Watch Faces
Courtesy of Apple
There are new watch faces to make a choice from. Waft is the brand new watch face that takes benefit of Liquid Glass, with blobs of colour that swirl throughout the transparent glass numerals. Exactograph appears just a little just like the Waypoint face that has been to be had on Apple Watch Extremely for a while, however is in fact a reinterpretation of a standard clock face. It separates the hours, mins, and seconds, and you’re going to additionally be capable of see the ticking 2nd hand on different watch faces.
After all, it is possible for you to to make use of the Notes app at the watch, that could be extra vital to a few of us than others.
