Apple Officially Releases watchOS 26 [Download]

Apple has officially released watchOS 26, the next major software update for the Apple Watch. The new version, first unveiled at WWDC in June, introduces a significant design refresh, smarter proactive assistance, and new features powered by Apple Intelligence.

The most noticeable change is a new design language Apple calls 'Liquid Glass.' This aesthetic introduces real-time rendered visual effects that refract and reflect content across the system. It will be applied to the Smart Stack, Control Center, and within apps, making interactions more fluid. The popular Photos watch face also gets an update, overlaying the time with numerals made of Liquid Glass and now shuffling images based on 'Featured' content from your Photos library.

A major new feature is 'Workout Buddy,' a fitness experience that uses Apple Intelligence to provide personalized, spoken motivation during a workout. The Workout app has also been redesigned with a new layout, and you can now set music and podcasts to play automatically when a workout begins, with Apple Music even suggesting playlists based on the workout type.


The Smart Stack is now more proactive with 'Smart Stack hints,' which surface useful actions based on your context, like suggesting Backtrack when you're in a remote location. watchOS 26 also brings the Notes app to the wrist for the first time. For convenience, a new one-handed wrist flick gesture on Apple Watch Series 9 and later lets you quickly dismiss notifications, and the watch can now automatically adjust its speaker volume for alerts based on ambient noise.

The Messages app gets a big upgrade with Live Translation for texts, intelligent action suggestions, and support for backgrounds and polls. The Phone app gains Hold Assist and Call Screening features when an iPhone is nearby.

You can find the full release notes for the software update at the link below:
● watchOS 26 Release Notes

You can check if your watch is compatible with the new software here:
● watchOS 26 Supported Devices: The Full List of Compatible Apple Watches


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