Apple introduced a rather drastic change to its operating-system naming conventions this year. What would’ve been watchOS 12 is now watchOS 26, since the company decided to stop labeling its operating systems sequentially and instead name them according to the fiscal year they are released. Every OS now, from iOS 26 to macOS 26, also has a new, overhauled display aesthetic called Liquid Glass, which makes certain apps, icons, buttons, and pop-ups look like frosted glass and other features look like raindrops.
WatchOS 26 has new Apple Intelligence features, which are small and measured rather than big and sweeping—but for Apple Watch fans, the fact that there is now Apple Intelligence on your wrist at all might be enough. Here, I’ll walk through some of the new tips and tricks you can now see on your Apple Watch. (If you want to read about it straight from Apple, you can do so here.)
Updated September 15, 2025: WatchOS 26 is now out. We tweaked the language in this story to reflect that, added details on how to download it, and added more info on new features.
Is Your Apple Watch Compatible?
How to Install WatchOS 26
First, check that your phone and watch are fully charged and connected to Wi-Fi. Go to the Watch app on your iPhone and click Settings > General > Software Update. Select watchOS 26 (if it hasn’t already automatically updated!). You’re done!
The Top WatchOS 26 Features
Liquid Glass
Courtesy of Apple
Most of the Liquid Glass redesigns have been optimized for the bigger screens of the Mac, iPhone, and iPad. But hey, look, the numerals on the clock face now have a translucent frost! You can also see slight specular highlights around the edges of the buttons when you look closely. Smart Stack—Apple’s layered widget system—will also utilize Liquid Glass so as not to obscure the screen.
Workout Buddy
Courtesy of Apple
Workout Buddy uses all the exercise data accumulated by the Apple Watch—heart rate, pace, distance, etc.—and uses it to offer personalized, upbeat encouragement (“you crushed it!”) during your exercise session. Apple Intelligence analyzes your data to provide these insights and to use voice encouragement derived from Fitness+ trainers. It can also mark key moments, like running a mile particularly fast. It’s available for just a few exercises, like indoor and outdoor walking or running, outdoor cycling, functional and traditional strength training, and HIIT—and yes, you can turn it off if the idea of a cheerleader in your ear is hell for you, too.
The Workout app itself has also undergone a redesign, with four buttons in the four corners of the watch face to make it easier to tap on each feature. Users can set up music and podcasts within the Workout app, and Apple Music can either select music or provide suggestions for an appropriate playlist.
Sleep Score and Hypertension
Courtesy of Apple
WatchOS 26 now offers two new health features. The first is a new Sleep Score, which takes into account the time you went to bed, the duration of your sleep, and the number of interruptions to classify your sleep on a five-point scale—either Excellent, High, OK, Low, or Very Low. When you click on Sleep Score in the Health app, you can also see your heart rate and respiratory rate while sleeping.
The update also adds the ability to track possible signs of hypertension. Undiagnosed hypertension, or high blood pressure, affects around one-third of all adults and can cause kidney disease, heart attacks, or stroke. The Watch now uses data from the optical heart rate monitor to check your data over 30 days for possible signs of hypertension and will notify the user. The studies were developed with studies of over 100,000 people, and the feature is now FDA-cleared.
Smart Stack
Courtesy of Apple
Smart Stack now incorporates more contextual data, like location and the user’s routine, to provide more helpful tips. For example, if you arrive at the gym at your usual time, your Apple Watch may mark your location and slide a workout routine to the top of your Smart Stack.
Messages and Notifications
Courtesy of Apple
If you own a Watch Series 9, Watch Series 10, or Apple Watch Ultra 2, you will now be able to use a new wrist-flick gesture (much like Double Tap) to dismiss notifications or incoming calls, silence timers, and return to the clock face. A machine-learning model uses data from the accelerometer and gyroscope to catch the user’s wrist movement.
The Apple Watch now also supports Live Translation in Messages (again, you will need an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone). If your language is set to English, the watch will offer prompts in Messages, like suggesting Apple Cash if the user is asked for a donation. Call Screening and Hold Assist will also come to the phone app on the watch, letting users decide whether to take or decline calls or ask for more information.
New Watch Faces
Courtesy of Apple
There are new watch faces to choose from. Flow is the new watch face that takes advantage of Liquid Glass, with blobs of color that swirl through the clear glass numerals. Exactograph looks a bit like the Waypoint face that has been available on Apple Watch Ultra for some time, but is actually a reinterpretation of a traditional clock face. It separates the hours, minutes, and seconds, and you will also be able to see the ticking second hand on other watch faces.
Finally, you will be able to use the Notes app on the watch, which may be more important to some of us than others.
Read the full article here