watchOS 26 adds several subtle yet meaningful improvements that make using Apple Watch even more convenient. Here are the top 17 new features and changes you should know about.
In case you haven’t already updated your Apple Watch Series 6, Watch SE 2, or later to watchOS 26, you can do so easily from device Settings or via the iOS Watch app. However, note that not all new features are available on all models; a few, such as Wrist Flick and Automatic Volume adjustment, only work on Series 9, Ultra 2, and later models.
New Liquid Glass design
Similar to iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and tvOS 26, the latest watchOS 26 also adopts the new Liquid Glass software design. It adds translucent effects to certain text (such as the watch face digital clock), buttons in Control Center, widgets’ backgrounds, notifications, and more, by allowing background light/color to be visible through the top layer.
If you have visibility issues or prefer the old style, you can minimize the effect by turning on Reduce Transparency in watchOS 26 Settings.
A few new watch faces
Flow and Exactograph are two new watch faces available on watchOS 26. The first one has a fluid color orb with the digital clock in Liquid Glass design. The latter has hour, minute, and second dials so you can exactly know what time it is, and tapping this watch face shows you the minutes and seconds in a zoomed interface for precise timekeeping.
Additionally, Apple Watch Ultra has a new Waypoint watch face that dynamically shows points of interest in relation to you, according to Apple. And Hermes watches get the Hermes Faubourg Party watch face, which displays different animations depending on the time of day.
Improvements to the Photos watch face
The existing Photos watch face in watchOS 26 now supports Liquid Glass style and depth effect for the digital clock. Plus, the clock size and its placement can adjust based on the photo that’s used as the watch face. So, if you use ‘shuffle’ for your Photos watch face instead of just one image, you may notice that the time appears at different locations based on the current image, keeping things dynamic and fresh.
Wrist flick gesture
watchOS 26 on Apple Watch Series 9 and later adds a new wrist flick gesture, which allows you to silence incoming calls, dismiss notifications, mute alarms, etc., just by flicking your wrist. This is super handy when you want to ignore a call or dismiss an alert, but have your other hand full and can’t touch the watch screen.
A new Notes app
The stock Apple Notes app makes its way to Apple Watch with the latest watchOS 26 update. You can use it to jot down quick thoughts or access your existing notes.
Customizable Control Center
Control Center in previous watchOS versions had very limited personalization options. watchOS 26 improves things significantly, and you can now add or remove buttons from here, much like iPhone, iPad, and Mac. The new and refreshed Apple Watch Control Center also lets you add controls from supported third-party iPhone apps, even if that iOS app doesn’t have a dedicated watch version.
Smart Stack and widgets
If your Apple Watch has a suggestion that it thinks is immediately useful to you, it will show up in the Smart Stack, and you’ll get a gentle prompt to see it. watchOS 26 also improves customization of widgets, and you can configure how they appear in the Smart Stack.
Messages app backgrounds
Just like iPhone, iPad, and Mac, the Messages app on Apple Watch gets custom chat backgrounds. You can’t add or edit them from the watch itself, but if you add one on your iPhone, the chat background will also appear on the watch.
Text Live Translation
Live Translation in Messages is now available on Apple Watch, allowing you to translate text in a different language. It requires a bit of setup, and you can learn about it in our dedicated guide.
Smart Actions and Smart Replies
Smart Actions in the watchOS 26 Messages app displays cards that suggest taking an action (such as sharing your location), based on the context of your message. This is kind of similar to smart replies on iPhone, but tailored for the watch. Talking of smart replies, watchOS 26 has improved on this as well, so you get relevant one-tap responses and don’t have to type a lot on the small screen.
Live Listen transcription on the watch screen
If you use Live Listen on your iPhone with AirPods or MFi hearing devices, the text that your phone picks up can now appear on your Apple Watch screen, so you can not only hear but also read what’s being spoken. It requires adding and selecting the Hearing button in watchOS Control Center, followed by tapping Live Listen Captions.
Sleep Score
The Sleep app in watchOS 26 adds a new Sleep Score feature that tells you about the quality of your sleep. It’s “a score based on estimates of how long you slept, the consistency of when you fell asleep relative to your recent history, and the amount and duration of awake periods during sleep,” according to Apple.
Hypertension notification
watchOS 26 on Apple Watch Series 9, Ultra 2, and newer models can analyse your heart rate over time and send an alert if it detects high blood pressure.
Refreshed Workout app
The Workout app has a new design with a button in each of the four corners, making it easy to access media, Workout Buddy, goals and targets, workout metrics, etc. However, once you start a workout, it has the same familiar swipable design as before.
Workout Buddy
If you need motivation during your workouts, the new AI-powered Workout Buddy feature in watchOS 26 can motivate you with words, provide insights, and tell you when you have hit a milestone. You can use it during outdoor and indoor runs, walks, cycling, hiking, and more, but not during yoga, swimming, and some other such activities.
Media autoplay during workouts
Your Apple Watch can automatically play music based on what you usually listen to and the type of workout you’re engaging in, provided some song or podcast isn’t already playing. You can also choose your own music and have it play automatically when you start a workout.
Automatic volume adjustment
With watchOS 26, your Apple Watch can take ambient noise around you into account and adjust the volume of your incoming calls, notifications, and Siri responses accordingly. So, if you’re outside in a noisy environment, the system volume will be louder. Conversely, they will be quieter when you’re in a meeting or library with low surrounding sounds.
Which of these features are you most excited to try?
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