Highlights:
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watchOS 26 introduces a new “Liquid Glass” design language
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Stable rollout expected in September 2025
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Key features include AI-powered Workout Buddy, Live Translation, and a Redesigned Control Centre
At its WWDC 2025 keynote, Apple unveiled watchOS 26 — a major update for the Apple Watch lineup featuring a visual redesign and several AI-powered enhancements aimed at improving fitness, productivity, and communication.
watchOS 26 Release Timeline
Apple has confirmed that the developer beta of watchOS 26 is already available as of June 9, 2025. The stable release is expected to begin in September 2025, following the launch of the iPhone 17 and Apple Watch Series 11.
Key Features of watchOS 26
Liquid Glass Design Language
Following the design aesthetics introduced with iOS 26, watchOS 26 adopts the Liquid Glass interface. This includes translucent menus, glossy icons, and rounded UI elements, giving the system a more polished and modern look. The Control Centre has also been redesigned, offering a cleaner and more fluid experience.
Workout and Fitness Enhancements
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Workout Buddy: An AI-powered feature driven by Apple Intelligence, Workout Buddy acts as a virtual coach. It analyzes your workout history, fitness patterns, and training load to provide personalized insights and real-time motivation.
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Redesigned Workout App: The updated app now includes four corner buttons for quick access to Workout Views, Custom Workouts, Pacer, and Race Route tracking.
Communication Tools
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Live Translation: Offers real-time language translation directly from the wrist.
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Enhanced Messages App: Now supports custom backgrounds, similar to those in iOS 26.
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Call Screening: Automatically detects and screens calls from unknown numbers.
Productivity and Convenience
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Wrist Flick Gestures: Users can now mute calls, silence timers, or dismiss notifications with a simple flick of the wrist.
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Smart Stack Enhancements: Displays context-aware widgets (e.g., weather updates or workout reminders) based on daily routines.
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New Notes App: Allows users to create and view notes that sync with their iPhone and iPad.
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Revamped Watch Face Gallery: Watch faces are now organized into themed collections, making it easier to browse and apply them on both Apple Watch and iPhone.
Compatible Devices
watchOS 26 will be available for the following Apple Watch models:
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Apple Watch Ultra 2
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Apple Watch Ultra
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Apple Watch Series 10
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Apple Watch Series 9
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Apple Watch Series 8
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Apple Watch Series 7
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Apple Watch Series 6
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Apple Watch SE (2nd generation)
New Naming Convention Explained
Apple is standardizing its software versioning across platforms, including iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and visionOS. Since these updates will be predominantly used throughout 2026, the version number now reflects the year of mainstream usage. Thus, the update is named watchOS 26 instead of watchOS 12.
