watchOS 26 is the newest version of watchOS, the operating system that runs on the Apple Watch. It introduces an updated design that uses Apple’s Liquid Glass material, similar to iOS 26 and macOS 26. You’ll find the Liquid Glass design throughout watchOS 26.
Apple named this version of the Apple Watch software watchOS 26 instead of watchOS 12 in order to streamline naming across its product lineup.
Liquid Glass reflects and refracts its surroundings, just like glass in the real world. The more translucent design elements put focus on content rather than navigation, and controls are designed to fade into the background. Liquid Glass transforms depending on context and content, and it uses real-time rendering to dynamically react to movement to change the way that light reflects off of interface elements.
There is a new look for the Smart Stack widgets and the Control Center, plus the Photos watch face now has a Liquid Glass-style time option. Navigation buttons and controls in apps all have the Liquid Glass design, as do incoming notifications.
Apple redesigned the Face Gallery to make it easier to find and customize watch face options. Faces are organized into categories, like Health and Fitness, Photos, Colorful, Clean, Data Rich, Nike, Pride, Tool, Bold, and more. The newest watch face options that Apple has added are in a New section at the top of the interface.
The main new feature in watchOS 26 is the Workout Buddy, an on-wrist assistant that uses Apple Intelligence to motivate you during your workouts. Workout Buddy analyzes and compares fitness history to current workouts to offer up personalized insights.
You’ll get pep talks when starting a workout, encouragement when it’s getting tough, and a summary when the workout has ended. Workout Buddy uses generative audio built with voice data from Fitness+ trainers. Workout Buddy can be customized for each workout type, depending on your needs.
To highlight Workout Buddy, Apple redesigned the Workout app. Each workout type gets its own page in the Workout app, and you can swipe or turn the Digital Crown to get to the one you’re looking for. Tapping on the buttons in the corners of the display launches different features, so you can tap to start a workout, customize Workout Views and metrics, set goals for specific workouts, and enable or disable alerts.
Every workout now includes an option to Autoplay Media, which automatically starts music, podcasts, audiobooks, or other things that you like to listen to while exercising. Apple Music can intelligently suggest the best playlist for workouts based on workout type and your preferred music, or you can choose your own options. Your watch remembers what you like to listen to during each workout type.
Apple updated the Smart Stack with improved prediction algorithms that take into account more contextual data, sensor data, and data from your personal routine to provide useful Smart Stack hints. Smart Stack hints are actionable suggestions that are meant to be useful to you based on what you’re doing. You’re able to customize widgets in the Smart Stack to ensure it’s showing what’s most useful to you, with the option to add third-party apps.
In the Messages app, Apple overhauled Smart Replies to make them more tailored to you and who you’re speaking to. There are new actions suggested based on the context of the message, to make it easier to send quick and useful replies to incoming texts. The Messages app supports Live Translation, so if you’re texting with someone who speaks another language, you can get quick automatic translations.
Custom backgrounds that you set for Messages conversations using iOS 26 show up on the Apple Watch, and the app supports responding to polls from your wrist.
The Phone app on Apple Watch has new features that match what’s new in iOS 26. Call Screening asks an unknown caller for more information like name and reason for calling so you can decide whether or not to answer. Hold Assist allows you to do other things while your device waits on hold for you.
Apple brought the Notes app to the Apple Watch this year, so you can create new notes, view existing notes, and pin notes from your wrist. Notes are designed to show up in the Smart Stack on Apple Watch when you’ve edited a note on iPhone or Mac.
When you’re in a particularly loud or quiet place, the Apple Watch is now able to automatically adjust volume to match the sound in the ambient environment. If you’re in a library, for example, the volume drops, so you don’t get loud alerts. Automatic volume adjustments work for calls, timers, alarms, and Siri.
Apple also added Live Listen to Apple Watch, so you can read real-time Live Captions of what your iPhone hears while listening to audio. The Apple Watch can be used to start or stop Live Listen sessions on a paired iPhone.
There is a new one-handed flick gesture that’s designed to dismiss notifications, silence calls, and return to the watch face, and more. To use it, just flick your wrist over and back.
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