Apple watchOS 26 introduces Liquid Glass UI, Workout Buddy, gesture control, and smarter messaging. Check eligible Apple Watch models and rollout timeline now.
Apple Reveals watchOS 26 with Major Redesign and AI Upgrades.
At WWDC 2025, Apple officially launched the developer beta of watchOS 26, marking a bold new chapter in its wearable ecosystem. Designed to enhance the user experience with a fresh visual language, deeper AI integration, and intuitive new fitness and messaging features, watchOS 26 brings the Apple Watch closer than ever to being a seamless extension of your daily life.
Set for full public release in autumn 2025, the update is currently available to developers, while the public beta will go live in July. Here’s everything you need to know about watchOS 26, including all-new features, eligible devices, removed watch faces, and the rollout plan.
🧩 watchOS 26 Key Features at a Glance
- New Liquid Glass UI for immersive, translucent visuals
- Workout Buddy AI – real-time fitness coaching
- Smart Stack 2.0 with contextual prompts
- Live Translation for Messages
- Gesture-based Controls like wrist flick
- Redesigned Workout App and Photos Face
- Notes App, Live Listen, and accessibility upgrades
- Removal of 5 legacy watch faces
🎨 A Fresh Look: Liquid Glass UI Debuts
Apple introduces a dynamic and more refined visual identity in watchOS 26 called Liquid Glass. This new design brings translucent, refractive layers across system elements like:
- Smart Stack
- Control Centre
- Photos Watch Face
- In-app navigation
While the layout remains familiar, the interface now feels deeper and more immersive, improving focus and fluidity.
💪 Workout Buddy: AI-Powered Fitness Motivation
Among the most anticipated additions is Workout Buddy, Apple’s first Apple Intelligence-powered fitness companion. Using data from your workout history, it provides:
- Spoken encouragement during exercise
- Real-time updates on pace, heart rate, and distance
- Voice modeled after Apple Fitness+ trainers
- Support for workouts like running, HIIT, cycling, walking, and strength training
- English-only support at launch
- Requires an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone nearby
The Workout app itself has been redesigned with a four-corner layout, giving faster access to:
- Custom Workouts
- Pacer
- Race Route
- Music or Podcast preferences
- Smart playlist suggestions via Apple Music
📥 Smarter Smart Stack & Notifications
The Smart Stack grows smarter in watchOS 26, using on-device intelligence to surface contextual suggestions. Examples include:
- Suggesting Backtrack in remote areas
- Prompting Pilates mode when arriving at a gym
- Proactive reminders based on time, location, and habit
Other UI upgrades include:
- Wrist flick gestures to dismiss alerts, silence alarms, or reject calls
- Notification volume auto-adjusts based on ambient noise
💬 Messages Gets Real-Time Translation
watchOS 26 significantly improves messaging capabilities:
- Live Translation for supported devices (Series 9, 10, Ultra 2)
- New Smart Replies powered by an upgraded on-device language model
- Suggested actions like Apple Cash, Check In
- Custom backgrounds synced from your iPhone
📓 Notes App, Accessibility & Developer Tools
For the first time, Apple brings the full Notes app to Apple Watch, supporting:
- Pinned Notes
- Voice Dictation
- Secure unlocks
Accessibility tools see a boost with:
- Live Listen: Real-time audio captions
- Remote audio controls
- Hold Assist and Call Screening in the Phone app
- Enhanced Photos Watch Face with auto-featured memories
- A redesigned Watch Face Gallery
Developers also gain more control over Smart Stack, widgets, and Control Centre customization.
❌ watchOS 26 Removes 5 Legacy Watch Faces
In a surprising move, Apple has removed five classic watch faces with watchOS 26:
- Fire and Water
- Liquid Metal
- Vapor
- Gradient
- Toy Story
These faces were originally designed to highlight the visual power of Series 4’s curved edges. While Apple hasn’t offered an official reason, sources suggest their low usage rates and incompatibility with Liquid Glass UI were contributing factors.
🔎 Fun Fact: The Toy Story watch face, introduced in watchOS 4, featured animated characters like Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and Jessie.
While no new faces were introduced at WWDC, Apple is expected to unveil new options during the September 2025 hardware launch.
✅ Eligible Apple Watch Models for watchOS 26
Apple Watch models compatible with watchOS 26:
- Apple Watch Series 6
- Apple Watch Series 7
- Apple Watch Series 8
- Apple Watch Series 9
- Apple Watch Series 10
- Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen)
- Apple Watch Ultra
- Apple Watch Ultra 2
⚠️ Older models like Series 5 and below are not supported.
🗓️ watchOS 26 Rollout Timeline: Developer to Public Release
| Stage | Date | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Developer Beta | June 10, 2025 | Available now via Apple Developer Program |
| Public Beta | July 2025 | Via Apple Beta Software Program |
| Final Public Release | September 2025 | Alongside new iPhone and Apple Watch launch |
📎 For related coverage, read our full breakdown of WWDC 2025 updates.
📊 watchOS 26 vs watchOS 11: Feature Comparison
| Feature | watchOS 11 | watchOS 26 |
|---|---|---|
| UI Design | Standard | Liquid Glass (translucent) |
| AI Integration | Limited | Apple Intelligence |
| Messaging | Basic | Live Translation, Smart Replies |
| Workout App | Minimal | Redesigned with AI coaching |
| Notes App | Absent | Full support with dictation |
| Gesture Controls | Basic taps | Wrist flick, 1-hand control |
| Removed Faces | None | 5 Legacy watch faces axed |
❓ FAQs – Apple watchOS 26
1. Can I download watchOS 26 now?
The developer beta is available now. The public beta will roll out in July 2025, and the final version will launch in September 2025.
2. Which Apple Watch models support Live Translation?
Live Translation is available on Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Ultra 2 only.
3. What is Workout Buddy, and how does it work?
Workout Buddy is a real-time AI fitness coach that offers spoken feedback and personalized guidance. It requires an Apple Intelligence-compatible iPhone.
4. Why did Apple remove some watch faces in watchOS 26?
Apple removed five older watch faces, likely due to low usage rates and incompatibility with the new Liquid Glass UI.
5. Are new watch faces coming later in 2025?
Yes. Apple is expected to introduce new watch faces in September during its annual hardware event.
-
📘 Apple’s Official watchOS 26 Preview Page
👉 https://www.apple.com/watchos/watchos-26-preview/
💬 Your Turn: Are You Excited for watchOS 26?
With a visually immersive design, smarter workouts, and deeper AI integration, watchOS 26 is shaping up to be Apple’s most ambitious update yet for the Apple Watch.
What’s your favorite new feature? Have you tried the beta yet?
👇 Drop your thoughts in the comments, share this article, and follow QuickNews Press for more real-time Apple updates.