watchOS 26 Beta Thread

[goldmac2006]

Hey everyone! It’s time for WWDC! We saw the major redesign across all Apple platforms, and let’s kick off summer beta testing season with watchOS 26 betas!

I’m super excited about the redesigned liquid glass design, the improved translation features, and the enhanced workout voice feedback (using Apple Intelligence with Fitness+ trainer voices). These are my must-haves for this release!

The beta is available starting today after the keynote. Based on feedback from the last versions thread, battery health and charging notifications were the biggest issues in watchOS 11. Will this new release bring new hope and bug fixes? Let’s go, Apple Watch wearers!

Download it on your Apple Watch and iOS 26 on your iPhone!

 

[xDKP]

“Improved workout tracking” ?

Seems like a really slow update from a workout perspective (my main wish)

 

[goldmac2006]

“Improved workout tracking” ?

Seems like a really slow update from a workout perspective (my main wish)

Apple Intelligence apparently rewrote the text, repeating some words I didn’t want. I’ve edited it out.

Are you planning to update your Apple Watch Ultra to the new beta? I’ll do it tonight after my workout. I need to install iOS 26 on my 15 Pro first!

Thanks moderation team for pinning this thread to the Apple Watch sub forum!

 

[illyb2000]

Any new faces ?

 

[goldmac2006]

Any new faces ?

No, there isn’t any.

 

[Riley-Freeman]

Has anyone installed it. I hate doing betas on my ultra. I feel like my watch never recovered from watchOS 11 beta

 

[Andy_2341]

For those with S10s, have they expanded the ticking second hand in AOD mode to more faces? Especially the California face. Thank you for checking!

 

[goldmac2006]

Has anyone installed it. I hate doing betas on my ultra. I feel like my watch never recovered from watchOS 11 beta

Going to install it now
Ima let you know how it goes thanks cheers 👋🏻

 

[MacDevil7334]

For those with S10s, have they expanded the ticking second hand in AOD mode to more faces? Especially the California face. Thank you for checking!

Per 9to5Mac, the AOD second hand comes to more faces (but not all for some inexplicable reason). Looks like California is one of them.

watchOS 26: More Apple Watch faces using Series 10’s upgraded display - 9to5Mac

Apple Watch Series 10 features an upgraded display with a faster refresh rate. This enables select watch faces to display...

9to5mac.com

 

[goldmac2006]

Alright y’all I installed watchOS 26 developer beta 1 on my Apple Watch Series 6! It’s good so far and liquid glass is only a slight difference of the appearance most of all, with so much retainment of the UI of watchOS 10 and 11.

Only thing I don’t like is that the interface of the workout app, the summary page after a workout the title is cut off. LIQUID glass did it.

Per 9to5Mac, the AOD second hand comes to more faces (but not all for some inexplicable reason). Looks like California is one of them.

watchOS 26: More Apple Watch faces using Series 10’s upgraded display - 9to5Mac

Apple Watch Series 10 features an upgraded display with a faster refresh rate. This enables select watch faces to display...

9to5mac.com

Yep faces like chronograph and unity bloom aren’t in that list

 

[RiskyScapegoat]

For those with S10s, have they expanded the ticking second hand in AOD mode to more faces? Especially the California face. Thank you for checking!

California did indeed get it!
Hermès Radial was also added, but not the other Hermès ones that I noticed. But it seems that it’s on someone’s radar to add them if they made changes to at least a couple of them

 

[cookiemonster89]

Typograph is also not in the list, which I use most of the time.

 

[ChemGolf]

California did indeed get it!
Hermès Radial was also added, but not the other Hermès ones that I noticed. But it seems that it’s on someone’s radar to add them if they made changes to at least a couple of them

Would love to see more Hermès watch faces added...

 

[Jimpilot]

My ultra 2 has lost its cellar connection. It shows t-mobile with a green check but when I turn WiFi off, I get the red x and it says no connection. Anyone else ?

 

[jpsmith76]

It appears the water lock button in control center is missing and I cannot find a way to enable the screen lock to prevent water from making touches on the screen.

 

[goldmac2006]

It appears the water lock button in control center is missing and I cannot find a way to enable the screen lock to prevent water from making touches on the screen.

You have to add it dude.

My ultra 2 has lost its cellar connection. It shows t-mobile with a green check but when I turn WiFi off, I get the red x and it says no connection. Anyone else ?

Can you try restarting your Apple Watch Ultra 2 please?

California did indeed get it!
Hermès Radial was also added, but not the other Hermès ones that I noticed. But it seems that it’s on someone’s radar to add them if they made changes to at least a couple of them

Typograph is also not in the list, which I use most of the time.

Would love to see more Hermès watch faces added...

Yes, certain Apple Watch faces have been added, including the unique second-hand animations for the Series 10 during the Always-On Display (AOD). The Photos face also received liquid glass, but these are just aesthetic changes, folks.

 

[Riley-Freeman]

Going to install it now
Ima let you know how it goes thanks cheers 👋🏻

How’s the battery?

 

[goldmac2006]

How’s the battery?

… not quite stabilised enough yesterday my Apple Watch had a steep nosedive upon an hour or two after updating

Did you update your Apple Watch yet?

 

[KevinPeterson]

Installed it on my 8 (I refuse to upgrade because I’ve gaslit myself into thinking the blood oxygen sensor - that never check - is crucial), and as far as I can tell the liquid glass theme isn’t present on the face and doesn’t offer a way to install the new photos face.

The theme is in the notifications, the control center, the Smart Stack, etc. wild.

 

[KevinPeterson]

Installed it on my 8 (I refuse to upgrade because I’ve gaslit myself into thinking the blood oxygen sensor - that never check - is crucial), and as far as I can tell the liquid glass theme isn’t present on the face and doesn’t offer a way to install the new photos face.

The theme is in the notifications, the control center, the Smart Stack, etc. wild.

Okay I found it. It’s just a glass colour choice in the time. That’s all I can find. And the complications do not have the effect so it looks terrible. I love it so much.

 

[trollkatt]

Any brave soul willing to test the Oceanic+ app (with a backup dive computer ofc)? 😜

 

[Sir Ruben]

Vey little change to watch OS. Especially liquid glass, which is barely present but even where it is, its less noticeable than on iOS/Mac OS.

 

[Riley-Freeman]

… not quite stabilised enough yesterday my Apple Watch had a steep nosedive upon an hour or two after updating
View attachment 2518325
Did you update your Apple Watch yet?

No im scared. Watch betas I find always lead to a battery drain that’s completely irritating. I used to get 3 days out of my ultra prior to me installing os11. After that I’m down to 2 days. I’m planning on upgrading this year so I guess it doesn’t really matter.

 

[LarryJoe33]

Hey everyone! It’s time for WWDC! We saw the major redesign across all Apple platforms, and let’s kick off summer beta testing season with watchOS 26 betas!

I’m super excited about the redesigned liquid glass design, the improved translation features, and the enhanced workout voice feedback (using Apple Intelligence with Fitness+ trainer voices). These are my must-haves for this release!

The beta is available starting today after the keynote. Based on feedback from the last versions thread, battery health and charging notifications were the biggest issues in watchOS 11. Will this new release bring new hope and bug fixes? Let’s go, Apple Watch wearers!

Download it on your Apple Watch and iOS 26 on your iPhone!

Wow, you stole my annual thread that I have created at least the last two years....I had a feeling you were going to do that. Didn't even give me a chance, you jumped right on it after the announcement. Interesting. It's all yours buddy. I'm out, you took the fun out of it for me. Seems like the credit means more to you and that's fine. I actually installed it the minute I could, which is kind of the impotus of taking the dive (not 6 hours after creating the thread.

 

[Shorty89]

You have to add it dude.

Can you try restarting your Apple Watch Ultra 2 please?






Yes, certain Apple Watch faces have been added, including the unique second-hand animations for the Series 10 during the Always-On Display (AOD). The Photos face also received liquid glass, but these are just aesthetic changes, folks.

Where do you add at as I can’t find it