A Bold Leap: watchOS 26 Unveils New Features and Designs
Apple’s announcement at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2025 sets the stage for the imminent arrival of watchOS 26. This new version of the software offers some enhancements and a completely different look, from what Apple describes as a “Liquid Glass” aesthetic, to some truly evolved interaction. The introduction of these, mostly revolutionary features, marks a major step in the evolution of the Apple Watch toward offering an experience that is not just more capable, but also more intuitive and personal. And so, with that in mind, what should users expect from watchOS 26? Here are five new features.
Liquid Glass: A Transparent, Interactive Interface for the Modern User
The most important new part of watchOS 26 is a new interface, which is really a new design language that applies to the entire operating system. Called “Liquid Glass,” this new look is not just a way of making things pretty; it really has a lot to do with how users will interact with their devices. Everything from the widgets and notifications to the Control Center looks as if it were designed by an architect and a graphic designer working in concert. The new look much better expresses the concept of “layering” that has become much more prevalent in digital design.
Although the changes in appearance are quite noticeable, the innovation reaches well beyond mere surface alterations. Apple has created this new interface to allow for an even more fluid interaction and to get rid of as much visual clutter as possible. Still, the update also nods appreciatively toward the trend for ever-greater user customization. It’s an update that takes the Watch both further into the future and closer to individual users.
Source: watchOS 26 delivers more personalized ways to stay active, healthy, and connected, Apple, 2025
AI-Powered Workout Buddy: A New Era of Fitness Tracking
It’s no longer all about numbers in fitness tracking. With watchOS 26, Apple has something new: the AI-powered, virtual cheerleader—Workout Buddy. The assistant offers personalized encouragement and motivation based on your workout history, but it also serves a dual purpose. This next-gen virtual assistant will track your milestones in real-time, celebrating with you as you achieve what you set out to do and also giving you a comprehensive performance recap when it’s all done.
This innovation takes workout tracking to the next level by using Apple Intelligence to analyze workout data in a way that is both insightful and personalized. Leveraging machine learning, the Workout Buddy can now anticipate your needs and give you tailored suggestions that serve to motivate and push you further when you need it. This feature isn’t just for fitness enthusiasts; it’s a big step toward making all this health optimization stuff inclusive. Expect to see it evolve as more and more personalized, plain English fitness data gets integrated.
Smarter Notifications with a Wrist Flick Gesture
Notification management has long been a bit of a chore—until now. With the introduction of the new wrist flick gesture in watchOS 26, Apple Watch users can now use their wrist to dismiss notifications, silence alarms, and answer phone calls. This feature, which is only available to Apple Watch Series 9 and newer, also enables the watch to monitor ambient noise and adjust notification volumes appropriately. It seems that we’re no longer confined to the tiny screen of the watch for such tasks.
In a society in which notification after notification can feel like a tidal wave ready to crash down, this new addition lets users take back some of that under control and still be able to interact with their devices in a meaningful way. It’s a small change that could have a pretty significant impact on how people use their devices every day, all day. And with more people these days wearing a whole new range of what can only be called ornamental computing, this function seeks to really maximize the utility of a wearable.
Enhanced Smart Stack: Apple’s Most Proactive Assistant Yet
For a while now, the Smart Stack on the Apple Watch has been a great feature. But with watchOS 26, it’s gotten even more useful and intelligent. Smart Stack will now intelligently suggest apps and actions based on your behavior and location. For example, if you’re hiking in an area with no signal, the watch might recommend using the Backtrack feature to ensure you can find your way back. Similarly, it could prompt you to start a Pilates session as you approach your usual studio.
This is a really good customization level to get to.
Revolutionized Messaging: Real-Time Live Translation
watchOS 26 has taken a significant leap forward in communication by bringing real-time Live Translation to the Messages app. The feature, available on Series 9 and later, supports both incoming and outgoing text translations on your wrist and is paired with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone. No other tech company has brought real-time live language translation to a smartwatch.
Also, the app Messages come with smarter replies and actions. For example, it will suggest you start a Check In for your loved ones when you’re traveling. With all these changes, Apple is not just giving us a better tool for communication but is transforming the watch into a smart assistant for managing daily communications.
Source: Visualizing Information on Smartwatch Faces: A Review and Design Space, 2023
The Notes App Finally Arrives on Your Wrist
A highly sought feature by users, the complete Notes app is finally making its appearance on the Apple Watch in watchOS 26. This addition allows for not only access to, but also creation of, pinning, and checking off items in notes directly from the wrist. Be it a grocery list or an important reminder, the new Notes app on the Apple Watch will help to keep users organized without necessitating the use of an iPhone.
This attribute works in perfect harmony with Siri and dictation, bringing customers a task manager that can be used entirely hands-free. As the Apple Watch becomes a more common and intimate part of users’ lives, we expect that it will help them manage their lives so that they can live them uninterrupted, with more time available and less need to check in with all sorts of scheduling tools.
A Smarter Workout App: Tailored Music and Easy Access
Apple is completely overhauling the Workout app in watchOS 26. The new app layout features four corner buttons that give you speedy access to music controls and workout customizations. Plus, Apple Music is now suggesting personalized playlists to keep the beats coming and your body moving.
Apple is pushing users to stay engaged and motivated during their workouts by making the user interface more intuitive and integrating music that adapts to exercise routines. This combination of fitness tracking and personalized music offers a more immersive experience for all kinds of users.
Accessibility Improvements: Making the Watch More Inclusive
Apple’s devotion to accessibility proceeds apace with watchOS 26. The new version includes several features that better ensure the usability of the device for a wider range of people. One of the most compelling new features is the addition of live captions to the “Live Listen” experience on the watch. Live Listen is an accessibility feature on iOS that uses the iPhone’s microphone to pick up sound and send it to a paired set of AirPods. Properly captioning conversations in real time makes this feature far more effective for those who are hard of hearing. And you know what? Using it makes you look like you’re doing an impression of a hard-of-hearing sorcerer.
Also, notifications like Hold Assist let users know when a live agent joins a call they’re on hold for. Call Screening offers details about unknown callers before you answer. These very recent enhancements make the Apple Watch a more inclusive device—meaning everyone, regardless of their abilities, can benefit from using it.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about watchOS 26
- What new features does watchOS 26 bring to the Apple Watch?
watchOS 26 brings several new features and, by most reports, a nice overall update. The new features include new designs (“Liquid Glass”), an AI-powered personal trainer (“Workout Buddy”), and several significant updates to existing apps (reminders, smarter messaging, etc.). - Which Apple Watch models are compatible with watchOS 26?
watchOS 26 will be available to users of the Apple Watch Series 6 and later. That includes the second-generation Apple Watch SE and all Apple Watch Ultra models. The new features, including the AI-driven capabilities, also require an iPhone; those running iOS 16 will be able to take full advantage of watchOS 26. - How does the AI-powered “Workout Buddy” feature work?
The “Workout Buddy” serves as a personal cheerleader, rendering not just motivational messages but also messages rendered in a manner that makes them all the more motivational. The AI (virtual) omnipresence of the workout buddy really tracks your workout with a certain level of je ne sais quoi that makes it totally personalized. - What is the “Live Translation” feature in the Messages app?
The new Live Translation feature permits Apple Watch users to render in real time both incoming and outgoing messages when these watches are paired with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone. This feature has the potential to break down language barriers in real time, at least for the kind of text that one might send or receive in a watch-donning context. - What accessibility enhancements are included in watchOS 26?
watchOS 26 launches several fresh accessibility features, such as live captions through “Live Listen,” which shows text for the audio for users with hearing impairments. The update also brings “Hold Assist” and “Call Screening” to help users manage phone calls and notifications better. These features are designed to be helpful for all users, not just those with disabilities.
