All articles tagged with #watchos
watchOS 27.2 beta 2 reintroduces the App Switcher after it was removed earlier, adding a new gesture: long-press at the bottom of the screen inside an app to summon the switcher. Users can navigate with the Digital Crown or swipe to dismiss apps, though it remains uncertain if this interaction will be in the final release.
watchOS 27 adds a Siri app with saved chat history across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch, letting you reference past questions and continue conversations. On the Apple Watch, resuming chats isn’t obvious; you can invoke Siri while the chat is open in the Siri app to append your input to the thread. The feature requires compatible hardware and may be waitlisted, with launch tied to iOS 27 and new Apple Watch pre-orders for Series 12 and Ultra 4.
Apple warns that upgrading to the Apple Watch Series 12 or Ultra 4 may temporarily disable Hypertension Notifications in 33 regions while additional regulatory clearances are processed; users in the United States, UK, and EU aren’t affected, but others may lose the feature until approvals are granted as the new Health Sensing System requires regional regulatory clearance.
Apple announced that watchOS 27 will introduce a Siri Modular watch face that surfaces intelligent, context-aware content through a new Recaps system, reviving Siri on Apple Watch across all models when the update launches.
Apple is set to unveil an all-new Readiness app at its Surprise and Shine event, a watchOS variant of the Vitals health metrics tool that would display a daily readiness/recovery score to gauge how prepared you are for activity, aimed at competing with Whoop and Oura. The feature surfaced in watchOS 27 beta and is expected alongside the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4, with rumors of continuous heart-rate sensing on the new models.
In the WatchOS 27 public beta, Apple's new Siri AI outperforms the legacy Siri on the Apple Watch across real-world prompts (ferry times, buttermilk substitutes, World Cup details with stadiums) and even offers reminders; while promising, the beta is early and the full rollout is expected this fall.
Tom's Guide highlights five underrated Apple Watch features that will change daily use: enabling Noise to monitor environmental sound and protect hearing; using Walkie-Talkie for real-time voice messages; taking ECG readings for heart rhythm checks; browsing the web by sending a URL to yourself in Messages; and triggering the iPhone camera remotely with a double-tap gesture via Camera Remote.
The article outlines 10 essential Apple Watch features to enable for better health insights, customization, and daily convenience, including Sleep Focus, automatic Watch Face changes via Focus, pausing/customizing workouts, Type to Siri, refined notification permissions, Precision Finding with AirTag, customizable Control Center, Walkie-Talkie, and Apple Pay setup.
watchOS 27 introduces three Health-focused upgrades: Cycle Tracking can notify users about perimenopause and menopause patterns and offer related resources; Workout Buddy gains new insights, can run without an iPhone nearby, and adds Spanish language support; and indoor walk/run distance accuracy improves with better motion tracking, plus Health and Fitness step counts finally sync.
Apple releases iOS 27 beta 3 for developers, introducing Siri AI improvements and Apple Intelligence updates, plus UI tweaks like the Reminders icon and Settings indexing. watchOS 27 beta 3 adds a standalone Siri app, and macOS gets a Golden Gate wallpaper note. Supported devices remain iPhone 11 and newer, plus iPhone SE 2 and newer; a public beta is expected in July with the final release in September. Installation is via Settings > General > Software Update, and early betas are not recommended for primary devices due to bugs and performance issues.
watchOS 27 introduces a new one-tap gesture (touch index finger to thumb) to select a widget in the Smart Stack, complementing the existing double-tap and wrist flick, making navigation easier when your other hand is occupied.
Engadget highlights 10 lesser-known Apple Watch features you can set up in minutes, including Auto Unlock with a Mac, Backtrack in Compass, one-handed gestures (double-tap, wrist flick), Camera Remote for iPhone photos, Find My iPhone with flashlight, Walkie-Talkie, named timers, Apple Pay, Speak Time, and Digital Touch heartbeat sharing, to extend everyday usefulness and convenience.
watchOS 27 does not add a Liquid Glass slider for Apple Watch—unlike iPhone, Mac, and iPad—while still delivering subtle updates to Liquid Glass’s appearance on the watch. iOS 27 brings the translucency slider to other devices, but WatchOS sticks to a single default setting; the watchOS 27 beta is out (Apple Watch Ultra 3), with a public beta due in July ahead of a fall release.
If your Apple Watch freezes, start with a normal restart: press and hold the side button, tap the Power Off icon, and turn it back on after a few seconds. If the screen is unresponsive, perform a force restart by holding both the Digital Crown and the side button until the Apple logo appears (about 10 seconds). If issues persist, check for a watchOS software update in the Watch app on your iPhone (My Watch → General → Software Update) or unpair and re-pair the watch, choosing Restore from Backup to recover data. If problems continue, consider service.
watchOS 27 introduces two major features for Apple Watch: a standalone Siri app that offers an AI-powered, cross-device conversation history, and a unified Find My app that consolidates Find Devices, Find Items, and Find People into a single map-centric experience.