After weeks of beta testing, Apple has started rolling out watchOS 26.5 to the public. This update comes more than a month and a half after the release of watchOS 26.4, which included new emojis, single-tap workouts, and more.
In addition to new features, watchOS 26.5 is expected to bring more stability in performance and battery life for users running previous versions. According to Apple’s Release Notes, “This update includes the following enhancements and bug fixes:
- Pride Luminance watch face that dynamically refracts a spectrum of colors, is available to add from the Face Gallery
- Fixes an issue where Messages on Apple Watch may use SMS instead of iMessage when paired with a dual SIM iPhone
- Fixes an issue where Workout app audio alerts could fail to play if the phone was not nearby Apple Watch
For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website: https://support.apple.com/100100.” watchOS 26.5 is also expected to include security fixes, but Apple has not yet updated its security webpage to reflect the release of the new versions.
watchOS 26.5 is available to install on the following Apple Watch models:
- Apple Watch Series 11
- Apple Watch Series 10
- Apple Watch Series 9
- Apple Watch Series 8
- Apple Watch Series 7
- Apple Watch Series 6
- Apple Watch SE 3
- Apple Watch SE 2
- Apple Watch Ultra 3
- Apple Watch Ultra 2
- Apple Watch Ultra
Users can update their Apple Watch by going into the Watch App on their iPhone and navigating to My Watch>General>Software Update. The update requires your Apple Watch to be near your paired iPhone, connected to power, and have at least 50% Battery.
Are you excited to try out the new update? Let us know about your experience down in the comments or write to us at @appleosophy! Be sure to download the Appleosophy App from the App Store or visit our website to stay updated with the latest Apple news!
