If you watched Apple’s WWDC keynote in June, you probably remember the headline features in watchOS 26, such as the AI-powered Workout Buddy and Liquid Glass redesign. But you might not have realized that there’s actually far more to this software update than these showy new additions.
In fact, watchOS 26 is packed with a slew interesting updates, from clever widgets to new ways to enjoy your favorite photos. Here, we’ve picked out eight of our favorite little-known tweaks that you’ll want to rush to try in watchOS 26.
Love the Smart Stack on your Apple Watch? With watchOS 26, you now get even more options to customize it to your liking. For example, you can drill down into individual apps and decide which aspects of them show up as Smart Stack prompts, such as home electricity usage and suggested controls in the Home app.
This isn’t just limited to Apple’s own apps – third-party apps now benefit from these customizable controls as well. The result is a much more configurable Smart Stack that shows you what you need, when you need it.
Apple
Live Listen transcription
Live Listen is a handy feature if you’re deaf or hard of hearing. The way it works is simple: You use your iPhone as a microphone to pick up the conversations around you that you might struggle to hear, and your device then transcribes what is said and displays it on your screen.
With watchOS 26, your Apple Watch comes into play. Transcriptions created by your iPhone can now be sent to your Apple Watch, giving you a quick way to follow what’s being said, right on your wrist. These transcriptions appear in real time on your Watch, and you can use your device to start or stop transcriptions if needed.
Redesigned watch face gallery
There are a lot of great options out there for your Apple Watch face, but finding the right one isn’t always easy and most people just end up sticking with the same one for months on end. In watchOS 26, Apple is hoping to make the process a little simpler with watchOS 26.
That’s because the software update features a redesigned watch face gallery. Faces are now organized into categories and collections, such as Health and Fitness, Photos, Data Rich, and more. That should reduce some of the scrolling required to find your desired face and help people get the most of of the endless customization options available..
Featured photos shuffle
The Photos face has long been a good way to see your favorite pictures on your Watch, whether that’s via an album, an important person in your life, a city you love, or just some digital artwork you . Now in watchOS 26, the Photos face has gained a new feature.
Specifically, the Photos watch face can now shuffle through your featured content. You can stick with the images that your Watch selects automatically or pick and choose the featured photos you want to see. Either way, it’s a new option for surfacing your best snaps and fondest memories on your Watch.
Apple
Automatic volume adjustment
Getting a loud alert on your Watch at an inopportune moment can come across as rude, and many users silence their Apple Watches for this very reason. But you’re not compelled to do that anymore, as watchOS 26 now comes with a smart volume feature that allows you to hear your notifications without disturbing anyone else.
With the latest update, your Apple Watch’s volume will be automatically adjusted based on your surroundings. If you’re in a silent library, it’ll dial things down; step out into a busy marketplace and the volume is increased so you don’t miss an alert.
This affects incoming calls, notifications and Siri interactions. Your Apple Watch detects the surrounding noise levels through its microphone, but no audio is saved or recorded.
Notes
The Apple Watch might not be the most obvious place to find the Notes app, and perhaps that’s why Apple delayed bringing it to its wearable for so long. But whatever the cause, watchOS 26 has put things right—once you install the update, you’ll find Notes right there on your wrist.
Perhaps the most relevant use for this is viewing your existing notes, but you can also create new ones by launching the app on your Watch or tell Siri to whip up a new note using your voice. That’s handy for jotting down something important when your phone isn’t to hand (or you just want to get it done quickly).
Smart actions
One of the benefits of Apple’s machine learning tech is it can surface useful features at just the right moment. That’s true in watchOS 26, and its range of new smart actions should help save you a few taps throughout your day.
Most notably, you’ll find it at work in the Messages app based on conversational cues. For instance, if a friend texts to asks where you are, you’ll see a prompt to share your location using the Find My app.
You’ll find these smart actions elsewhere, too, and they integrate into the Smart Stack. If you usually start a specific workout at a certain time of day or location, a small prompt will appear at the bottom of your Watch face letting you quickly get started. You might see a suggestion to start Backtrack if you’re off the grid, too.
Apple
Suggested music and podcasts for workouts
When you’re working out, it’s often a good idea to listen along to an inspiring podcast or a music playlist that gets you in the zone. Instead of wasting time scrolling through your apps, you can now hand the process over to your Watch.
You’ll find a redesigned workout screen in watchOS 26, and this features a new button in the bottom-left corner that allows Apple Music to select an appropriate playlist for you. Alternatively, you can choose your own media, and doing so will bring up a list of suggested playlists based on what you’ve already been listening to while performing your chosen workout. With just the right content at your fingertips, you can get back to focusing on your exercise goals and closing your rings.
