Apple's watchOS 26 releases September 15: Check new health features
What's the story
Apple has announced the official release date for its latest watchOS 26 operating system. The update will be available from September 15, bringing a host of new health features and improvements to users. The highlight of the upcoming update is a new wrist flick gesture for quickly dismissing calls and alarms on your Apple Watch.
Feature highlight
Wrist flick gesture for quick actions
The wrist flick gesture, first introduced at WWDC 2025, will be exclusive to Apple Watch Series 9 and later models. By simply flicking their watch away and back again, users can easily dismiss incoming calls/notifications, silence timers/alarms or return to their watch face. This feature is aimed at making the user experience more seamless by providing a quick way to manage notifications.
New additions
Workout Buddy and Notes app integration
The upcoming watchOS 26 update will also introduce a new feature called Workout Buddy. Powered by Apple Intelligence, this tool uses your health data and recent physical activity to provide personalized insights. It can tell you how close you are to a specific goal or if you've set a personal record. The update will also bring the Notes app to Apple Watch, letting users create new notes, pin existing ones, or check off entries on a list.
Design update
Design overhaul with Liquid Glass language
Along with new features, watchOS 26 will also bring a design update to Apple Watch. The device will sport Apple's new Liquid Glass design language, giving a transparent look to many UI elements like widgets, notifications, Control Center and even watch faces. This move is part of Apple's effort to give its products a modern and sleek look while improving user experience.
New health features
watchOS 26 to bring hypertension alerts and sleep score
A standout addition is the hypertension notification feature, which utilizes the optical heart sensor to assess blood vessel responses over 30 days. This tool, yet to be approved by FDA, alerts users to potential high blood pressure, enabling early detection and management. The latest OS also brings Sleep Score. The feature evaluates sleep quality by analyzing heart rate, wrist temperature, blood oxygen levels, and respiratory data.