watchOS 26.1 final update for Apple Watch is now available for download and install. Here’s everything new according to Apple.
Apple Releases watchOS 26.1 Update for Apple Watch, Download Now with Important Bug Fixes
Apple Watch updates might not feel that exciting, but they ensure that those notifications and sleep tracking routines keep running in the background as smoothly as possible. watchOS 26.1 ensures that as well.
Though the watchOS 26.1 RC update was released a week ago, but that was for developers and public beta testers only. Today, the update is available to download for all Apple Watch users around the world.
According to Apple, here’s everything new in this update, and it’s definitely not much:
This update includes improvements and bug fixes.
With that out of the way, let’s talk about installing watchOS 26.1 itself. There’s only one way to do it, and that’s over the air. In order to get started, make sure you place your Apple Watch on its magnetic charger, launch the Watch app on your iPhone, and then go to General > Software Update.
As soon as you see the watchOS 26.1 update, tap on the Download and Install button. The update will start to download and will eventually be installed on your Apple Watch.
Apple says the new software update has the following build number: 23S37
Do keep in mind that the whole thing may take a while. Therefore, it is recommended that you install the update overnight when you place your iPhone and Apple Watch on charge, so that you wake up to a fresh installation of watchOS 26.1 in the morning.
Once you update to watchOS 26.1, you cannot downgrade back to the older firmware version no matter what you did. That’s how Apple Watch software updates work, and I don’t see any reason why Apple might change a thing about it in the future.
