Apple has just dropped the much-awaited watchOS 26 public beta. Two days back, Apple released the fourth beta of watchOS 26 for developers, and it appears it’s suitable for public beta testers. Here’s how you can install and upgrade your Apple Watch to the watchOS 26 public beta.
Apple plants the new firmware on eligible watches with the 23R5317g build number, the same build as the third beta. If you are upgrading your watch from watchOS 11, then the update requires a big chunk of data for download. It requires more than 1GB of data for installation.
In terms of availability, watchOS 26 is available for free for Apple Watch Series 6 and newer models. Keep in mind that this is the first watchOS 26 public beta, which means you could face some bugs and issues. Just like every year, once you upgrade your Apple Watch to watchOS 26, there’s no way to go back to watchOS 11.
Talking about features, Apple brings several new upgrades to the Apple Watch, starting with the Liquid Glass design elements, Apple Intelligence-powered Workout Buddy, improved smart stack, messages, and more.
watchOS 26 Public Beta
How to Install watchOS 26 Public Beta
If you want to install the watchOS 26 public beta on your Apple Watch, you need to sign up for Apple’s public beta testing program, by visiting this page. If you are already a beta tester, you can follow the below steps to install the public beta on your watch. Before moving ahead, Make sure to update your iPhone to iOS 26 Public Beta.
- Open the Watch app on your iPhone.
- Tap General > Software Update.
- Select Beta Updates and enable watchOS 26 Public Beta option.
- Go back and download the public beta of watchOS 26.
- That’s it.
Make sure that your Apple Watch is charged at least 50% and connected to a WiFi network.
Now the watchOS 26 public beta update will download and transfer to your Apple Watch. And after the completion of the installation process, your watch will restart. Once all done, you can start using your Apple Watch.
Related Articles:
