{"id":302864,"date":"2025-07-30T03:19:40","date_gmt":"2025-07-30T03:19:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/302864\/"},"modified":"2025-07-30T03:19:40","modified_gmt":"2025-07-30T03:19:40","slug":"how-to-upgrade-your-apple-watch-to-watchos-26-beta","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/302864\/","title":{"rendered":"How to upgrade your Apple Watch to watchOS 26 beta"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>watchOS 26 is officially available for public download, meaning you can check out Apple&#8217;s next-generation software right now on your own <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/tag\/apple-watch\" data-auto-tag-linker=\"true\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/tag\/apple-watch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Apple Watch<\/a>. I&#8217;ll walk you through the process in eight easy steps.<\/p>\n<p>All in, the installation took roughly 45 minutes from start to finish, but your mileage may vary.<\/p>\n<p>What makes watchOS 26 so exciting? From an updated &#8220;Liquid Glass&#8221; interface design to personalized workout tools and the inclusion of Apple&#8217;s Notes app (finally), there are lots of <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/wellness\/smartwatches\/watchos-26-preview-5-new-apple-watch-features-i-cant-wait-to-try\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/wellness\/smartwatches\/watchos-26-preview-5-new-apple-watch-features-i-cant-wait-to-try\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">watchOS 26 features I can&#8217;t wait to try<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>You may like<\/p>\n<p>Which Apple Watch models are eligible for watchOS 26? <\/p>\n<p>But first, is your Apple Watch watchOS 26 beta eligible? Below are the models that can be upgraded to the latest beta software:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Apple Watch Series 6<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Apple Watch Series 7<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Apple Watch Series 8<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Apple Watch Series 9<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Apple Watch Series 10<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Apple Watch SE (2022)<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Apple Watch Ultra<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Apple Watch Ultra 2<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>How to install watchOS 26 beta on your Apple Watch<\/p>\n<ol start=\"1\">\n<li><strong>Download and install iOS 26 beta on your iPhone (available for iPhone 11 models and newer)<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Open the Watch app on your iPhone and select &#8220;beta updates&#8221;<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Tap &#8220;download and install&#8221; watchOS 26 beta<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Enter your pass code and agree to Apple&#8217;s terms<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Wait for the beta software to download; it takes ~35 minutes<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Connect your Apple Watch to a charger and tap &#8220;Install&#8221;<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Wait for the beta software to install on your watch; it takes ~10 minutes<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Tap &#8220;Start&#8221; and take an optional tour of the updated user interface<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Read on to see full illustrated instructions for each step. <\/p>\n<p>1. Download and install iOS 26 beta on your iPhone<\/p>\n<p class=\"bordeaux-image-check\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/SDsVUgCDtL93VhJVb8dV93.jpg\" alt=\"Apple Watch 10 next to an iPhone 12 Mini with a screen informing the user that iOS 26 beta has been successfully installed \" class=\"expandable van-old-layout-image\"   loading=\"lazy\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/SDsVUgCDtL93VhJVb8dV93.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/SDsVUgCDtL93VhJVb8dV93.jpg\"\/>\n<\/p>\n<p>(Image: \u00a9 Dan Bracaglia\/Tom&#8217;s Guide)<\/p>\n<p>To download and install watchOS 26 on your compatible Apple Watch, you&#8217;ll first need to <strong>download and install the <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/live\/ios-26-public-beta-live-liquid-glass-new-iphone-features-and-latest-updates\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/live\/ios-26-public-beta-live-liquid-glass-new-iphone-features-and-latest-updates\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>iOS 26 public beta<\/strong><\/a><strong> on your compatible iPhone<\/strong>. iPhone 11 and newer are eligible for the install. I performed it on my iPhone 12 Mini without issue. <\/p>\n<p>Need more help? Here&#8217;s our step-by-step <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/iphones\/how-to-download-the-ios-26-public-beta-follow-these-steps\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/iphones\/how-to-download-the-ios-26-public-beta-follow-these-steps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">guide to installing iOS 26 beta<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>2. Open the Watch app on your iPhone and select &#8220;beta updates&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"bordeaux-image-check\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pJ9i4jFFj3RdV6GknkZW53.jpg\" alt=\"Close-up of the installation process for watchOS 26 showing an Apple Watch Series 10 and iPhone 12 Mini\" class=\"expandable van-old-layout-image\"   loading=\"lazy\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pJ9i4jFFj3RdV6GknkZW53.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pJ9i4jFFj3RdV6GknkZW53.jpg\"\/>\n<\/p>\n<p>(Image: \u00a9 Dan Bracaglia\/Tom&#8217;s Guide)<\/p>\n<p>Once you&#8217;ve upgraded to the iOS 26 beta on your iPhone, <strong>open the Watch app, scroll down, and tap General,<\/strong> followed by <strong>Software Updates.<\/strong> Next, select <strong>Beta Updates.<\/strong> On the next screen, <strong>tap to the right of &#8220;watchOS 26 public beta update.&#8221;<\/strong> This should place a yellow checkmark next to it. <\/p>\n<p>Now, <strong>tap the back button in the upper left<\/strong>. This will cause the Watch app to return to the prior screen and start checking for updates. <\/p>\n<p>3. Tap Download and Install watchOS 26 beta<\/p>\n<p class=\"bordeaux-image-check\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/3xMRB2evvCbopzBMkRKmT3.jpg\" alt=\"Close-up of the installation process for watchOS 26 showing an Apple Watch Series 10 and iPhone 12 Mini\" class=\"expandable van-old-layout-image\"   loading=\"lazy\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/3xMRB2evvCbopzBMkRKmT3.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/3xMRB2evvCbopzBMkRKmT3.jpg\"\/>\n<\/p>\n<p>(Image: \u00a9 Dan Bracaglia\/Tom&#8217;s Guide)<\/p>\n<p>The <strong>watchOS 26 Beta download screen should appear<\/strong> on the screen after a few seconds. Once it does, go ahead and <strong>tap Download and Install.<\/strong> <\/p>\n<p>4. Enter your pass code and agree to Apple&#8217;s terms<\/p>\n<p class=\"bordeaux-image-check\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/o2eQN52PpaKFN7eTF8hqU3.jpg\" alt=\"Close-up of the installation process for watchOS 26 showing an Apple Watch Series 10 and iPhone 12 Mini\" class=\"expandable van-old-layout-image\"   loading=\"lazy\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/o2eQN52PpaKFN7eTF8hqU3.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/o2eQN52PpaKFN7eTF8hqU3.jpg\"\/>\n<\/p>\n<p>(Image: \u00a9 Dan Bracaglia\/Tom&#8217;s Guide)<\/p>\n<p>You&#8217;ll next be prompted to <strong>enter your passcode<\/strong>, if applicable, to confirm the download. Once entered, you&#8217;ll be presented a lengthy set of Terms and Conditions. Read them if you like, or simply <strong>tap &#8220;agree&#8221;<\/strong> to get things started.<\/p>\n<p>5. Make some coffee while the beta software downloads<\/p>\n<p class=\"bordeaux-image-check\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/RFjQeum6yuuinNtjKPcsS3.jpg\" alt=\"Close-up of the installation process for watchOS 26 showing an Apple Watch Series 10 and iPhone 12 Mini\" class=\"expandable van-old-layout-image\"   loading=\"lazy\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/RFjQeum6yuuinNtjKPcsS3.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/RFjQeum6yuuinNtjKPcsS3.jpg\"\/>\n<\/p>\n<p>(Image: \u00a9 Dan Bracaglia\/Tom&#8217;s Guide)<\/p>\n<p>And now, prepare to <strong>wait for the watchOS 26 beta download<\/strong> to complete. Feel free to go make a cup of coffee, take the dog for a walk, or have a hot bath. <\/p>\n<p>The 2.6 GB software update took roughly 35 minutes to finish. <strong>Note: Make sure you&#8217;ve got a healthy Internet connection<\/strong> before starting the download; I did, and it still took that long.<\/p>\n<p>6. Connect your Apple Watch to a charger and tap Install on your iPhone<\/p>\n<p class=\"bordeaux-image-check\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/qx5wRho3mJLELg7ng9RGD3.jpg\" alt=\"Close-up of the installation process for watchOS 26 showing an Apple Watch Series 10 and iPhone 12 Mini\" class=\"expandable van-old-layout-image\"   loading=\"lazy\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/qx5wRho3mJLELg7ng9RGD3.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/qx5wRho3mJLELg7ng9RGD3.jpg\"\/>\n<\/p>\n<p>(Image: \u00a9 Dan Bracaglia\/Tom&#8217;s Guide)<\/p>\n<p>Once downloaded to your device, it&#8217;s now time to get watchOS 26 beta installed on your Apple Watch, but first, <strong>make sure your watch is plugged into a charger and has at least 50% battery<\/strong>. <\/p>\n<p>If you&#8217;re good on the charging front, it&#8217;s time to <strong>tap Install on your iPhone&#8217;s screen<\/strong>. This will cause your Apple Watch to restart and begin the update. <\/p>\n<p>7. Wait for the beta to finish installing on your watch<\/p>\n<p class=\"bordeaux-image-check\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2qfwkAgT8tdNhaZLkjGeN3.jpg\" alt=\"Close-up of the installation process for watchOS 26 showing an Apple Watch Series 10 and iPhone 12 Mini\" class=\"expandable van-old-layout-image\"   loading=\"lazy\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2qfwkAgT8tdNhaZLkjGeN3.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2qfwkAgT8tdNhaZLkjGeN3.jpg\"\/>\n<\/p>\n<p>(Image: \u00a9 Dan Bracaglia\/Tom&#8217;s Guide)<\/p>\n<p>It took about seven minutes for watchOS 26 beta to install on my Apple Watch Series 10. As you wait, <strong>pay attention to the circular progress bar<\/strong> around the Apple logo. Once fully filled in, the watch will go black, before you&#8217;re greeted with&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>8. Tap Start and take an optional tour of the updated user interface<\/p>\n<p class=\"bordeaux-image-check\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Bxao2xF8HakJWHW334ZSL3.jpg\" alt=\"Close-up of the installation process for watchOS 26 showing an Apple Watch Series 10 and iPhone 12 Mini\" class=\"expandable van-old-layout-image\"   loading=\"lazy\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Bxao2xF8HakJWHW334ZSL3.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Bxao2xF8HakJWHW334ZSL3.jpg\"\/>\n<\/p>\n<p>(Image: \u00a9 Dan Bracaglia\/Tom&#8217;s Guide)<\/p>\n<p>&#8230; a welcome screen! Go ahead and<strong> tap Start to take your first dive into watchOS 26 beta<\/strong>. On the following screen, you can choose to <strong>take a quick tour of the updated interface<\/strong>, though the buttons and gestures largely remain the same as before. <\/p>\n<p>If you do choose to take the tour, <strong>follow the button and swiping prompts<\/strong> for a refresher on basic Apple Watch navigation. <\/p>\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\" style=\"padding-top:56.27%;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/DsdFeUKgzRdKPhQfzngrxP.png\" alt=\"Apple Watch Series 10\"   loading=\"lazy\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/DsdFeUKgzRdKPhQfzngrxP.png\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/DsdFeUKgzRdKPhQfzngrxP.png\"\/><\/p>\n<p>(Image credit: Future)<\/p>\n<p>And with that, you&#8217;ve now got the latest beta software for your Apple Watch fully installed, which means it&#8217;s time to poke around and experiment with all the new watchOS 26 beta features and design elements, including the new Wrist Flick gesture and live message translations.<\/p>\n<p>Expect more how-tos in the coming days on many of these features, in particular, <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/wellness\/smartwatches\/watchos-26-announced-workout-buddy-and-all-the-new-features-for-your-apple-watch\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/wellness\/smartwatches\/watchos-26-announced-workout-buddy-and-all-the-new-features-for-your-apple-watch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Apple&#8217;s new Workout Buddy<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"newsletter-form__strapline\">Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.<\/p>\n<p>Until then, here are some other handy things you can do with your Apple Watch thanks to the last major software rollout, including <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/wellness\/smartwatches\/how-to-pause-activity-rings-on-your-apple-watch\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/wellness\/smartwatches\/how-to-pause-activity-rings-on-your-apple-watch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">pausing your Apple Watch Activity Rings<\/a>, <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/wellness\/smartwatches\/How-to-use-Apple-Watch-Translate-app-in-watchOS\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/wellness\/smartwatches\/How-to-use-Apple-Watch-Translate-app-in-watchOS\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">translating languages from your wrist<\/a>, and <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/wellness\/smartwatches\/apples-new-tool-for-surfers-and-ocean-lovers-is-free-on-your-apple-watch-heres-how-to-use-it\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/wellness\/smartwatches\/apples-new-tool-for-surfers-and-ocean-lovers-is-free-on-your-apple-watch-heres-how-to-use-it\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">global tides tracking<\/a> for my ocean-lovers.<\/p>\n<p>More from Tom&#8217;s Guide<\/p>\n<p>Today&#8217;s best Apple Watch Ultra 2 and  Apple Watch Series 10 deals<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"watchOS 26 is officially available for public download, meaning you can check out Apple&#8217;s next-generation software right now&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":302865,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3160],"tags":[1685,53,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-302864","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-gadgets","8":"tag-gadgets","9":"tag-technology","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114940029832901311","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/302864","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=302864"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/302864\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/302865"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=302864"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=302864"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=302864"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}