watchOS 6 for Apple Watch is now available to download

Posted:
in Apple Watch edited July 2020
Apple's milestone watchOS 6 update is now available for Apple Watch users to install following the nearly four-month-long beta process.

Apple Watch and watchOS 6
Apple Watch and watchOS 6


Apple Watch is getting a substantial update starting today with the availability of watchOS 6, which brings several new features to Apple's wrist-worn computer, including Apple Watch Series 5

New features inbound

Among the changes in store for users is a smattering of new watch faces and complications. New faces including Solar Dial, Modular Compact, Gradient, California, Numerals Duo, and Numerals Mono. Several existing watch faces were also updated with new design elements.






Quite a few new complications were also made available to users.

For the first time, Apple is bringing the App Store to the Apple Watch, no longer relying on the iPhone. Users can browse and install apps directly from their wrists.

Speaking of apps, new to Apple Watch is Apple's own Audiobooks app, Calculator, Voice Memos, Noise and Cycle. Reminders was redesigned too.

Cycle tracking on Apple Watch
Cycle tracking on Apple Watch


Cycle is a new enhancement altogether. Users can track their cycle right from Apple Watch thanks to the new Cycle app and intuitive notifications which is all synced to the accompanying Health app on iPhone with iOS 13.

Noise is a new app and complication that for the first time focuses on hearing health. It monitors the ambient noise around the user and will track the exposure to loud noises. If the surrounding audio reaches a too high decibel for too long a notification can be triggered as a warning.

Continuing its focus on health, watchOS is bringing Activity trends. These trends let users know how their health goals are doing long term over several months including exercise, stand minutes, distance, and more. Apple Watch is also now able to review previous workouts.

The new Modular Compact watch face on Apple Watch with watchOS 6
The new Modular Compact watch face on Apple Watch with watchOS 6


During its annual iPhone event, Apple also debuted other new features including sleep tracking. This includes a new Sleep app which will monitor movement and noise while sleeping to give the user a sleep quality score.

It will remind users to charge their watch before bed to prevent the battery dying and will disable the alarm if the user wakes before a scheduled alarm is set to go off.

How to get watchOS 6

As usual, the update requires at least 50% battery life to install as well as an iPhone with iOS 13 or later. Apple Watch Series 1, Series 2, Series 3, Series 4 and Series 5 are all supported by watchOS 6 though some features may be limited to the newer models.

To update Apple Watch, users should place Apple Watch on a charger and launch the Watch app on their iPhone. From there, Head to General > Software Update.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 77
    is this only for certain users?  not showing for me (series 4)
    alphafoxchaickawatto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 77
    Not showing an update for me, I’m on 13.1 beta so not sure if that matters. 
  • Reply 3 of 77
    is this only for certain users?  not showing for me (series 4)
    I’m on a series 4 as well. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 77
    is this only for certain users?  not showing for me (series 4)
    Not showing up for me either (series 4)
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 77
    alphafox said:
    Not showing an update for me, I’m on 13.1 beta so not sure if that matters. 
    sometimes it helped to remove the beta profile. but did that and no result yet... maybe they are rolling out slowly... beta 13.1 on my iPhone, waiting to update series 4
    chaickaalphafoxwatto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 77
    Same here, iPhone on 13.1 with Series 4, no update available yet
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 77
    Just hope it is not the case like earlier beta which I had to wait for next beta version before getting the ECG feature which launched with 5.3.1 and it was unavailable for updating my Apple Watch series 4 simply because I was on iOS 13.0 Public Beta.
  • Reply 8 of 77
    Not available here either. I’m EST - perhaps we have to wait 3 hours?!  iOS 13.1 on my iPhone - watch also series 4. 
  • Reply 9 of 77
    auxioauxio Posts: 2,717member
    I don't see it either.  My guess is that they're doing a staged rollout (possibly by region) to reduce server load.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 77
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Nope, not available to me yet either. 5.3.1 is “up to date”. Maybe later today. Oh, and yes, I upgraded to 13.0 first. Taking the risk with all of the bugs, which I usually don’t like to do on my phone.
    edited September 2019 watto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 77
    I have a Series 4 watch but an iPhone 6, which doesn't support iOS 13.  How will I update my watch?
    ivanhwatto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 77
    My series 0 is getting no update love...   :|
    mdriftmeyerGeorgeBMac
  • Reply 13 of 77
    I have a Series 4 watch but an iPhone 6, which doesn't support iOS 13.  How will I update my watch?
    Per Apple:
    watchOS 6 requires iPhone 6s or later with iOS 13 or later, and one of the following Apple Watch models:

    gregoriusmracerhomie3lolliverwatto_cobra
  • Reply 14 of 77
    plype11 said:
    Same here, iPhone on 13.1 with Series 4, no update available yet
    Me too and three
  • Reply 15 of 77
    Finally showed up for me
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 16 of 77
    It’s available now
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 17 of 77
    Just got the update shown - downloading now... :-)
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 18 of 77
    I checked three times before it showed up. The initial time remaining is 1 day, lol. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 19 of 77
    Its here guys, downloading now,,,,it says it will take 6 hours hahahahahaha
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 20 of 77
    The update for my series 4 just came through!
    forgot usernamewatto_cobra
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