While not the star of the show in WWDC 25, Apple Watches are a popular product in the company’s portfolio. If you own one, you may be wondering whether it will get the latest software update. Well, we have good news: the official watchOS 26 compatibility list has just arrived. And, in even better news, no Apple Watch model has been dropped. Check the complete list below.
watchOS 26 Compatibility List: All Models That Support the New Version
As stated above, all models compatible with watchOS 11 will also get watchOS 26. If you’re not sure if this includes your unit, here are all the watchOS 26-supported models:
- Apple Watch Series: Series 6 or newer
- Apple Watch SE: only the SE 2
- Apple Watch Ultra: all models
watchOS 26 has a new iOS Requirement
Like all watchOS updates, it’s important to remember that watchOS 26 also bumps the iOS requirement for the paired iPhone. To update your Apple Watch and use it, you’ll need an iPhone running iOS 26. You can check our full iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 compatibility list to make sure you have a supported model.
When Will watchOS 26 Be Released?
Apple usually releases all its OS updates on the same day. The final versions will come in the Fall, alongside new iPhone models, around mid-September. This year, a solid bet is September 15, since updates are, most of the time, released on Mondays.
watchOS 26 Developer Beta
Now, the above is valid for the final build only. If you want to check the new watchOS 26 features right now, there’s a way to do that. Here’s how:
Time needed: 2 minutes
- Register yourself in the Apple Developer Program. It’s free, and you can do that with your regular Apple Account.
- After doing the above, update your iPhone to the iOS 26 Developer Beta. You won’t be able to update your Apple Watch to an older iOS version.
- With your iPhone updated, you’ll be able to install the watchOS 26 Developer Beta on your Apple Watch.
There’s a lot more to see about today’s announcements. You can check, for instance, all the new features in iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 — and the supported models. We have a list of novelties for macOS 26 Tahoe as well, and a list of Macs the new version supports. Finally, there are all the details about watchOS 26 and tvOS 26, alongside the compatible devices.