I’ve been using watchOS 26 for months — and one feature alone makes the upgrade totally worth it

Features
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No, it’s not Liquid Glass

watchOS 26 logo on an Apple watch
(Image credit: Shutterstock/Apple)

I’ve been using watchOS 26 all summer, after downloading the public beta onto my watch, and sure, it came with its hiccups, but there’s one feature that made all the frozen Apple Watch screens worth it. And that’s the overhaul of the Workout app on Apple Watch.

It’s funny how quickly we get used to these changes, but as watchOS 26 rolls out this week, I’m reminded of just how clunky the old Workout app seems. The new system puts the workouts you do the most at the front and center of your watch, making it easier than ever to start a workout.

The Workout app gets a redesign

the workout app on watchOS 26

(Image credit: Future)

Once you’ve downloaded watchOS 26 onto one of the best Apple Watches, you’ll notice the new and improved Workout app layout. There are now four corner buttons, making it less clunky to access features like Pacer, Race Route, and build Custom Workouts. There’s also an easy way to turn on Workout Buddy, Apple’s new AI coach that offers words of encouragement during workouts.

You can find out what happened when I ran 15 miles with Workout Buddy, but while it’s not a feature I’d activate on every run, I appreciate the new layout.

The Notes app is also pretty cool

Apple Watch Series 10 close-up on a user's wrist showing the different options within the Apple Watch Notes app, launched with watchOS 26

(Image credit: Dan Bracaglia/Tom's Guide)

If, like me, you use your iPhone's Notes app for just about everything (hi, I have the memory of a goldfish), you’ll be as thrilled as I was to notice watchOS 26 will quietly add your notes to your wrist. It’s amazing it’s taken this long, but it’s here.

There’s one little catch — you can view all your current notes from your iPhone and Mac on your Apple Watch, but you can’t edit them. You can, however, start a new note on your Apple Watch and use that teeny tiny keyboard, or dictation, to fill it.

Oh, did I mention sleep score

Apple Watch Series 11

(Image credit: Future)

This isn’t a feature I’ve been using since the summer, as it wasn’t available on the Beta, but it’s one I’ve been asking about for years. Your Apple Watch finally gets a sleep score with watchOS 26, giving you an instant overview of how well you slept. I’ve been using it for a week, and while Apple definitely leans on the side of optimistic, it’s a great addition to the sleep tracking features on the watch.

As well as all of these features, you’ll also get some new Apple Watch faces on watchOS 26 — my colleague Nick has tested all of them, and picked his favorite here.

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Jane McGuire
Jane McGuire
Fitness editor

Jane McGuire is Tom's Guide's Fitness editor, which means she looks after everything fitness related - from running gear to yoga mats. An avid runner, Jane has tested and reviewed fitness products for the past five years, so knows what to look for when finding a good running watch or a pair of shorts with pockets big enough for your smartphone. When she's not pounding the pavements, you'll find Jane striding round the Surrey Hills, taking far too many photos of her puppy. 

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