Apple released watchOS 27 on September 14. The features and changes aren’t limited to owners of the new Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 models. If you have an Apple Watch model that supports the latest update, here are 12 features and changes to check out after installation.
To do this, open the Watch app on your iPhone, then tap General ➝ Software Update, attach your watch to a charger, and follow the on-screen prompts.
Discover the dedicated Siri application
Siri has finally caught up with the AI revolution and, in addition to having contextual awareness, it now has its own app that collects every conversation in a single view and syncs them privately across your devices via iCloud. Just ask something on your iPhone and you’ll be able to resume the thread on your Apple Watch, as well as pin conversations worth keeping, or even start a new chat right from your wrist.
Try the Siri Modular Watch Face
The new Siri watch face is genuinely useful. Its rectangular complication shows you everything at the top of your Smart Stack and automatically updates throughout the day based on time, location, and other factors.
The dynamic application grid
Pressing the Digital Crown no longer produces the default honeycomb app view. Now, watchOS 27 displays a dynamic grid consisting of suggested apps, your most used apps, and your most recently used apps. The Siri app is in the middle, but the alphabetical list is still available: just turn the Digital Crown to cycle through all your apps.
New pressure gesture
Apple added a third gesture to Double Tap and Wrist Flick. The new one is simply called Tap. A simple tap of your index finger and thumb opens the highlighted widget in the Smart Stack. You can still navigate the Smart Stack with Double Tap and dismiss notifications with Wrist Flick.
The walkie-talkie has been removed
The walkie-talkie is missing, and not just hidden. The app is not available after updating to watchOS 27 and cannot be reinstalled from the App Store. You can keep the app by staying on watchOS 26, but you won’t be able to start a conversation with a contact who has updated.
Live rewind (not yet)
This is the change most likely to surprise people. In watchOS 26 and earlier, double-tapping the Digital Crown opens the app switcher, where you can go back to the previous app, scroll through recent apps, and swipe to force stop anything that’s misbehaving.
This has changed in watchOS 27, in which a double tap instead shows the new dynamic App Grid. The gesture was reserved for Live Rewind, an upcoming feature (exclusive to Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4) which produces a transcription of the last fifteen seconds of speech in your environment.
Fortunately, the App Switcher will still be available when watchOS 27.2 releases later this year, but it will open with a different gesture. If you’re already using the latest beta, simply long-press the bottom of the app you’re in, and it should open the App Switcher.
Find My is now an app
Find Devices, Find Items, and Find People have been consolidated into a single Find My app with a map-centric layout that also includes shortcuts for directions and nearby items.
Workout Buddy no longer needs your iPhone
Introduced in watchOS 26, Workout Buddy previously required your iPhone to be in range. In watchOS 27, your Apple Watch can run it if Wi-Fi or cellular is available. It also draws new information from your workout history, tracking incremental gains in pace, distance and workout duration, and it now speaks Spanish and English.
New cycle tracking features
Cycle tracking in the Health app can now alert you if your recorded patterns suggest perimenopause, alongside symptom tracking and educational materials. Notifications are based only on your saved cycle history and apply to users aged 40 and over. Apple says this feature is not a method of birth control or a diagnosis.
The distance on the treadmill is more precise
In watchOS 27, new machine-learning motion algorithms more accurately measure distance for indoor runs and walks, and Apple says the improvement starts from the first step, instead of settling in after a few minutes. Fitness route maps are also more accurate and step counts finally stay in sync between the Fitness and Health apps.
The Smart Stack has more to say
Smart Stack’s contextual suggestions are now much smarter. Some examples provided by Apple include new widgets showing the location of your parked car, the birthday of a close contact, a change in your transit card balance, the Noise app immediately after a sound alert, a reminder that Theater mode is always on, pinned messages, celebrations and ID cards.
New models receive a step counter
On Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4, the redesigned pedometer design and S11 chip allow watchOS 27 to provide more accurate step counts. There’s also a new Steps complication on the latest models to track your steps in real time, directly from your watch face. Will we see this feature coming to older devices? Your guess is as good as ours.
