The watchOS 11 software update will be available to install starting September 16. This means that anyone with a compatible Apple Watch will be able to take advantage of all the new features Apple originally announced at WWDC 2024 – even if you don’t buy an Apple Watch Series 10.
To use watchOS 11, you must first have iOS 18 installed on your iPhone. You should also make sure your Apple Watch meets the watchOS 11 compatibility requirements. Owners of an Apple Watch Series 6 or later (including the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2) can download watchOS 11. Once you’ve installed the software, you can start taking advantage of the Apple Watch’s new features.
This includes sleep apnea detection for owners of Apple Watch Series 9 and newer. Just in time for the release of watchOS 11, the FDA has cleared the feature, so owners of a compatible watch can immediately set up sleep apnea notifications.
But where else should you start? There are over a dozen changes and new features in watchOS 11, so these are the best features to check out first.
Watch on
Create a new photo watch face
In watchOS 11, you’ll see a new watch face, although it’s technically a redesign of a familiar favorite: I’m talking about the iconic Photos watch face, which has been around for several years. It recently received an update to support portrait-style photos, but watchOS 11 takes it to the next level.
The Photos watch face has been completely updated using machine learning. Your watch will now suggest which photos you want to use as your watch face based on the best finds in your library. You can choose one of those photos or let your watch cycle through the entire album. The watch will then intelligently frame around your image and you can customize the final product with a selection of fun fonts and color filters.
Pause your activity rings
Having a bad day? Or just want to take it easy after a few days of intense training? Try pausing your activity rings. This will avoid the pressure of closing the rings on your Apple Watch and give you the space to focus on recovery.
The key to pausing your Activity rings is that it won’t affect your Activity Streaks. This is a feature that users have been asking Apple for years, so it makes sense that this is one of the first features you try out in watchOS 11. Of course, you’ll also want to take advantage of the watch’s many fitness tracking features, so we don’t recommend pausing for too long.
Discover the Smart Stack
Apple Watch’s Smart Stack is designed to give you a convenient overview of all the information that’s relevant to you, organized into tiles that you can scroll through. In watchOS 11, the Smart Stack has received some upgrades so it’s even more intuitive than before—for example, it will now start with a weather forecast if rain is expected in your area. If you’re in another country, you might see a location-based translation widget.
In general, the Smart Stack is smarter than ever. What I like most now is that it supports live activity from both native and third-party apps. It’s super helpful to see at a glance how far away my Uber ride is or keep track of my check-in.
Creating a Check-In
Speaking of Check-In, you should try it out in watchOS 11. First introduced for iPhone in iOS 17, Check-In gives users the ability to share their location with friends and family. When you set up a Check-In, your assigned contact will be notified if you don’t let them know when you’ve safely arrived at your destination.
In watchOS 11, you can manage a check-in from the Smart Stack on your Apple Watch and even create a check-in from the Workout app when you start an outdoor workout, which should give you a little peace of mind when you go for an evening run.
Get to know the Vitals app
There’s a new Wellness app in watchOS 11 that you should check out. Vitals is basically a version of the Health app for Apple Watch that lets you check your health and fitness trends in one central location. If you continue to wear your Apple Watch daily, you’ll be able to see how different markers (e.g. activity, sleep, heart rate) are affecting your health.
The Vitals app can also alert you if there is a worrying trend in your health. For example, if you have had poor sleep several nights in a row, the Vitals app can tell you that something is wrong with your body.
