Apple Releases watchOS 4.3.1 With watchOS 1 App Warnings, Bug Fixes

Apple today released watchOS 4.3.1, a small update to the watchOS 4 operating system that runs on the Apple Watch. watchOS 4.3.1 comes more than a month after the release of watchOS 4.3, a major update that introduced Portrait Nightstand Mode and re-added iPhone music controls.

watchOS 4.3.1 can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General --> Software Update. To install the new software, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery, it needs to be placed on a charger, and it needs to be in range of the iPhone.

watchos431
As a 4.x.x update, watchOS 4.3.1 is minor in scale, focusing primarily on bug fixes and other under-the-hood performance improvements, with no major feature changes discovered during the beta testing period.

Prior to the release of watchOS 4.3.1, Apple stopped letting developers update Apple Watch apps built on the original watchOS 1 SDK. Starting with watchOS 4.3.1, you'll see an alert when launching a watchOS 1 app warning you that the app may not be compatible with future versions of watchOS.

This warning suggests Apple will perhaps drop support for watchOS 1 apps entirely in the future, perhaps in the upcoming watchOS 5 update that Apple will unveil at the Worldwide Developers Conference next week.

According to Apple's release notes, the watchOS 4.3.1 update also fixes a bug that could cause the Apple Watch to sometimes remain at the Apple Logo during startup for some users.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 11
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)

Popular Stories

airpods pro 3 purple

New, Higher End AirPods Pro Coming This Year

Tuesday January 20, 2026 9:05 am PST by
Apple is planning to debut a high-end secondary version of AirPods Pro 3 this year, sitting in the lineup alongside the current model, reports suggest. Back in September 2025, supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple is planning to introduce a successor to the AirPods Pro 3 in 2026. This would be somewhat unusual since Apple normally waits around three years to make major...
smaller dynamic island iphone 18 pro Filip Vabrous%CC%8Cek

iPhone 18 Pro Leak: Smaller Dynamic Island, No Top-Left Camera Cutout

Tuesday January 20, 2026 2:34 am PST by
Over the last few months, rumors around the iPhone 18 Pro's front-panel design have been conflicted, with some supply-chain leaks pointing to under-display Face ID, reports suggesting a top-left hole-punch camera, and debate over whether the familiar Dynamic Island will shrink, shift, or disappear entirely. Today, Weibo-based leaker Instant Digital shared new details that appear to clarify the ...
Apple Logo Spotlight

Apple Expected to Unveil Five All-New Products This Year

Wednesday January 21, 2026 10:54 am PST by
In addition to updating many of its existing products, Apple is expected to unveil five all-new products this year, including a smart home hub, a Face ID doorbell, a MacBook with an A18 Pro chip, a foldable iPhone, and augmented reality glasses. Below, we have recapped rumored features for each product. Smart Home Hub Apple home hub (concept) Apple's long-rumored smart home hub should...
airtag prime day 2

Apple Developing AirTag-Sized AI Pin With Dual Cameras

Wednesday January 21, 2026 12:31 pm PST by
Apple is working on a small, wearable AI pin equipped with multiple cameras, a speaker, and microphones, reports The Information. If it actually launches, the AI pin will likely run the new Siri chatbot that Apple plans to unveil in iOS 27. The pin is said to be similar in size to an AirTag, with a thin, flat, circular disc shape. It has an aluminum and glass shell, and two cameras at the...
Liquid Glass App Store Feature

App Store and Apple TV Experiencing Outage

Tuesday January 20, 2026 4:36 pm PST by
Apple's App Store, iTunes Store, and Apple TV service are experiencing an outage at the current time, according to Apple's System Status page. Apple says that some users may be experiencing issues with the App Store and iTunes Store. Apple also says some users may be seeing intermittent issues with Apple TV. The Apple TV Channels feature is down too, and users may be unable to access some...

Top Rated Comments

NT1440 Avatar
100 months ago
I am sure those that spent $10,000 for their original blinged out Apple Watches will be happy to hear they could soon be doorstops.
I'm sure that anyone that spent that much views it as purely disposable income and simply doesn't care seeing as they've definitely updated by now anyway.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
scottct1 Avatar
100 months ago
I am sure those that spent $10,000 for their original blinged out Apple Watches will be happy to hear they could soon be doorstops.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kognito Avatar
100 months ago
Whats this have to do with this thread, WatchOS 4.3.1 Release?
Read the article or even the title and you’ll see that WatchOS 4.3.1 is warning about old apps. Hence my speculation.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Michael Goff Avatar
100 months ago
I am sure those that spent $10,000 for their original blinged out Apple Watches will be happy to hear they could soon be doorstops.
The type of people that can drop 10k on a watch probably won’t notice the money missing when they buy a new 1k$ watch.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kognito Avatar
100 months ago
Calling it now. WatchOS 5 won't run on the S0, but hoping that means that Apple allows Watch apps to bake in more functionality. No doubt these warnings are a sign of that.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Iconoclysm Avatar
100 months ago
I am sure those that spent $10,000 for their original blinged out Apple Watches will be happy to hear they could soon be doorstops.
Pretty sure they aren't running WatchOS 1 on that watch right now.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)