Apple Pulls watchOS 5 Beta 1 From Developer Portal After Reports of Bricked Devices

Apple appears to have temporarily pulled the first watchOS 5 beta from its website after some users reported cases of the software bricking Apple Watch devices.

Several users on the MacRumors forums and over on Reddit have expressed problems trying to get the software onto their devices, with freezes reportedly occurring during the installation phase, particularly on Apple Watch Series 2 models.

Apple has obviously deemed the issues to be sufficiently widespread for it to take action. As such, developers accessing Apple's beta software download portal are currently unable to get a download link and are instead met with the following message:

watchos 5 beta 1 pulled

Seed 1 of watchOS 5 is temporarily unavailable. We are investigating an issue that occurs while updating. If you've experienced any issues, please contact AppleCare.

Both the watchOS 5 configuration file and the over-the-air update have been removed, and right now it's unclear when they will return.

As is often the case, initial software beta releases can be susceptible to bugs and issues which only reveal themselves during device propagation. We'll update this article when Apple fixes the problem and makes a revised version of the beta available once more.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)

Popular Stories

Apple AI Command Center Concept Mock 3

Apple Expected to Launch This All-New Device Next Year

Wednesday November 27, 2024 1:05 pm PST by
Apple is expected to kick off 2025 by launching an all-new smart home hub, also referred to as a "command center," as early as March. The hub is expected to feature around a six-inch display that can be attached to a tabletop base with a speaker, or mounted on a wall. The device is said to run a new "homeOS" operating system with a customizable widget-focused home screen, and it is expected...
Whatsapp Feature

WhatsApp to Drop Support for These iPhones Starting May 2025

Monday December 2, 2024 2:57 am PST by
WhatsApp is set to end support for iOS versions older than iOS 15.1 from May next year, removing the chat platform's compatibility with several iPhone models in the process. From May 5, 2025, WhatsApp will no longer be compatible with iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 Plus models. Users with those devices won't be able to access the encrypted chat service after the specified date unless they ...
New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18

18 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18.2

Wednesday November 27, 2024 5:05 am PST by
Apple is set to release iOS 18.2 in early December, bringing the second round of Apple Intelligence features to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models. This update brings several major advancements to Apple's AI integration, including completely new image generation tools and a range of Visual Intelligence-based enhancements. There are a handful of new non-AI related feature controls incoming as...
iOS 18

Here Are Apple's Full Release Notes for iOS 18.2

Thursday December 5, 2024 11:48 am PST by
Apple seeded the release candidate version of iOS 18.2 today, which means it's going to see a public launch imminently. Release candidates represent the final version of new software that will be provided to the public should no last minute bugs be found, and Apple includes release notes with the RC launch. The iOS 18.2 release notes provide a look at all of the new features that are coming...
Flip iPhone Thumb 1

Apple's 2026 Foldable iPhone Could Reinvigorate Stalling Market

Monday December 2, 2024 4:04 pm PST by
The foldable smartphone market has stalled with customer interest in foldables waning, but that could change when Apple debuts a foldable iPhone, according to display analyst Ross Young. In a report on the current foldable smartphone market, Young says that Apple is expected to "enter the foldable market" in the second half of 2026. Apple's "dominant position in flagship smartphones" could...
airpods pro 2 gradient

AirPods Pro 3 Expected Next Year: Here's What We Know

Thursday November 28, 2024 3:30 am PST by
Despite being released over two years ago, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 continue to dominate the wireless earbud market. However, with the AirPods Pro 3 expected to launch sometime in 2025, anyone thinking of buying Apple's premium earbuds may be wondering if the next generation is worth holding out for. Apart from their audio and noise-canceling performance, which are generally regarded as...
Tim Cook WWDC 2024

Apple CEO Tim Cook Opens Up About AI Plans, Vision Pro Future, and More in New Interview

Wednesday December 4, 2024 5:40 am PST by
WIRED today shared in an in-depth interview with Apple CEO Tim Cook, asking questions about AI, Vision Pro sales, pre-recorded keynotes, and more. The wide-ranging interview covers Apple's pivot toward AI technology, including what Apple Intelligence features Cook finds most useful, Apple's partnership with OpenAI, and the environmental impact of AI. For example, WIRED asked Cook about...
iPhone 17 Pro Dual Tone Rectangle Feature 1

iPhone 17 Pro Already Rumored to Have These 8 New Features

Wednesday November 27, 2024 12:19 pm PST by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch for 10 more months, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. An imaginative iPhone 17 Pro concept based on rumors Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models so far: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro ...

Top Rated Comments

friednoodles Avatar
85 months ago
Anyone who isn't a developer with a separate device for testing is taking a huge risk by installing a watchOS beta. It's crazy to me that non-developers are installing these developer betas on their watches. The fact that there are never public betas of watchOS should be enough to dissuade people, but apparently not.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
keysofanxiety Avatar
85 months ago
Apple software is still buggy!
It's a beta.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Candlelight Avatar
85 months ago
It's a beta.
I was teasing the guy above me. :)
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HiRez Avatar
85 months ago
Thanks to all you [S]poor suckers[/S] pioneering trailblazers who test!
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
OldSchoolMacGuy Avatar
85 months ago
There's a reason that Apple highly highly recommends you install the betas on only test devices. Too many non-developers join in just to get the new versions early and suffer the consequences.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
justperry Avatar
85 months ago
Cue the comments, see Apple's software is still buggy*.


* It's a Developer release, it might contain bugs like this one.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)