Apple Releases watchOS 5.1.3 With Bug Fixes and Performance Improvements

Apple today released watchOS 5.1.3, the fourth update to the watchOS 5 operating system that runs on modern Apple Watch models. watchOS 5.1.3 comes more than a month after the release of watchOS 5.1.2, a major update that brought ECG functionality.

watchOS 5.1.3 can be downloaded for free 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.

applewatchseries4sizesgold
watchOS 5.1.3 is a minor update that focuses on performance improvements and fixes for bugs discovered since the release of watchOS 5.1.2. We didn't find any changes during the watchOS 5.1.3 beta testing period. Apple's release notes do not mention any new features or include information beyond the general "this update includes improvements and bug fixes" statement.

The prior update watchOS update, watchOS 5.1.2, introduced the long-awaited ECG feature for the Apple Watch Series 4, allowing Apple Watch owners to take single-lead electrocardiograms to detect atrial fibrillation, which can be a sign of serious health problems.

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

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching in Three Months With These 12 New Features

Saturday June 14, 2025 5:45 pm PDT by
The iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are three months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of June 2025:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone X through iPhone 14 Pro have a...
apple watch ultra 2 new black

Apple Watch Ultra 3 Finally Coming After Two-Year Hiatus

Monday June 16, 2025 8:45 am PDT by
Apple will finally deliver the Apple Watch Ultra 3 sometime this year, according to analyst Jeff Pu of GF Securities Hong Kong (via @jukanlosreve). The analyst expects both the Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3 to arrive this year (likely alongside the new iPhone 17 lineup, if previous launches are anything to go by), according to his latest product roadmap shared with...
apple watch ultra snow

6 Features Coming to the Apple Watch Ultra 3

Tuesday February 25, 2025 9:00 am PST by
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is expected to launch later this year, arriving two years after the previous model with a series of improvements. While no noticeable design changes are expected for the third generation since the company tends to stick with the same Apple Watch design through three generations before changing it, there are a series of internal upgrades on the way. By the time the ...
terminal macos tahoe

Apple's Terminal App Gets Colorful Redesign in macOS Tahoe

Monday June 16, 2025 4:12 am PDT by
Apple's Terminal app is getting a visual refresh in macOS Tahoe, and it's the first notable design update since the command-line tool debuted. The updated Terminal will support 24-bit color and Powerline fonts, according to Apple's State of the Platforms presentation at WWDC25. The app will also adopt the new Liquid Glass aesthetic with redesigned themes that align with macOS 26's broader...
Logitech Logo Feature

Logitech Announces Two New Accessories for WWDC

Friday June 13, 2025 7:22 am PDT by
Alongside WWDC this week, Logitech announced notable new accessories for the iPad and Apple Vision Pro. The Logitech Muse is a spatially-tracked stylus developed for use with the Apple Vision Pro. Introduced during the WWDC 2025 keynote address, Muse is intended to support the next generation of spatial computing workflows enabled by visionOS 26. The device incorporates six degrees of...
iPadOS 26 App Windowing

Apple Explains Why iPads Don't Just Run macOS

Friday June 13, 2025 7:46 am PDT by
iPadOS 26 allows iPads to function much more like Macs, with a new app windowing system, a swipe-down menu bar at the top of the screen, and more. However, Apple has stopped short of allowing iPads to run macOS, and it has now explained why. In an interview this week with Swiss tech journalist Rafael Zeier, Apple's software engineering chief Craig Federighi said that iPadOS 26's new Mac-like ...
iphone 16 pro models 1

17 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

Thursday June 12, 2025 8:58 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you skipped the iPhone...

Top Rated Comments

testcard Avatar
84 months ago
It does for me at least seem to be better in 5.1.3. It's all in the flick of the wrist as you raise to your mouth.
When I give the wrist a little flick as raising to mouth it works. If I simply raise the watch to my mouth hit and miss.
Probably something I need to practise in private first :)
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
magicschoolbus Avatar
84 months ago
apple watch updates are always welcome.. best apple product out there.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gwhizkids Avatar
84 months ago
Ok. @Applesupport was able to help. Following the tips they gave me (see below) I’ve gotten Raise to Speak working about 75-80% of the time. The difference changer seems to be the speaking before the screen wakes up.

===========================
While there is no need for any flick of your wrist, we do have a few tips that can help more consistently activate Siri:

Make sure the Watch screen stays asleep until less than one or two seconds before the watch is at your mouth and start speaking. It is best to start with the screen asleep and at least ten inches lower than your mouth.

Bring the Watch up close to your mouth in one fluid motion without turning the wrist to wake the screen until the device is at your mouth.

Start speaking as soon as the watch is in position near the mouth instead of waiting to see the screen wake first.

Bring the watch closer to your mouth when speaking.

Try speaking a bit louder when making your request. Low volume or whispered requests are not expected to be loud enough to activate Siri.

Let us know if any of these tips help. een until the device is at your mouth.

Start speaking as soon as the watch is in position near the mouth instead of waiting to see the screen wake first.

Bring the watch closer to your mouth when speaking.

Try speaking a bit louder when making your request. Low volume or whispered requests are not expected to be loud enough to activate Siri.

Let us know if any of these tips help
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
testcard Avatar
84 months ago
Big thing here for me is Raise to use Siri. Worked once right after I installed the update but not since.
[emoji35]
Only works intermittently for me and no improvement with 5.1.3.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Digital Dude Avatar
84 months ago
Just installed the update 5.1.3 and seems that the keypad for entering my code is somewhat larger. Also, when I check the battery level from within the 'Control Center' etc., the screen of icons scrolls up more smoothly, and those icons are also larger. I don't have to place my finger near the bottom of the screen to access the 'Control Center' anymore; as anywhere on the screen now works. Tidbits for sure, but just an observation
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
deathnite Avatar
84 months ago
5.1.3 installed fine on AWS4. This will update the EKG app from v1.1 to v1.2.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)