Apple Seeds Second Beta of watchOS 6 to Developers

Apple this morning released the second beta of watchOS 6, the software that runs on the Apple Watch. The second beta comes two weeks after Apple first unveiled the new update at the Worldwide Developers Conference.

To install the beta, you'll need the proper configuration profile, which can be obtained through the Apple Developer Center. Once the profile is in place, the watchOS 6 beta can be downloaded using the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General -> Software Update.

watchOS 6
Installing the software requires the Apple Watch to have 50 percent battery. It also must be placed on the charger and it must be in range of the ‌iPhone‌. It would be wise to install the beta on a secondary device instead of a primary device given that this is an early version of the watchOS 6 software that still has bugs to be worked out.

watchOS 6 is a major update that offers up a long list of new features. First and foremost, there's an App Store right on the Apple Watch, so you can find and download new Apple Watch apps on your wrist.

Apple Watch apps no longer need to have an ‌iPhone‌ component, which means developers can create standalone Apple Watch apps for the first time. Apps are also able to take advantage of new APIs so you'll be able to do things like follow along with a workout or listen to streaming music from third-party services.

appstoreapplewatch
There are several new watch faces in watchOS 6, including Numerals Mono and Duo with huge numbers, Modular Compact, a Gradient watch face that shifts over the course of a day, a Solar Dial watch face that visualizes the sun in a 24 hour path around the dial, and the California watch face with a mix of standard numbers and roman numerals.

watchos6ewatchfaces
A new Taptic Chimes feature provides a silent touch on the wrist at every hour, and if sound is turned on, you'll hear an audible chime. You can also hold two fingers on the Apple Watch's display to hear the time spoken out loud.

There are new Audiobooks, Voice Memos, and Calculator apps, along with a new Noise app that warns you if you're exposed to sound that's too loud and a new Cycle Tracking app for period tracking. Activity Trends, visible on the ‌iPhone‌, are also available to chart your fitness progress and make sure your fitness trends are improving.

watchos6apps
New complications are available for wind speed, chance of rain, and the new Noise app, plus there's a Voice Memos complication for recording a memo quickly, a cellular strength complication, and a complication for the Calculator that opens up the app.

Siri can now provide full web search results right on the watch when asked a question, and for Mac users, the Apple Watch can now approve Mac security prompts.

When it launches in the fall, watchOS 6 will be available on all Apple Watch models with the exception of the original Apple Watch, released in 2015. For more on what's new in watchOS 6, make sure to check out our watchOS 6 roundup.

What's new in watchOS 6: According to Apple's release notes, the Downtime feature in Screen Time now syncs to the Apple Watch.

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

Popular Stories

AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
iphone 16 pro models 1

17 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

Thursday April 17, 2025 4:12 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...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Triad

Apple's 20th Anniversary iPhone May Finally Go All Screen

Tuesday April 15, 2025 6:31 am PDT by
Apple is preparing a "bold" new iPhone Pro model for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. As part of what's being described as a "major shake-up," Apple is said to be developing a design that makes more extensive use of glass – and this could point directly to the display itself. Here's the case for Apple releasing a truly all-screen iPhone with no...
maxresdefault

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:52 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and ...
CarPlay Hero

Apple Releases Wireless CarPlay Fix

Wednesday April 16, 2025 11:28 am PDT by
If you have been experiencing issues with wireless CarPlay in your vehicle lately, it was likely due to a software bug that has now been fixed. Apple released iOS 18.4.1 today, and the update's release notes say it "addresses a rare issue that prevents wireless CarPlay connection in certain vehicles." If wireless CarPlay was acting up for you, updating your iPhone to iOS 18.4.1 should...
iOS 18

iOS 18.5 Includes Only a Few Changes So Far

Monday April 21, 2025 11:00 am PDT by
Apple seeded the third beta of iOS 18.5 to developers today, and so far the software update includes only a few minor changes. The changes are in the Mail and Settings apps. In the Mail app, you can now easily turn off contact photos directly within the app, by tapping on the circle with three dots in the top-right corner. In the Settings app, AppleCare+ coverage information is more...
top stories 2025 04 19

Top Stories: iPhone 17 Pro Rumors, CarPlay Bug Fix, and More

Saturday April 19, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
This week saw rumor updates on the iPhone 17 Pro and next-generation Vision Pro, while a minor iOS 18.4.1 update delivered not just security fixes but also a fix for some CarPlay issues. We also looked ahead at what else is in Apple's pipeline for the rest of 2025 and even the 20th-anniversary iPhone coming in 2027, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more! iPhone 17 ...
ipad air windows 11 arm

M2 iPad Air Runs Windows 11 ARM via Emulation, Thanks to EU Rules

Tuesday April 22, 2025 5:01 am PDT by
A developer has demonstrated Windows 11 ARM running on an M2 iPad Air using emulation, which has become much easier since the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA) regulations came into effect. As spotted by Windows Latest, NTDev shared an instance of the emulation on social media and posted a video on YouTube (embedded below) demonstrating it in action. The achievement relies on new EU regulatory...

Top Rated Comments

johnyslats Avatar
76 months ago
Be interested in views on stability.... been a beta tester forever but always wary of watchOS as no rollback
Totally get that. Beta 1 was actually very stable. Had a couple of UI glitches that appear to have been fixed. Battery life was of course atrocious (but that's beta 1 for you), so will see if this has improved.

Can anyone confirm the beta 2 version? I have 6.0(17R55071).
really interested in that too
17R5507l
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MrGimper Avatar
76 months ago
Totally get that. Beta 1 was actually very stable. Had a couple of UI glitches that appear to have been fixed. Battery life was of course atrocious (but that's beta 1 for you), so will see if this has improved.




17R5507l
Please feed back on battery on the S4 and I'll consider installing it :)
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
johnyslats Avatar
76 months ago
Is this the same beta profile or there’s a new one?
Same
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Defender2010 Avatar
76 months ago
It’s working really smooth on my series 4. I’ll wear it all day tomorrow and see how the battery life is.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
johnyslats Avatar
76 months ago
Took an awfully long time for the apple logo to disappear after updating. Thought it was well and truly bricked!
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
hsotnicam8002 Avatar
76 months ago
Can anyone confirm the beta 2 version? I have 6.0(17R55071).
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)