watchOS 7 Only Compatible With Apple Watch Series 3 and Later - MacRumors
Skip to Content

watchOS 7 Only Compatible With Apple Watch Series 3 and Later

The watchOS 7 update that Apple introduced today brings exciting new features like Sleep Tracking, handwashing tracking, and a new watch face sharing option, but the new software is compatible with a limited number of Apple Watch models.

watchos 7 main image
watchOS 7 will work with the Apple Watch Series 3, Series 4, Series 5, and later models, but it won't be compatible with the Apple Watch Series 1 or the Apple Watch Series 2. Apple also says that not all features will be available on all Apple Watch models.

These older Apple Watch models will be limited to watchOS 6 and will not be able to take advantage of the new features coming in watchOS 7.

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

Popular Stories

Apple Watch Series 10 Jet Black Touch ID

Next Apple Watch Models Unlikely to Add Touch ID, Focus on Battery Life

Monday May 11, 2026 3:41 am PDT by
Apple is prioritizing larger batteries and more advanced health sensors over fingerprint authentication for the Apple Watch, according to a new claim from a prominent Chinese leaker. In a new Weibo post, Instant Digital pushed back on recent speculation about biometric recognition coming to Apple's wearable lineup, claiming instead that the company remains content to let users unlock their...
TMRS 194 Apple Chatbot Thumb

The MacRumors Show: Gemini Announcements and Apple Watch Series 12 Rumors

Friday May 15, 2026 7:30 am PDT by
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss Google's latest wave of announcements for Android and Gemini, the newly announced Fitbit Air, and Apple Watch Series 12 rumors. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos The centerpiece of Google's announcements this week was Gemini Intelligence, Google's new umbrella platform for AI across phones, watches, cars,...
AirPods Hearing Aid Thumb 1

Apple Watch Hypertension Alerts and AirPods Hearing Aid Feature Expand to More Countries

Tuesday May 12, 2026 10:53 am PDT by
Apple today said Hearing Aid features are now available for the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3 in Italy, Romania, and Czechia, while Hypertension alerts have expanded to Israel. The Hearing Aid option allows the AirPods Pro to be used as an over-the-counter alternative to a traditional set of hearing aids. The AirPods Pro can improve sound to mitigate mild to moderate hearing loss,...

Top Rated Comments

BittenApple Avatar
78 months ago
Apple Watch 3 is the new iPad 2
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
honglong1976 Avatar
78 months ago
Phew! Finally sleep tracking and I have a series 3 AW and also get iOS 14 with having a 6S :)
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
szw-mapple fan Avatar
78 months ago
Seems like a fair cutoff, considering how cheap the series 3 is these days.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Duophonic Avatar
78 months ago
Great, obsolete watches. It’s inevitable. Time to pawn.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nattK Avatar
78 months ago

Phew! Finally sleep tracking and I have a series 3 AW and also get iOS 14 with having a 6S :)
Provided sleep tracking is available on the Series 3. A watch might run the latest software but not all its features (e.g. noise notifications in watchOS 6)
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
78 months ago
Checks family Apple Watch inventory....

Wife's Watch Series 0 replaced with Series 5 last Christmas
Daughter's (non-functional) Apple Watch Series 1 replaced for a Series 3 for birthday/good grades

I'm wearing....a Series 2. Oh dear.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)