Apple Seeds First Beta of watchOS 8 to Developers

In addition to seeding the first betas of iOS 15, iPadOS 15, tvOS 15, and macOS 12, Apple has also seeded the first beta of the watchOS 8 update to developers for testing purposes.

watchOS 8 on Apple Watch feature
To install watchOS 8, developers will need to download the configuration profile from the Apple Developer Center. Once installed, watchOS 8 can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General > Software update.

To update to new software, an Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery life, it must be placed on the charger, and it needs to be in range of the ‌iPhone‌. It's not recommended to install watchOS 8 on a main Apple Watch as the software may be unstable at this early date.

watchOS 8 is limited to developers at the current time, but Apple plans to provide a public beta later this year ahead of the software's fall launch.

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

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17: What's New With the Cameras

Friday May 2, 2025 3:52 pm PDT by
We've still got months to go before the new iPhone 17 models come out, but a combination of dummy models and leaks have given us some insight into what we can expect in terms of camera changes. Apple is adding new camera features, and changing the design of the camera bump for some models. You might be skeptical of dummy models, but over the years, they've proven to be a highly accurate...
iOS 18

Apple Says iOS 18.5 Coming Soon, Here is What's New

Monday May 5, 2025 8:19 am PDT by
In its press release for the new Pride Band today, Apple said that iOS 18.5 is "upcoming," following more than a month of beta testing. We expect the iOS 18.5 Release Candidate to be released this week, and this should be the final beta version, barring any last-minute bugs or changes. The software update should then be released to the general public next week. iOS 18.5 is a relatively...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Blue Face ID

20th-Anniversary iPhone Will Reportedly Feature an All-Screen Design

Saturday May 3, 2025 9:20 am PDT by
Apple's former design chief Jony Ive long dreamed of an iPhone with a truly all-screen design, and his wish might finally become reality in a few more years. The Information today cited multiple sources who said that at least one new iPhone model launching in 2027 will have a truly edge-to-edge display. The device's front camera and Face ID system would both be placed under the screen....
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Homescreen

Foldable iPhone Said to Have Two Key Advantages

Monday May 5, 2025 6:41 am PDT by
Apple plans to release its first foldable iPhone next year, according to several reporters and analysts who cover the company. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the foldable iPhone will offer two key advantages over other foldable smartphones. First, he said the foldable iPhone will have a "nearly invisible" crease when unfolded. This means the device's...
iPhone 17 Air Size Feature

iPhone 17 Air Expected to Have Battery Case Due to 'Worse' Battery Life

Saturday May 3, 2025 8:24 am PDT by
Apple's rumored iPhone 17 Air model will have "worse" battery life compared to previous iPhone models, according to a paywalled The Information report. In internal testing, Apple determined that the percentage of users who will be able to use the iPhone 17 Air for a full day without needing to recharge the device throughout the day will be between 60% and 70%, according to the report. For...
iOS 18

Here Are Apple's Full iOS 18.5 Release Notes

Tuesday May 6, 2025 2:17 pm PDT by
Apple today seeded the release candidate version of iOS 18.5 to developers and public beta testers, giving us a look at the final version of the update that will be provided to the public next week. With the release candidate, Apple provided release notes, so we have a more complete look at the new features that are included in the update, including those that weren't found during the beta...
AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

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

Tuesday April 29, 2025 1:30 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...
Apple Watch 2025 Pride Feature

Apple Announces 2025 Pride Band, Watch Face, and iPhone Wallpaper

Monday May 5, 2025 6:08 am PDT by
Apple today announced its 2025 Pride Collection, including a new Apple Watch band, watch face, and a matching wallpaper for the iPhone and iPad. Ahead of Pride Month in June, Apple says its Pride Collection celebrates the strength and beauty of LGBTQ+ communities around the world. The new Pride Edition Sport Band is now available to order on Apple.com and in the Apple Store app in 40mm,...

Top Rated Comments

akidokraja Avatar
51 months ago
Need low power mode on WatchOS. Please, Apple. And not that ultra-low power mode that is available now. That’s completely useless.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jahin17 Avatar
51 months ago

Normally I’d be afraid to upgrade due to the hit on battery life you get with a new beta, but so far battery life has been trash on 7.5 so maybe I should just jump to 8.
The battery life on my S6 AW has been atrocious lately.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Johnny907 Avatar
51 months ago
Normally I’d be afraid to upgrade due to the hit on battery life you get with a new beta, but so far battery life has been trash on 7.5 so maybe I should just jump to 8.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MorePixels Avatar
51 months ago
Yawn…
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JohnApples Avatar
51 months ago
Damn, it looks like they’re activating the U1 chip in the Series 6 but only using it for CarKey. I was really hoping that it would be used to find AirTags with the new Find My app, but I don’t see any indication that’s the case.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)