Apple Releases watchOS 7.6, Bringing ECG and Irregular Heart Rhythm Notifications to 30 New Regions

Apple today released watchOS 7.6, the sixth major update to the watchOS 7 operating system that was released in September 2020. watchOS 7.6 comes two months after the release of watchOS 7.5.

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‌‌The watchOS 7.6 update‌‌ 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.

According to Apple's release notes, the watchOS 7.6 update brings support for the ECG app and irregular heart rhythm notifications to 30 additional regions.

No other new features were discovered during the beta testing process, and it's likely that watchOS 7.6 will be one of the final updates to the watchOS 7 operating system as Apple works to transition to watchOS 8.

Related Roundups: watchOS 11, watchOS 26
Related Forum: Apple Watch

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Top Rated Comments

Regbial Avatar
52 months ago
Is it still a hassle to upgrade in an s3...? (my guess is... yes.)
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Octavius8 Avatar
52 months ago
The update bricked my S6 with GPS!. The touch screen does not respond and since my watch has a password I cant use it!. The crown and button still work. A power cycle did not help!. Be aware...
3 hard resets and did not work, but tapping on the "i" in "My watch" section for some reason made the screen responsive again. Go figure... Happy camper now. :)
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ISprainedMyUvula Avatar
52 months ago

Is it still a hassle to upgrade in an s3...? (my guess is... yes.)
I really can't believe they still sell that trash.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mr. Dee Avatar
52 months ago
System 7.6, the irony.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
RealPhone Avatar
52 months ago

I did that 2 times so far ... let me try again.

Edit: Nope. Toggled off an on again, confirmed code on the watch. Doesn't unlock with iPhone after taking it off and putting it on again.
Edit 2: Tried switching to "simple passcode" and turning passcode off completely and setting it up again. Still doesn't work via "unlock with iPhone".
I must confess that the behavior associated with unlocking the Watch with the iPhone is inconsistent. Works sometimes, in other cases not. Probably a bug.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Syzyg1y Avatar
52 months ago
The update now makes it possible to monitor air quality in Canada… and not a moment too soon: smoke from fires upwind of Montréal making our air very smoggy (AQI is 7 or “high risk”).
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)