watchOS 9.4 to Recalibrate Battery Capacity on 44mm Apple Watch Series 6

The watchOS 9.4 update that Apple is beta testing right now will include a battery recalibration process for the 44mm Apple Watch Series 6, Apple said today in an updated Apple Watch support document.

apple watch series 6 unboxing image
After updating to watchOS 9.4, the 44mm Apple Watch Series 6 will be able to estimate maximum battery capacity more accurately following the recalibration process.

Apple recalibrated the batteries of the Apple Watch Series 4 and Apple Watch Series 5 models with the watchOS 9 update, and now the process is being extended to the 44mm Apple Watch Series 6.

Battery recalibration has also been done for some iPhone models in the past, including the iPhone 11. Recalibration is able to improve inaccurate estimates of battery health that some users may be seeing.

Related Roundups: watchOS 10, watchOS 11
Related Forum: Apple Watch

Popular Stories

16 pro

Apple Announces iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max with Larger Displays, New Camera Control, and More

Monday September 9, 2024 11:13 am PDT by
Apple today announced the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max—its latest flagship smartphones—featuring larger displays, an all-new Camera Control button, and the A18 Pro chip. The iPhone 16 Pro has a 6.3-inch display, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max features a 6.9-inch display—the biggest iPhone display ever. The borders around the display are the thinnest of any Apple device. The...
Glowtime Live Coverage Article 1

Apple Event Live Blog: iPhone 16, Apple Watch 10, and New AirPods!

Monday September 9, 2024 9:21 am PDT by
Apple's "It's Glowtime" event kicks off today at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, where we're expecting to see the iPhone 16 lineup and some updated Apple Watch and AirPods models unveiled, and perhaps some other announcements. Apple is providing a live video stream on its website, on YouTube, and in the company's TV app across various platforms. We will also be updating this article with live blog...
iphone 16 pro pro max

First iPhone 16 Carrier Deals Include iPhone 16/16 Pro For Free, $1,000 Off iPhone 16 Pro Max

Monday September 9, 2024 3:18 pm PDT by
Apple today announced the latest lineup of iPhones, including the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max. Pre-orders for these devices begin September 13, and if you plan on ordering from a cellular carrier in the United States, there will be plenty of options for discounts from the major carriers. AT&T is offering the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro at no cost with...
iphone 16 lineup colors

Apple Discontinues iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPhone 13

Monday September 9, 2024 2:09 pm PDT by
With the launch of the new iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max, Apple has discontinued some of its older iPhones. As of today, Apple is no longer selling the iPhone 13, and the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max have been replaced with the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. The iPhone SE remains as Apple's most affordable device, with the iPhone 14 and iPhone...
airpods max 2024 colors

Apple Updates AirPods Max With USB-C Port and New Colors

Monday September 9, 2024 10:36 am PDT by
Apple today announced that the AirPods Max are being updated with a USB-C charging port and new color options, including Midnight, Blue, Purple, Orange, and Starlight. In addition, Apple said the AirPods Max are gaining support for Personalized Spatial Audio with the upcoming iOS 18 software update. The updated AirPods Max will be available to pre-order for $549 starting today, and the...
Screenshot 2024 09 09 at 6

Apple Announces Thinner Apple Watch Series 10 With Bigger Screen Than Ultra

Monday September 9, 2024 10:11 am PDT by
Apple at its event today announced the Apple Watch Series 10, featuring a wide-angle OLED display that is larger than the Apple Watch Ultra, with the company describing it as the "biggest display and thinnest design ever." The Series 10 is 9.7mm thick, which is nearly 10% thinner than Series 9, and it weighs 20% less than the Stainless Steel Series 9. The Aluminum cases also weigh up to 10%...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Real Mock

Apple Shares Full List of Over 250 New Features and Changes Coming With iOS 18

Wednesday September 11, 2024 7:16 am PDT by
Following its iPhone 16 event on Monday, Apple shared a PDF on its website with a list of all new features and changes coming with iOS 18. The list includes many features that were already announced, including Apple Intelligence, new customization options for the Home Screen and Control Center, a redesigned Photos app, several enhancements to the Messages app, a Passwords app, and more....

Top Rated Comments

surfzen21 Avatar
20 months ago
Good to still see a focus on the older models.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Robert.Walter Avatar
20 months ago
My launch day 44mm 6’s battery health hung at 81-82% for months before my 2 year warranty ran out (even though it was needing to be recharged more and more frequently) and about a month after warranty ran out, it was around 77% (the batteries in my series 0 and 3 degraded much more slowly.)

Two other family members and a colleague with the same watch had better battery health, low 80’s, at the same time mine was in the mid 70’s.)

So I complained to Apple and they sent me a replacement.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
pcmike Avatar
20 months ago

My launch day S6 is at 80% battery health… waiting for it to hit 79% so I can get a replacement under AppleCare+.
I wonder which direction the recalibration will change battery health %
Enough to where you won’t be getting a replacement I bet ?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macfacts Avatar
20 months ago

Sounds great. I love seeing support for older devices.

Randumb: seeing the red Watch featured in the OP, it seems offering Watch in multiple colors (think iMac), with matching bands, would be a big hit with the masses. People like colors.
Support is good but this could be to prevent warranty coverage by changing the battery status.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jdhommert Avatar
20 months ago
Interesting to see how this works out. I feel like my S6 Watch has maybe been the only Apple product I've owned where the battery went to crap so fast (ok ok iPhone X lol) I had assumed it was because I had always on display turned on for the first couple-few months and it ravaged the battery. My battery was draining so fast, and I turned it off and checked my battery health and it was already in the 80s. I gave my old launch day S4 to my dad, and last I looked it has better battery health than my launch day S6.

I probably have my eye on a 2024 watch as thats the rumored big updates. So if this update doesn't make me feel better about my battery lasting long enough to make it until then...and it probably won't...I'll get a used S7/8 to hold me over. Probably at S9 launch as they'll be much cheaper. Probably an 8 if I wait until then.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
geartau Avatar
20 months ago

My launch day 44mm 6’s battery health hung at 81-82% for month before my 2 year warranty ran out (even though it was needing to be recharged more and more frequently) and about a month after warranty ran out, it was around 77% (the batteries in my series 0 and 3 degraded much more slowly.)

Two other family members and a colleague with the same watch had better battery health, low 80’s, at the same time mine was in the mid 70’s.)

So I complained to Apple and they sent me a replacement.
same

my 6 series was stuck at 82% for over a year. that did not make any sense. i talked with apple and they said nothing was wrong and it was working fine. so there was no way to get it replaced under warranty.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)