Apple Seeds watchOS 9.5 Release Candidate to Developers

Apple today seeded the release candidate version of an upcoming watchOS 9.5 update to developers for testing purposes, with the software update coming two weeks after the launch of the fourth watchOS 9.5 beta. The RC represents the final version of watchOS 9.5 that will be provided to the public.

Apple watchOS 9 Feature
To install the watchOS 9.5 update, developers will need to download the configuration profile from the Apple Developer Center.

Once installed, ‌watchOS 9.5 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 has to be placed on the charger, and it will need to be in range of the ‌‌iPhone‌‌ it is paired with.

watchOS 9.5 adds the simplified beta installation method that was first introduced in iOS 16.4. With the update, developers and public beta testers enrolled in Apple's respective programs can toggle on beta updates from the Software Update section of the Watch app on ‌iPhone‌. An Apple ID associated with either a public beta account or a developer account is required to turn on beta updates.

The update also include bug fixes and the new Pride Celebration watch face that was announced earlier today.

Related Roundup: watchOS 26
Related Forum: Apple Watch

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Top Rated Comments

mr0c Avatar
36 months ago
I had to toggle to Public Beta, then it showed up under both Developer and Public
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
qpid360 Avatar
36 months ago
Anyone else not seeing the toggle at all?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Tagbert Avatar
36 months ago
Does anyone know if they fixed the bug where the Watch Now Playing app doesn’t automatically connect to the iPhone audio streams?

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/iphone-audio-not-appearing-in-watch-now-playing.2386219/
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Tokenfreak Avatar
36 months ago

Anyone else not seeing the toggle at all?
Yeah I don't see it either...I wonder why?
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jimlat Avatar
36 months ago
Not showing up yet for my series 7 or 8…strange that they released the WatchOS RC’s before iPadOS or iOS…
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Black Magic Avatar
36 months ago

I’m not seeing the option to toggle on any beta updates, developer or public.
You turn the toggle on iOS to beta first, then install the WatchOS RC to gain the new beta toggle feature. Once done, turn iOS and WatchOS beta toggle to off.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)