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 11
Related Forum: Apple Watch

Popular Stories

AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

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

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 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...
iphone 16 pro models 1

17 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

Thursday April 17, 2025 4:12 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you skipped the iPhone...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Triad

Apple's 20th Anniversary iPhone May Finally Go All Screen

Tuesday April 15, 2025 6:31 am PDT by
Apple is preparing a "bold" new iPhone Pro model for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. As part of what's being described as a "major shake-up," Apple is said to be developing a design that makes more extensive use of glass – and this could point directly to the display itself. Here's the case for Apple releasing a truly all-screen iPhone with no...
maxresdefault

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:52 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and ...
CarPlay Hero

Apple Releases Wireless CarPlay Fix

Wednesday April 16, 2025 11:28 am PDT by
If you have been experiencing issues with wireless CarPlay in your vehicle lately, it was likely due to a software bug that has now been fixed. Apple released iOS 18.4.1 today, and the update's release notes say it "addresses a rare issue that prevents wireless CarPlay connection in certain vehicles." If wireless CarPlay was acting up for you, updating your iPhone to iOS 18.4.1 should...
top stories 2025 04 19

Top Stories: iPhone 17 Pro Rumors, CarPlay Bug Fix, and More

Saturday April 19, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
This week saw rumor updates on the iPhone 17 Pro and next-generation Vision Pro, while a minor iOS 18.4.1 update delivered not just security fixes but also a fix for some CarPlay issues. We also looked ahead at what else is in Apple's pipeline for the rest of 2025 and even the 20th-anniversary iPhone coming in 2027, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more! iPhone 17 ...
iOS 18

iOS 18.5 Includes Only a Few Changes So Far

Monday April 21, 2025 11:00 am PDT by
Apple seeded the third beta of iOS 18.5 to developers today, and so far the software update includes only a few minor changes. The changes are in the Mail and Settings apps. In the Mail app, you can now easily turn off contact photos directly within the app, by tapping on the circle with three dots in the top-right corner. In the Settings app, AppleCare+ coverage information is more...

Top Rated Comments

mr0c Avatar
26 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
26 months ago
Anyone else not seeing the toggle at all?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Tagbert Avatar
26 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
26 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
26 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
26 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)