watchOS 10 Launches for Public Beta Testers

Apple today provided the first beta of the upcoming watchOS 10 update to public beta testers, allowing the general public to try out the new Apple Watch software ahead of its fall launch.

Apple Watch Faces watchOS 10 Feature Iridescent
‌watchOS 10‌ can be downloaded after upgrading your iPhone to the public beta version of iOS 17 and after signing up on Apple's beta software website. With those criteria fulfilled, you can open up the Watch app on ‌iPhone‌, go to General, select Software Update, and choose the ‌watchOS 10‌ Public Beta option under Beta Updates.

With ‌watchOS 10‌, Apple is making a major update to the Apple Watch interface with a focus on widgets. The Smart Stack, accessible with a turn of the Digital Crown, displays the information that you need most. What's available changes throughout the day and as the Apple Watch learns your usage habits.

Apple has updated almost all of the built-in apps with an information-forward design that allows for quicker interactions. Weather, Maps, Home, Messages, Activity, Heart Rate, Stocks, and more have all been overhauled.


There are two new watch faces, including Palette and Snoopy. Snoopy features characters from the popular Peanuts cartoon, with the animations changing throughout the day. Palette shows the time in a variety of overlapping colors.

The Maps app has a topography view that shows elevation information, contour lines, hill shading, and points of interest to make it more useful on hikes and when out and about, and for cyclists, there are new advanced metrics, views, and experiences that work through a connection to Bluetooth-enabled cycling accessories.

watchos 10 maps app
The Mindfulness app has a new feature for logging moods and emotions, Group FaceTime audio calls are now supported, and NameDrop allows you to quickly exchange contact information with somebody just by holding your Apple Watch near someone's ‌iPhone‌.

For more on everything new in the ‌watchOS 10‌ update, we have a detailed watchOS 10 roundup.

Related Roundups: watchOS 10, watchOS 9
Related Forum: Apple Programming

Top Rated Comments

Rychiar Avatar
11 weeks ago

Are public betas generally considered stable nowadays? I haven't ran one since iOS 11 I believe, and it felt a bit buggy.

WatchOS 10 looks too cool to pass up. Need me some new faces!
I wish they had some significant good new faces
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Silverstring Avatar
11 weeks ago
Can. Not. Wait. Until 2 years from now, when bugs are ironed out of iOS 18 and watchOS 11.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mikedop Avatar
11 weeks ago

I wish they had some significant good new faces
Yeah I'm super bummed by the lack of faces honestly. There's only ever one or two every year. I want moreee!
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple_Robert Avatar
11 weeks ago
Not a good idea as you can’t downgrade without sending the watch to Apple.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
daniesy Avatar
11 weeks ago
If it's the same build version as the dev beta, I recommend against installing the public beta. My battery on my Ultra gets from 100% to 0 in less than a day.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
_Spinn_ Avatar
10 weeks ago
The new app designs look really sharp!
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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