watchOS 26.4 Now Available With Workout Update and New Emoji

Tuesday March 24, 2026 10:02 am PDT by Juli Clover

Apple today released watchOS 26.4, the fourth major update to the watchOS 26 operating system that came out in September. watchOS 26.4 comes a month and a half after Apple released watchOS 26.3.

watchos 26 gradient light
watchOS 26.4 can be downloaded for free on an iPhone running iOS 26.4 by opening up the Apple Watch app and going to General > Software Update, or initiating an update in the Settings app on the watch. To install the new software, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery and it needs to be placed on a charger.

The update makes it quicker to start a workout in the Workout app by tapping on a Workout type icon, plus it has eight new emoji characters that include orca, trombone, treasure chest, fight cloud, hairy creature, landslide, ballet dancer, and distorted face. Apple's release notes are below.

This update introduces 8 new emoji, along with other features, bug fixes, and security updates for your Apple Watch This update also includes the following enhancements:

- Support for AirPods Max 2
- Workout type icon in the Workout app lets you start a workout with a single tap
- 8 new emoji including an orca, trombone, landslide, ballet dancer, and distorted face are available in the emoji keyboard

More on what's new in ‌watchOS 26‌ can be found in our watchOS 26 roundup.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch 12, watchOS 26, watchOS 27

Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)

Related Forum: Apple Watch

Popular Stories

Here's Why a New Apple Watch Charging Puck Was Just Released

Wednesday September 16, 2026 8:53 am PDT by Joe Rossignol

The new Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 have hardware changes that allow for faster charging, but you will need to use the new version of the Apple Watch Magnetic Fast Charger included in the box in order to achieve this boost. If you need extra ones for your own charging stands or travel or so forth, Apple released the new version of the charger on its online store last week, with...

• 124 comments

PSA: watchOS 27 Removes This Useful Feature From Your Apple Watch

Thursday September 17, 2026 1:34 am PDT by Tim Hardwick

Apple released watchOS 27 on September 14, bringing a new Audio Intelligence feature set to its latest Apple Watch models, but as a result, owners of previous models are set to lose out doubly in the process. Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 models later this year will get Live Rewind, a feature that provides a transcript of any spoken audio that was picked up by the device in the last 15...

• 141 comments

Apple Releases watchOS 27 With Siri AI, New Watch Face, Smart Stack Improvements and More

Monday September 14, 2026 10:03 am PDT by Juli Clover

Apple today released watchOS 27, the newest version of the operating system that runs on the Apple Watch. watchOS 27 is compatible with the Apple Watch Series 9 and later, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and later, and the Apple Watch SE 3. watchOS 27 can be downloaded for free on a compatible device through the Settings app on the watch. The update introduces support for Siri AI, a more capable...

• 74 comments

Top Rated Comments

AppleWes

7 months ago

Does it require the phone to be on 26.4 first? I can't seem to initiate the update from the watch, phone still on 26.3

Yep you have to update iPhone first this is what happens if you try to update through Watch app

Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)

repoman016

7 months ago

Apple convinces us to integrate the watch with our routines and then changes the interface after we've used it for years out in public while performing other activities. At least they listen to feedback and put things back, mostly. Eager to update this today.

SAME omg the new workout layout is abysmal and I cannot stand it. Why does it insist on taking me to a metric screen 4 days after I ended my last workout, when I'm just trying to start a new workout?Why is selecting a workout so damn difficult now and take precision aim with the wheel? Why is it draining my battery asking me to type in my apple ID password when I'm in the middle of a workout and my watch is WATER LOCKED

Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)

CharlesShaw

7 months ago

The update makes it quicker to start a workout in the Workout app by tapping on a Workout type icon

Apple convinces us to integrate the watch with our routines and then changes the interface after we've used it for years out in public while performing other activities. At least they listen to feedback and put things back, mostly. Eager to update this today.

Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)