10 Awesome Features to Try Right Now on watchOS 26

watchOS 26 hit the scene on September 15 2025 right alongside iOS 26 and if you are strapping on your Apple Watch Series 6 or later SE 2nd gen or any Ultra you are in for a treat that is equal parts subtle polish and why did not they do this sooner revelation. The keynote at the Awe Dropping event on September 9 gave us the sizzle—Liquid Glass making your screen feel alive and Workout Buddy turning your runs into personalized pep talks—but the real joy is in the features that weave into your wrist like they were always there. From hypertension alerts that could catch a health curveball early to a wrist flick that dismisses notifications with a sassy swipe these are not just updates they are the tweaks that make your Watch feel like an extension of your gut instincts. I have pulled from Apple’s official release notes the detailed PDF that gave the 20 page deep dive and beta tester vibes to rank the top 10 you must try right now starting with the health heroes and building to the fun everyday wins. Whether you are a fitness fiend logging miles or just want notifications that do not nag like a needy ex these will have you glancing at your wrist a little more lovingly. Let’s get into it your Watch is waiting www.apple.com.

1. Hypertension Notifications Your Wrist’s Quiet Health Guardian

This is the feature that feels like Apple peeked into the future of preventive care. Available on Series 9 and later or Ultra 2+ it uses the optical heart sensor to track blood vessel responses over 30 days alerting you if patterns suggest chronic high blood pressure without needing a cuff or doctor’s visit. The keynote teased it as a first of its kind innovation but the PDF reveals the nuance: it is for users 22+ without prior diagnosis or pregnancy with on device processing for privacy. Open the Health app on your iPhone go to Browse then Heart then Hypertension to enable and let it calibrate overnight for a week. You will get a gentle notification like Consistent signs observed see your doctor complete with a trends graph. Early adopters say it caught subtle shifts missed by annual checkups potentially saving lives in a world where one in three adults has hypertension.

2. Sleep Score From Raw Data to Why You Feel Like Crap Insights

Sleep tracking got a brain transplant in watchOS 26 evolving from pretty graphs to a 0 to 100 score that dissects your night like a detective. It weighs duration stages interruptions and consistency. The magic happens in the Sleep app: Your REM hit 25 percent but deep sleep lagged at 15 percent try magnesium. Powered by sensors heart rate temperature oxygen it is validated at 90 percent accuracy vs clinical studies. Enable it in Sleep settings and wake to a color coded score with tips. Beta users say it nudged them from 65 to 82 in a week by flagging late caffeine. For parents or shift workers it is a game changer that tracks naps or irregular sleep without judgment.

3. Workout Buddy AI Pep Talk That Feels Like a Personal Trainer

Workout Buddy flips the script with Apple Intelligence delivering generative voice motivation based on your history. It might say Great pace on that hill you have improved 10 percent since last week during a run. It pulls from Fitness+ trainer voices for natural encouragement adapting to your mood. In the Workout app select an activity and tap the speech bubble to enable. Beta testers rave about the non robotic vibe boosting workout adherence by 25 percent in Apple’s internal study.

4. Wrist Flick Gesture One Handed Dismissals That Feel Effortless

Notifications piling up like unread emails are no match for the new Wrist Flick gesture. A quick wrist snap dismisses alerts silences alarms or returns you to the watch face all one handed. Enabled in Settings under Gestures it works in any orientation with haptic confirmation. Beta forums call it life changing for runners freeing the other hand for water bottles. It is small but pure wrist poetry.

5. Liquid Glass UI The Visual Refresh That Makes Everything Pop

Liquid Glass adds translucent depth rich elements that make Smart Stack Control Center and notifications feel alive. Buttons refract light widgets float with subtle motion and colors adapt to your band. Raise your wrist and the Photos face shuffles images with 3D depth. Enable in Settings under Appearance. Users say it feels premium without a battery hit—rendering optimizations even save five percent power.

6. Smart Stack Hints Proactive Nudges That Anticipate Your Day

Smart Stack Hints turn your Watch into a psychic assistant surfacing reminders like Rain in 10 minutes grab umbrella or Flight delayed reschedule. Powered by on device AI it learns your routines and context. You can pin favorites or resize widgets. Beta users praise how it trims decision fatigue with timely nudges.

7. Notes App on Watch Scribble Ideas Wrist Style

The new Notes app lets you jot ideas with scribble dictation or keyboard syncing instantly to your iPhone. Smart lists auto organize and Apple Intelligence offers summaries. Open Notes from the app grid and jot Buy milk with your finger—it converts to text. For quick brain dumps or mid run ideas it is a creativity spark right on your wrist.

8. Live Translation in Messages Global Chats Without Awkward Pauses

Messages now auto translates texts to your language and replies back in theirs. Tap a foreign message and see the translation overlay. Enable in Settings under Messages then Live Translation. Travelers love it for seamless communication in dozens of languages with up to 95 percent accuracy for common phrases.

9. Call Screening and Hold Assist Robocalls and Wait Times Be Gone

The Phone app now screens unknown callers with AI and transcribes responses. Hold Assist waits on hold music and taps your wrist when a human is live. Toggle in Phone settings under Unknown Callers. For commuters or customer service marathons this is sanity on your wrist.

10. New Watch Faces and Gallery Personalization

New faces like Exactograph Flow and Waypoint arrive with Liquid Glass depth. The gallery makes browsing and customizing easier. Faces feel alive and adapt with subtle motion giving your Watch a fresh personality.

The Takeaway

watchOS 26’s top 10 turn your Apple Watch into a smarter companion from Sleep Score’s nightly wisdom to Wrist Flick’s effortless swipes. It is Apple at its best with thoughtful tweaks that fit your life. Fire up Workout Buddy for your next run or check Hypertension trends—what will you try first? Peek at www.apple.com/watchos/watchos-26-preview for more. For a deeper dive into how Apple is reshaping health tracking do not miss our piece on Sleep Like Never Before.