Apple has officially unveiled watchOS 27, bringing Siri AI, new fitness features, smarter suggestions, health improvements, and several quality-of-life enhancements to Apple Watch.
The biggest addition is Siri AI, Apple’s completely rebuilt assistant powered by Apple Intelligence. Siri can now hold natural conversations, understand personal context, answer questions using information from the web, and perform actions across apps. Users can ask Siri to find information from notes, emails, messages, and other personal data, while also carrying on more natural back-and-forth conversations.
Apple is also bringing a dedicated Siri app to Apple Watch for the first time. The new app keeps conversations synced across devices, allowing users to start a conversation on iPhone and continue it from their wrist. Users can also pin conversations for quick access or start entirely new chats directly from Apple Watch.
To support the new assistant, Apple has redesigned the app grid. The new dynamic app grid automatically highlights Siri-recommended apps, frequently used apps, and recently opened apps, with the Siri app placed front and center.
Fitness receives several updates in watchOS 27. Workout Buddy is becoming more capable with new insights based on pace, distance, workout duration, and historical fitness data. Apple is also expanding Workout Buddy to Spanish and allowing the feature to work without an iPhone nearby, making it more useful for runners and gym users who leave their phone behind.
Apple says treadmill runs and indoor walks should also become more accurate thanks to improved motion-tracking algorithms that better estimate distance directly from the watch.
The Health app gains new perimenopause and menopause support. Cycle Tracking can now identify patterns that may suggest perimenopause and provide educational resources alongside symptom tracking tools.
watchOS 27 introduces a new tap gesture that allows users to tap their thumb and index finger together once to interact with Smart Stack widgets. Apple says the feature is designed to make the watch easier to use when one hand is occupied.
Smart Stack is also becoming more intelligent, with new contextual suggestions appearing when relevant. Examples include birthday reminders for close contacts, parked car locations, transit card information, and adjustments to sleep schedules around holidays.
Apple has also simplified Find My on Apple Watch by combining Find People, Find Devices, and Find Items into a single app with a more map-focused interface.
Several Apple Intelligence features are expanding to the watch as well. Call Context can automatically surface useful information while calling a business, such as reservation numbers, confirmation codes, and booking details stored elsewhere on the user’s devices.
Elsewhere, watchOS 27 includes a refreshed Liquid Glass design with improved readability and contrast, faster music playback, Fitness and Health step count synchronization, battery optimization recommendations, support for custom Wallet passes using QR codes and barcodes, and expanded child safety features through Child Accounts and Apple Watch For Your Kids.
watchOS 27 will be available later this year and requires an iPhone 11 or newer running iOS 27. Compatible models include Apple Watch SE 3, Apple Watch Series 10, Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 2, and Apple Watch Ultra 3.
