watchOS 26.4 update is here and it quietly tidies up the Workout app

The latest watchOS 26.4 update makes the workout app feel a little more put together

By Shimul Sood Published March 24, 2026

Watch face on Apple Watch Series 11. — Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends

It’s raining updates today within the Apple ecosystem, ahead of the big yearly upgrades that will be introduced at WWDC 2026 in June. Aside from iOS 26.4 and macOS 26.4, Apple has also rolled out watchOS 26.4 update for its smartwatch line-up. Here’s everything that’s coming to your wrist.

No more extra steps with the workout, and a lot more fun along the way

Workouts are the main reason I keep coming back to the Apple Watch, and this update finally makes that experience even smoother. The workout type icon is a clear, prominent entry point for each workout, and it just works the way you expect. Now, you can tap the workout type, and you’re in. This definitely changes how you begin your workout and it makes it much more straightforward.

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On the contrary, Apple has also expanded the emoji keyboard with eight new additions. These include an orca, a trombone, a treasure chest, a hairy creature, a landslide, a ballet dancer, and a distorted face. That’s not it. Apple has also cleaned things up on the go, with bug fixes that make the overall experience smoother and much more reliable in day-to-day use.

How to get this update on your Apple Watch?

To install the watchOS 26.4 update on your Apple Watch, here’s how to go about it. Before you begin, make sure your watch is charged to at least 50% and is connected to a stable Wi-Fi network.

Open the Settings app on your Apple Watch.
Tap General, then head to Software Update.
If the update is available, tap Install.

Once you start the process, enter your passcode and follow the on-screen instructions. After that, your watch will handle the rest. If you’d rather not update directly on the Apple Watch because of the smaller screen, you can do it through your iPhone instead. To do so, open the Watch app on your iPhone, go to General, then tap Software Update, and install the update if it’s available. As with the watch itself, make sure your Apple Watch is charged to at least 50% before you begin.

Contributor

Shimul is a contributor at Digital Trends, with over five years of experience in the tech space.

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