Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Wearables
  3. News

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

Add as a preferred source on Google
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.

Recommended Videos

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.

  1. Open the Settings app on your Apple Watch.
  2. Tap General, then head to Software Update.
  3. 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.

Shimul Sood
Shimul is a contributor at Digital Trends, with over five years of experience in the tech space.
Galaxy Watch 9 and Ultra 2 may arrive on July 22, and this new leak leaves little to the imagination
Qualcomm chips could power the Galaxy Watch 9 and Ultra 2
A person wearing the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra showing the Ultra Analogue watch face.

Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Watches may cost more than their predecessors, but the latest leak suggests buyers will at least get some meaningful hardware upgrades for the extra money.

WinFuture claims to have obtained the technical specifications for the Galaxy Watch 9 series and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. Samsung reportedly plans to replace its Exynos processors, increase battery capacity on selected models, and introduce updated connectivity hardware across the lineup.

Read more
XREAL’s $299 AR glasses are finally here, and they could be a great travel companion
These AR glasses give you a 147-inch virtual display you can carry around in your pocket
X by XREAL with different front frames

XREAL announced its lower-cost xbx sub-brand earlier this year, and its first product is now available in the U.S. The xbx a01+ costs $299 through XREAL’s online store, putting it below the company’s more expensive AR glasses.

The a01+ is mainly built for watching videos, playing games, or using a laptop on a large virtual screen. It connects to compatible phones, handheld consoles, and computers over USB-C, so it works more like a wearable display than a standalone headset.

Read more
I took this Oppo smartwatch swimming, and it tracked everything except my excuses
The Oppo Watch X3 caught every lap, stroke, and my poolside talking breaks
Wristwatch, Arm, Body Part

I recently covered a report suggesting that people who use fitness trackers and smartphone apps tend to stay more physically active. While my experience sits far outside the scope of that study that involved cardiovascular disease, I now understand how a wearable can turn an ordinary workout into something you want to repeat.

I have been trying to get back into swimming, and the Oppo Watch X3 arrived at the perfect time.

Read more