New dynamic grid for the Apple Watch.

Key Takeaways

  1. Apple officially announced watchOS 27 during WWDC 2026 on Monday.
  2. The new update is on the smaller side, but does come with some big changes for supported watches.
  3. The flagship feature is Siri AI, including the new Siri app that syncs across all Apple devices.
  4. watchOS 27 also comes with a new app grid, a single-tap gesture, and more quality-of-life updates.

During its big WWDC 2026 keynote, Apple didn’t spend much time on watchOS 27. In fact, Apple didn’t spend much time on any specific OS at all. Instead, the event was about Apple Intelligence and how the new Siri AI is integrated throughout Apple’s apps and platforms. While the Apple Watch had a few “blink and you’ll miss it” moments, it got very little airtime, but that doesn’t mean that the watch is left out in the dust: watchOS 27 comes with a new app layout, a brand new gesture, and yes, the updated Liquid Glass design is here too. Here’s what’s new, assuming your Apple Watch is supported.

watchOS 27: Siri AI Is Front and Center

Siri AI on Apple Watch.

As you might expect with this new set of updates, it’s all about Siri and Siri AI. The Siri app will be available on the Apple Watch, so you can access all your Siri chats without using your phone. The watchOS Siri app supports the same conversational Siri as Apple’s other products, so you can “chat” with Apple’s assistant if you want. Siri AI for watchOS is not rolling out yet, though, and it’s not a part of the current developer beta cycle. Apple says it’s coming out in beta later this year.

Finding the right app on your Apple Watch is a chore, whether you use the “Honeycomb” view or the List view. Now, when you press the Digital Crown, you’ll see a dynamic view of six apps that watchOS will suggest based on your usage history. If the app you’re looking for isn’t there, you can tap “All Apps” to view all installed apps on your Apple Watch. I could see this feature being useful if it works well, but I could also see it adding one more layer of frustration to the mix. We will find out soon enough.

watchOS 27: More Insights in Workout Buddy

Workout Buddy, the voice coach that shows up during workouts, is getting smarter. It will now motivate you using new data insights like pace, distance, and workout duration. It’s also coming in Spanish, and now works without an iPhone nearby.

watchOS 27: A New Single-Tap Gesture

watchOS already has some useful gestures: you can double-tap to perform quick actions, and now Apple is adding a single-tap gesture to the mix as well.