Apple Releases watchOS 26, tvOS 26, and visionOS 26 Release Candidates Ahead of September 15 Launch

Apple has released the release candidate versions of watchOS 26, tvOS 26, and visionOS 26 to developers. These builds usually represent the final software that will roll out to the public, provided no last-minute bugs surface. The public launch is scheduled for September 15, right alongside iOS 26.



What’s New in watchOS 26



watchOS 26 continues the redesign trend started by iOS and macOS, adopting the Liquid Glass look across the interface. It also brings new features aimed at making the watch feel more personal and useful:




Workout Buddy: an AI-driven feature that offers motivation and feedback during workouts.



Smarter Smart Stack: improved contextual suggestions based on your activity and routine.



Notes app: finally available on Apple Watch for quick entries.



Live Translation: integrated into the system, letting you communicate more easily across languages.




Updates in tvOS 26



Apple hasn’t left the Apple TV behind. tvOS 26 includes a handful of upgrades that focus on entertainment and ease of use:




Karaoke mode: use your iPhone as a microphone for sing-along sessions.



Better AirPlay speaker support: smoother integration when pairing with external audio systems.



New Aerial screen savers: more visual options for your TV backdrop.



Simpler app logins: Apple Account syncing speeds up the setup process across devices.




Check out the supported devices here.



visionOS 26 for Vision Pro



visionOS 26 sharpens the Vision Pro experience with new ways to personalize your space:




Spatial widgets: place widgets anywhere in your environment, not just on fixed panels.



Improved personas: avatars now look and move more naturally.



Shared spatial experiences: two Vision Pro users can interact in the same virtual environment.




Availability



The release candidate builds are available now for developers through the Settings app on each device. watchOS 26 and tvOS 26 are also open to public beta testers, while visionOS 26 remains developer-only.



All three updates will be available to everyone on September 15.