4 Ways watchOS 26 Will Improve Your Health & Fitness

The Updated Workout Experience

As you might expect, the Workout app is one of the most popular apps on the Apple Watch, and watchOS 26 brings what Apple calls the biggest update yet to its layout and navigation.

The app now has four new buttons, located in the four corners of the app’s screen, to make it easier for you to access your favorite features, allowing you to customize your workouts. The buttons provide access to Workout Views, Custom Workout, Pacer, Race Route, and more.

In Workout Views, you can select the various workout views you can view with a turn of the Digital Crown. You can turn on Metrics, Heart Rate Zones, Segment, Split, and other workout views.

You can also set up music and podcasts in the Workout app, which will play automatically when you start a workout. While Apple Music can now decide on the best playlist for your workout type and personal tastes, you can also see suggestions for playlists or podcasts based on what you’ve listened to during a workout type in the past.

You can also set alerts and which Workout Buddy voice you’d like to hear during your workout. Now that I’ve mentioned Workout Buddy, let’s take a look at it...

Workout Buddy

Perhaps the most exciting new fitness feature in watchOS 26 is Workout Buddy. This new feature uses Apple Intelligence to incorporate your workout data and fitness history to create personalized, motivational insights during a workout session. A workout cheerleader of sorts.

The feature monitors several data points, including your heart rate, your pace, the distance you’ve traveled, the state of your activity rings, and more.

To use Workout Buddy, you’ll start off in the Workout app like you normally do. The first time you open the Workout app after installing watchOS 26, you’ll be asked if you want to use Workout Buddy. Simply tap the switch for the feature to toggle it on and your Watch will begin downloading the two voices it uses to provide audio encouragement. There is a female voice, as well as a male voice. Tap each option to hear the available voices. Once you’ve selected a voice, tap the Done button to return to the initial workout screen.

Workout Buddy operates in three core phases of your workout.

Pep Talk takes place at the beginning of your workout, immediately after pressing the Start button. The Pep Talk includes encouraging phrases, for example, if you’re starting a run, you’ll hear encouraging words related to the run, such as, “Great job starting your run! This is your second run this week!”

Once you’re off and running, Workout Buddy will add context to your existing alerts, while also informing you of new milestones, such as going past a given distance.

Last but not least, the Walk Off feature kicks in after finishing and saving your workout. While you’ll still see the summary stats on your Apple Watch screen, you’ll also hear a short audio overview of the workout, providing more context.

Here are some examples of the phrase you’ll hear from Workout Buddy:

• “You did it, that was your fastest 5K yet!”
• “So far this week you’ve closed all your workouts.”
• “You’ve climbed 2,000ft in elevation.”
• “Fastest Mile Yet!”
• “You broke your all-time distance record!”

While the above phrases would be heard during a run, Workout Buddy isn’t limited to just running. It will also be available for the following types of workouts, with suitable phrases for each one:

• Indoor Run
• Indoor Walk
• Outdoor Run
• Outdoor Walk
• Outdoor Ride
• High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
• Traditional & Functional Strength Training

Keep in mind that both the voices and the encouragement they voice are all done via generative AI. Your Apple Watch is creating these insights on the fly, but it also needs some help, as Apple says Workout Buddy "requires an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone nearby."

Workout Buddy will only be available in English at launch and although Apple hasn’t announced a timeline for other languages, more will be made available in the future. It remains to be seen whether Apple Watch users will find Workout Buddy to be encouraging or more like Microsoft’s much-maligned “Clippy” Office app assistant from years ago. On an encouraging note, my colleague Jesse Hollington recently told me, “I used [Workout Buddy] on a walk last night. It was far less annoying than I expected!” High praise indeed.

Workout Buddy will be available on any Apple Watch models that can run watchOS 26 as long as it's paired with an iPhone 15 Pro or later. You'll need to wear a set of Bluetooth headphones to hear the prompts and keep your iPhone close by while working out.

A More Proactive Smart Stack

Smart Stack has become a popular Apple Watch feature, as it helps users quickly access information from any watch face. watchOS 26 brings improved features that will come in handy during workouts.

Smart Stack’s improved prediction algorithms now incorporate more sensor data, contextual data, and even data from your daily routine to provide proactive Smart Hints. These appear as a visual prompt that can provide a gentle hint about the Backtrack feature when you’re in a location where there isn’t any connectivity, or you may receive a hint for a certain type of workout when you arrive at your health club at your usual time.

Improved Sleep Tracking Features

Exercise doesn’t do you a bit of good if you’re not getting a good night’s sleep. watchOS 26 builds on the Apple Watch’s already helpful sleep-tracking features.

The Watch’s sleep-tracking capabilities have been much improved, adding tools like bedtime reminders and REM cycle monitoring. These new features are designed to provide a better understanding of your sleep patterns, allowing you to identify areas that need improvement. The new features give you the power to make adjustments to enhance your overall sleep quality.