The watchOS 11 public beta is available as of July 15, meaning anyone with a compatible Apple Watch device can now try out all the new features Apple announced at WWDC 2024. Although this isn’t the final version of watchOS 11 — in fact, there will be a few more public beta versions released first in weeks leading up to the next Apple event — the public beta experience should feel mostly complete.
In order to use the watchOS 11 public beta, you’ll need to know how to download the watchOS 11 public beta to your Apple Watch. As a reminder, the iOS 18 public beta must be installed on your iPhone first. You’ll also want to make sure your Apple Watch meets the watchOS 11 compatibility requirements.
Those with an Apple Watch Series 6 or newer (including the latest-generation Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2) can download the watchOS 11 public beta now. Once you have the software installed, you can start enjoying the new Apple Watch features.
So, where should you start? There are over a dozen changes and new additions to watchOS 11, but these are the best features that you should try first.
Make a new Photos watch face
In the watchOS 11 public beta, you’ll see one new watch face, though it's technically a redesign of a familiar favorite. Of course, I’m talking about the iconic Photos watch face.
The Photos watch face has been completely updated with machine learning, so your watch will now suggest which photos to use as your watch face based on the best finds in your library. You can choose to use one of these photos, or have your watch cycle through the entire album. The clock will then be framed intelligently around your image, and you can tailor the final product with a selection of fun fonts and color filters.
Pause your Activity Rings
Having an off day? Or, simply looking to take it easy after a few days of vigorous exercise? Try pausing your Activity Rings, relieving yourself from any pressure to close your Apple Watch rings and giving you the space to prioritize recovery.
The key to pausing your Activity Rings is that any activity streaks you have won’t be compromised. This is a feature users have been asking Apple to offer for years, so it makes sense that it would be one of the first you’d try the watchOS 11 public beta.
Explore the Smart Stack
The Apple Watch’s Smart Stack is meant to give you a convenient glance at all the information that might be relevant to you, organized into tiles you can scroll through. In watchOS 11, the Smart Stack has received a few upgrades so that it’s even more intuitive than before — for example, it will now lead with a weather forecast if there’s imminent rain in your area.
Similarly, if you're located in a different country, you might be prompted with a location-based translation widget. Live Activities from iPhone will be mirrored in the Smart Stack in watchOS 11, too.
Create a Check In
One of those Live Activities includes Check In. First launched for iPhone in iOS 17, Check In gives users the ability to share their location with friends and family. When you set a Check In, your assigned contact will get alerted if you don’t let them know when you’ve arrived at your destination safely.
In watchOS 11, you can manage a Check In from the Smart Stack on your Apple Watch, and even create a Check In from the workout app when you launch an outdoor workout. This should give you a little peace of mind when you go for a run in the evening.
Get familiar with the Vitals app
There’s a new wellness app in watchOS 11 that you’ll want to try out. Vitals is basically a version of the Health app for Apple Watch, letting you review your health and fitness trends in a cohesive place. As you continue to wear your Apple Watch on a daily basis, You’ll be able to see how different markers (ie. activity, sleep, heart rate) are impacting your health.
The Vitals app is also able to alert you when a concerning trend in your health is forming. For example, when you’ve slept poorly for a few nights in a row, the Vitals may tell you that something’s off with your body.
Log your pregnancy
If you happen to be pregnant, you should try the improved pregnancy tracking features in watchOS 11. When you log a pregnancy in the Cycle Tracking app, you’ll be prompted to start logging pregnancy-related symptoms and keep tabs on the gestational age, or the measurement of how far along your pregnancy is.
You’ll see upon logging your pregnancy for the first time that your Health app will suggest you make some changes to your profile, such as changing your heart rate alerts threshold, since your heart rate is typically higher when you’re pregnant.
Enjoy a custom Pool Swim workout
There’s a great new feature for swimmers in watchOS 11 — well, it’s not technically new, but it takes an feature only available to certain workout types and bestows it on pool-goers. You can build your own Pool Swim workout, customizing intervals based on the type of workout you’re aiming to have.
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