watchOS 27 beta lands with Siri AI caveats

Apple has released the watchOS 27 public beta, adding Siri AI, smarter workout coaching, new health features, and one-handed controls for supported Apple Watch models. But the headline feature will not be available to everyone: full access depends on both the watch and its paired iPhone.

Apple said Siri AI will arrive in English later this year, ahead of the full software release this fall. Once available, it will support follow-up questions and longer conversations, including the ability to start a request on an iPhone and continue it on an Apple Watch.

The company also says Siri will be able to:

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• retrieve saved information such as a door code stored in Notes
• perform actions inside apps, like changing an Activity ring goal or playing a song recommended by a trainer
• save past conversations in a dedicated Siri app, where users can pin chats for later

watchOS 27 also introduces one-handed controls. Users can tap their index finger and thumb together once to select a Smart Stack widget, which can show details like a parked car’s location. Elsewhere, Find My now combines people, devices, and items into a single map view, and Wallet supports custom passes created from QR codes or barcodes.

Workout and health updates

Workout Buddy is getting more personalized. Apple says it will compare a current session with past workouts using pace, distance, and workout duration to tailor feedback. During a run, coaching can continue even if the iPhone is left behind, though users still need Bluetooth headphones and a paired Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone. Spanish support is also coming.

Apple is also updating motion tracking to improve treadmill distance estimates for indoor runners and walkers. In health, Cycle Tracking now adds a feature for users aged 40 and older: logged patterns that may suggest perimenopause can trigger a notification, with symptom tracking and educational resources available in the Health app.

Supported devices and Siri AI limits

A supported Apple Watch can install watchOS 27 even if its paired iPhone cannot use every new feature. Apple says the update works with:

• Apple Watch Series 9 and newer
• Apple Watch Ultra 2 and newer
• Apple Watch SE 3
• paired with an iPhone 11 or newer running iOS 27

However, Siri AI requires an iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max, any iPhone 16 model, or a newer supported iPhone. That means an Apple Watch Series 9 paired with an iPhone 11 can get the new gestures and health tools, but not Siri AI.

There is also a regional limitation: EU users will not get Siri AI at launch. And beta testers should be aware of one major catch — after installing the beta, an Apple Watch cannot be downgraded to an earlier watchOS version.