How to Install watchOS 11 Public Beta on Apple Watch
If you’re an advanced Apple Watch user, you might be intrigued by the idea of running the watchOS 11 public beta on your Apple Watch, to accompany your paired iPhone running iOS 18 public beta.
Sure, beta system software is buggier than final versions and may have issues with performance and battery life, but running watchOS 11 public beta can also offer an early look at the new features that are coming.
WatchOS 11 includes a variety of new compelling features, including functionality for adding rest days to your workouts, the ability to pause activity rings without losing streaks, workout load tracking, live language translation, tap-to-send-cash features, features for pregnant women, and more.
If you’re interested in installing watchOS 11 public beta on your Apple Watch, read on and you’ll be up and running shortly.
WatchOS 11 Requirements & Compatible Apple Watch Models
First, the paired iPhone must be running iOS 18 public beta (or dev beta). If you have not installed iOS 18 public beta yet, do that first on your iPhone.
The following Apple Watch models are able to run watchOS 11:
- Apple Watch Series 6 or newer (including Apple Watch Series 7, Apple Watch Series 8, Apple Watch Series 9)
- Apple Watch SE 2nd generation and newer
- Apple Watch Ultra and newer
You also must have an internet connection, and you’ll want to place your Apple Watch on a charger for the installation of watchOS 11 public beta.
How to Install & Run watchOS 11 Public Beta on Apple Watch
We’re assuming the paired iPhone is already running iOS 18 public beta as well, if not, do that first.
- Place your Apple Watch on a charger
- Open the “Watch” app on iPhone
- Go to “General” then select “Software Update”, then tap on “Beta Updates”
- Choose “watchOS 11 Public Beta”, and go back to the software update screen
- When you see watchOS 11 public beta available as a download, tap to ‘Download and Install’ the software update
- Apple Watch will begin the process of installing the beta software update
Apple Watch system software updates can take a long time to finish, so have patience and let the beta install complete.
Updates to watchOS 11 public beta come as any other software update would, through the same software update mechanism in the Watch app on iPhone.
You will be able to update directly from watchOS 11 public beta to the final version of watchOS 11, when it is released this fall to all compatible Apple Watch models.
If you’re already running iOS 18 public beta and watchOS 11 public beta, you might also be interested in installing and running macOS Sequoia public beta on a Mac too.
Interesting….I have a Series 4, and I’m surprised, I am presented with all of the same BETA download options. I haven’t tried to install, but I would think it would not offer watchOS 11 if the hardware didn’t support it. I haven’t tried to download/install in case it bricks my watch. I wasn’t expecting to see anything but watchOS 10 software options. FYI
Since these kinds of stories often fail to mention it (borderline irresponsibly, IMO), those considering trying WatchOS betas should be aware that if it is not to your liking, downgrading to the last stable release requires sending the watch to Apple Service. The software cannot be rolled back at the end user level. Tread carefully.