watchOS 26: Apple Watch will control the iPhone Control Center in future
Small feature, big impact: With the next Apple Watch operating system, users of the computer watch will have more iPhone control options.
watchOS 26 with new widgets in the Control Center: Can also be used without the Apple Watch app.
(Image: Screenshot Apple.com)
At first glance, the innovations in watchOS 26 (which follows watchOS 11 thanks to Apple's new naming scheme) appear to be relatively few, including an AI fitness coach that initially only works in English and a new design with a “Liquid Glass” look. However, Apple has also tweaked many aspects of the Apple Watch operating system, which will be released in the fall. This includes the Control Center, as can be seen in a video for developers that the manufacturer provided for the WWDC 2025 developer conference. According to the video, developers will not only be able to place their controls on the Watch for the first time, but users will also be able to control settings on the iPhone from the computer watch.
Faster iPhone operation from the watch
Apple Watch users usually prefer this: As the Watch is on your wrist, you can interact with notifications or settings much faster than having to get the whole iPhone out straight away. For example, banks (DKB, for example, unfortunately no longer offers this) can confirm bookings directly via the watch, as it is biometrically linked to the user. Now the settings in the iOS Control Center are also being added, as long as the iPhone is running iOS 26, which will also be released in the autumn.
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According to Apple, all Control Center controls that are available in the Control Center gallery on the iPhone will automatically be available on the Watch. Apple had already significantly improved and expanded the Control Center in iOS 18, but little has been done here on the Watch, with only Apple's own controls available so far. All iPhone controls can be operated directly on the Watch if you wish. There will also be completely new controls for watchOS only, which will only work on the watch – Developers will have to work on this first.
Controls also as widgets in the smart stack
Useful: Controls can also be placed on the action button of the Apple Watch Ultra (both models). This allows you to trigger them even faster than using the side button and any necessary scrolling. Controls can also end up in Apple's Smart Stacks on the Watch – in the form of widgets. However, this “smart stack” is still not very popular among Watch users – also because it is difficult to understand. However, Apple is also making improvements here and wants to automatically display the correct widgets more often thanks to AI.
watchOS 26 is currently in a beta phase for developers. A public beta will be available next month so that users can test the new system in advance and provide feedback to Apple.
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