How to install the watchOS 10 public beta

If you were intrigued by the idea of widgets on your Apple Watch at this year’s WWDC, good news! The watchOS 10 public beta is live.

That said, before I tell you how to install it, there are a few things you should keep in mind. First off, watchOS 10 is a substantial update. Not only does it reintroduce widgets to the platform, but it also completely redesigns Apple’s native watch apps and reimagines how you interact with the device. The controls you’re used to have changed. Pressing the side button, for instance, now brings up Control Center while swiping up is how you access widgets.

I mention this because once you install the watchOS 10 beta, you cannot downgrade to watchOS 9. So if you’re not keen on relearning how to use the watch right now, it may be wiser to wait until the public release becomes available later this fall. If you’re unsure, I go into what changes you can expect in my watchOS 10 preview.

On a similar note, beta software isn’t the final product. Apps can malfunction, battery drain might be more intense, and some of the new features may not even be available yet. Plus, installing watchOS 10 requires that you first install the iOS 17 beta on the iPhone the Apple Watch is paired to. Basically, you have to be okay with installing betas on two of your devices. For that reason, we always recommend creating backups and using secondary Apple Watches / iPhones if available.

Widgets are back, baby. Photo by Victoria Song / The Verge

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