How to Install Apple’s First Public Beta of WatchOS
Of all the devices for beta testing with the new operating system, the most recent on my list is the Apple Watch. I love the new features, don’t get me wrong, but a buggy OS can block your smartwatch . And since you can’t downgrade your Apple Watch, you’ll either have to wait for future updates to fix your problem, or take your Apple Watch on sabbatical at the Genius Bar.
However, Apple seems to have more faith in its beta testing as it just opened the first public beta for watchOS. To try watchOS 7 before anyone else (who is not in a hurry and do not set a preliminary version of the developers ), start with a visit to a public beta Apple site using the Safari browser on the iPhone, which you connect to your Apple Watch. Sign in with your Apple ID, then go to the watchOS 7 page.
Click on the “ can register your Apple Watch ” link to start the process. You will need to install the watchOS 7 beta profile on your iPhone. Once you’ve done that – which might require a restart (but most likely won’t) – you’ll want to check for updates on your Apple Watch. Open the Watch app on your iPhone, then tap General> Software Update . Place your Apple Watch in the charger while the update is downloading and installing. And of course, make sure your iPhone stays within reach of your Apple Watch during the update.
And it’s all! When your Apple Watch is ready, you now have watchOS 7 to play with: new faces, challenges, and a sleep app, in case you don’t mind putting on a smartwatch before bed to cure insomnia. If you’re an active Apple Watch owner, you can play with the new fitness tracking on your device while dancing and strength training, and even enable cycling-friendly directions on your wrist (including altitude changes, thank goodness).
I wouldn’t recommend enabling Apple’s silly new handwashing countdown feature. I did – why not? – and found that this stupid thing always stops counting after about 4-6 seconds, even as I continued to violently rub my coronavirus-infected hands like a doctor preparing for surgery.