Watchos 26: Apple Watch will control the iPhone control center in the future

At first glance, the innovations in Watchos 26 (thanks to Apple’s new name scheme on Watchos 11) only seem to be relatively few innovations, including a Ki fitness coach, which is initially only working in English and a new design in the “Liquid Glass” look. However, Apple also filed many corners and ends of the Apple Watch operating system, which will be released in autumn. This also includes the control center, like from one Video for developers that the manufacturer has provided for the WWDC 2025 developer conference. According to this, Developer not only may also accommodate their own controls on the watch for the first time, but users can also control settings on the iPhone from the computer clock.

Faster iPhone operation from the clock

Apple watch users usually preferred this: Since the watch is on the wrist, you can interact with notifications or settings much faster than to get the whole iPhone out. For example, banks offer (the DKB e.g. unfortunately no longer) to confirm bookings directly via the watch, since they are biometrically linked to the user. Now the settings are also added to the iOS control center, as long as the iOS 26, which will also be released in autumn, runs on the iPhone.

According to Apple, all control center controls will automatically be available on the watch, which are available on the iPhone in the control center gallery. Apple had already significantly improved and expanded the control center in iOS 18, but the Watch did little here, so far there were only Apple’s own controls. All iPhone controls can be operated directly on the watch if you wish. In addition, there will only be completely new controls for watchos, which then only act on the watch – here the developers have to go 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 via the side button and any necessary scrolling. In addition, controls can also land on the watch in Apple’s smart stacks – in the form of widgets. This “Smart stack” However, it is still not very popular among watch users-also because it is not easy to see through. Apple also makes improvements here and, thanks to AI, wants to automatically show the correct widgets automatically.

Watchos 26 is currently in a beta phase for developers. In the coming month will also be A public beta are available so that users can test the new system in advance and give feedback to Apple.