Apple has released the first developer beta of watchOS 27 following its WWDC 2026 keynote, giving developers early access to the next major software update for Apple Watch.
watchOS 27 beta 1 is now available through the Apple Developer Program and arrives alongside the beta releases of iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 Golden Gate. The update includes support for new Apple Intelligence technologies, developer frameworks, networking improvements, StoreKit enhancements, and system-level changes ahead of its public release later this year.
While Apple’s WWDC presentation focused heavily on Siri AI and Apple Intelligence, the first watchOS 27 beta is primarily aimed at developers testing app compatibility and new APIs. Apple has introduced stricter network security requirements for system processes, requiring managed environments and servers to support modern TLS standards.
The release also includes updates to StoreKit, adding support for subscription bundles, subscription suites, managed Apple Account purchases, and new transaction ownership types. Developers can also take advantage of SwiftUI improvements, AsyncImage caching enhancements, and updates to Swift state management introduced with Xcode 27.
Several bugs and known issues remain in this first beta. Apple notes that some watch complications may be missing from the Face Gallery, and the Now Playing Suggestions widget in Smart Stack may fail to start playback when tapped. Users may also encounter issues with the Always On display, where the time shown in the status bar does not update correctly.
Siri-related issues are also present in the beta. Apple says Siri may fail to resolve certain entity types in some apps, while developers using Foundation Models may encounter compiler issues and limitations when testing Apple Intelligence features. Private Cloud Compute functionality may also not work correctly in simulator environments.
For Apple Watch users who rely on audio playback, Apple notes that mirrored playback may fail to automatically start on iPhone when initiated from Apple Watch. The current workaround is to manually open the Podcasts app on iPhone and begin playback there.
As with all first developer betas, watchOS 27 beta 1 is intended primarily for developers and advanced testers. Early beta software can include bugs, performance issues, battery drain, and app compatibility problems that may affect daily use.
Apple is expected to release additional watchOS 27 beta updates throughout the summer before the software becomes available to all supported Apple Watch models later this year.
