watchOS 27 brings one new watch face and a refresh of one of the most popular existing ones. The new face is Siri Modular, and the standard Modular face picks up 13 new colors.
Apple released watchOS 27 on September 14 for the Apple Watch Series 9 and later, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and later, and the Apple Watch SE (third generation). The Apple Watch Ultra (first generation) does not run it, so none of these changes reach that model. Owners of the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 get extra complications, and the Apple Watch Ultra 4 adds a Readiness option to the bezel.
Siri Modular Is the Only New Watch Face in watchOS 27
Siri Modular runs on both Apple Watch Series and Apple Watch Ultra models. It first appeared in the release candidate on September 9, five days before the public release.
The layout has a line complication across the top, a centered clock, a wide Siri suggestion widget, and a row of three circular complications. The wide widget mirrors the top widget in the Smart Stack and updates through the day to show whichever one is most relevant. A separate Siri complication launches Siri.
Smart Stack also gets new suggestion widgets in watchOS 27. Apple’s examples include a Parked Car location, a birthday reminder for a close contact, a balance change on a transit card, and the Noise app after a loud noise notification.
The face comes in three styles that trade clock height for widget space.
- The tallest clock with three circular complications
- A compact clock with the wide Siri suggestion widget and three circular complications
- A medium clock with one wide complication
All three styles keep the top line complication. None of them can show seconds in the clock.
Apple Watch Ultra models get a few extra options. Series models offer Modern, Classic and Rounded fonts for the clock, and Ultra models add a fourth font called Ultra. Ultra models also get bezel options on Siri Modular, the same setup the other Ultra-only faces use. Face colors include new choices such as Dark Bronze and Radiant Gold.
Modular Gets 13 New Colors and Three New Health Complications
Modular is popular enough that Apple has built spinoffs from it, including Modular Compact, Modular Ultra and now Siri Modular. watchOS 27 also updates the original. In August, references to nine new Modular colors turned up in iOS 27 beta 5, and the release includes 13.
Here are the new colors:
- Olive
- Burgundy
- Sand
- Magenta
- Pale Succulent
- Wildflower Blue
- Navy Blue
- Light Umber
- Chambray Blue
- Limestone
- Camel
- Sage
- Mulberry
You find them on the Color screen while editing the face. Earlier colors are still there behind the plus button at the bottom, labeled “Tap to add more colors.”
Modular also supports new complications for Daily Steps, Heart Rate and Readiness in multiple sizes. They only work on the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4.
The Steps complication tracks your count in real time. It relies on the redesigned pedometer model and S11 chip in those watches, which also make step counts more accurate.
The wide Heart Rate complication shows your latest reading and a graph since midnight, but the small circular version has only been a shortcut to the Heart Rate app. Apple’s marketing material for the new watches shows the small one displaying a live reading for the first time. On the Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3, it was still a launcher in the watchOS 27 release candidate.
The Health Sensing System in the newer watches reads heart rate every five seconds during normal wear, which is 60 times more often than earlier models. That is what makes a live reading in a small slot possible.
The Readiness Bezel Is Limited to Apple Watch Ultra 4
Apple Watch Ultra 4 adds Readiness to the bezel options, which now include None, Seconds, Depth, Elevation, Training and Readiness. The Readiness bezel puts your score and its description at the bottom of the face. Four bars wrap the edge of the display for the score categories, and a dot marks where your score sits within its category.
It works on any face that supports bezel information, including Modular Ultra and Siri Modular.
The Readiness app scores your day from 0 to 10 and sorts the result into four labels.
- Go For It covers scores of 8 to 10
- Ready covers 5 to 7
- Pace Yourself covers 2 to 4
- Recover covers 0 to 1
The score draws on activity, sleep and vitals. Overnight vitals include heart rate, respiratory rate, wrist temperature and recovery HRV, and daytime vitals cover heart rate and recovery HRV. Your score can also drop during the day after a workout.
Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 Get the Most Watch Face Options
Which changes you get depends on the watch on your wrist.
| Watch face change | Available on |
|---|---|
| Siri Modular with three clock styles | Every Apple Watch that runs watchOS 27 |
| 13 new Modular colors | Every Apple Watch that runs watchOS 27 |
| Ultra font for Siri Modular | Apple Watch Ultra models |
| Bezel options on Siri Modular | Apple Watch Ultra models |
| Steps, Heart Rate and Readiness complications for Modular | Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 |
| Small Heart Rate complication with a live reading | Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 |
| Readiness bezel | Apple Watch Ultra 4 |
The Readiness app itself is missing from the Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Apple Watch SE (third generation), even with watchOS 27. Anyone weighing an upgrade for these features can read our buying guide comparing the two new models.
Siri Modular is the more interesting change, even though the new Modular colors will reach more people. A wide slot that follows the top of your Smart Stack gives the face something to do through the day. The additions for the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 are harder to get excited about, since Steps, Readiness and the live Heart Rate complication all sit behind new hardware. Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3 owners get a new face and 13 new colors, and not much else to change on the wrist.
