Apple’s watchOS 10 includes several significant changes that are easy to notice, like the revamped grid view and a new way to access the Control Center, but it also has a lot more going on under the hood that isn’t quite as obvious. Some of the most interesting features include the introduction of Smart Stacks, new Mindfulness features, and a daylight tracker that keeps tabs on the time you spend outdoors.

01 Improved Grid View

After updating to watchOS 10, you'll first notice that the grid view looks different. It no longer allows you to swipe left and right to navigate, but you can scroll through your apps using the digital crown or by swiping up or down. App placement was also adjusted to make finding what you're looking for easier in a well-organized layout. It's like a cross between iOS and the old honeycomb watchOS style, retaining the staggered circular icons but only scrolling vertically.

In addition to the new layout, watchOS 10 also brings a new organization option in folders. Each folder can hold a limited number of apps, so you can set things up the way they make the most sense for you, but you won't ever find yourself lost in an endless jumble.

02 Improved App Designs

Several key Apple Watch apps received attention in the watchOS 10 update. Look for improvements in the Weather, Stocks, Home, Maps, Messages, and World Clock apps, among others, for big user interface adjustments. Other apps, like Music and Fitness, received more minor updates.

The primary focus of the app adjustments was to improve your user experience by making it easier to find the information you’re looking for and access vital app functions. Some apps also benefit from a full-screen view, improved animations, and other tweaks.

03 Smart Stack

The Smart Stack feature will be familiar if you use widgets on an iPhone or iPad, and it's coming to Apple Watch in watchOS 10. It works the same way on your watch as on iPhone and iPad, providing an automatically-generated stack of widgets. The watch leverages machine learning to figure out when and where you're most likely to need any given widget, and it attempts to surface the right widget for any given situation.

The Smart Stack isn't always visible, but you can access it by swiping up or rotating the digital crown. Turning the digital crown also rotates between different widgets in the stack, allowing you to find the exact one you want. If you don't see a widget your want, you can manually add it.

04 Control Center and App Manager Tweaks

The primary change here is the behavior of the side button. Instead of opening the app manager like it used to, pressing the side button in watchOS 10 opens the Control Center. This gives quick and easy access to connectivity options, notification settings, battery life, and more.

You can double-press the digital crown if you want to open the app manager instead. That used to open the recent apps, but it provides easy access to all your apps now.

05 State of Mind Feature

This feature lives in the Mindfulness app and is designed to help you track and monitor your emotional state. If that sounds useful, you can activate it by opening the Mindfulness app and tapping State of Mind.

The options in State of Mind are Log how you’re feeling right now and Log how you’ve felt overall today. You can then swipe up or down to see all options, ranging from Very Pleasant to Very Unpleasant.

The app may ask you a few optional questions when you log your emotions. You can skip these if you want, but they may assist in tracking and understanding your mental state.

Note: This feature is also available in iOS 17 as part of the Health app.

06 Updated Medication App

The medication app received a tweak to make it a little more useful. This app is now capable of sending follow-up reminders to take vital medications. If you don’t record that you’ve taken medication within 30 minutes of the time you set, you’ll receive a notification on your watch to help you remember.

To turn on this feature, open the Health app on your iPhone > Browse > Medications > Options, and tap the Dose Reminders and Follow Up Reminders toggles. With that done, the Medication app on your phone will provide follow-up reminders if you forget to take your medications.

07 Improved Compass App

The compass app received some updates that are especially useful if you habitually take your Apple Watch along on your outdoor adventures. These two features help you find a cellular signal when you are out of range.

Last Cellular Connection Waypoint is a feature that shows the location of the previously detected cellular signal. Following this waypoint will lead you back to the general direction of an area where you can check your messages, send a text, or make a call.

Last Emergency Call Waypoint is similar but guides you back to the previously known mobile connection for emergency calls. If you cannot make an emergency call or use your iPhone’s SOS function, you can follow the Last Emergency Call Waypoint to find a signal.

The compass app also received a topographic map, but just for users in the United States. This map shows elevation information and points of interest, so you may find it helpful when hiking.

08 Cycling Workout Mode Tweaks

You'll appreciate the updated cycling workout mode if you use your Apple Watch to track your cycling sessions. The update lets your watch track your workout automatically as soon as you start cycling. It also synchronizes data from your watch to your iPhone seamlessly, allowing you to view data in real-time or check it when you're done.

You'll also find that watchOS 10 allows you to connect various Bluetooth cycling accessories to your watch for even more data. Optional Bluetooth accessories that track things like speed and cadence, combined with data from the watch itself, enable the tracking of your Functional Threshold Power, which is a measurement of the intensity you're able to maintain while cycling.

09 Time in Daylight

The Time in Daylight feature tracks how much time you spend outside each day, which can impact your vision health. This feature leverages the ambient light sensor in your watch, so it isn’t available in Apple Watches that don’t have one. If your watch has this feature, the Time in Daylight feature will appear in the Health app, which provides an easy way to track how much time you’ve spent outside during daylight hours during the current day, week, month, or year.

To use this feature, open the Health app on your phone and navigate to Browse > Mental Wellbeing > Time in Daylight.

10 NameDrop

NameDrop is one of the marquee features of iOS 17, but it’s also in watchOS 10. This feature lets you share files, photos, and contact information between two iPhones, an iPhone and an Apple Watch, or even directly between two Apple Watches.

To use this feature, open the Contacts app on your watch, select My Card, tap the Share icon, then place your watch face-to-face with another Apple Watch.

11. High-frequency Motion API

This is a hidden feature you might not notice because it’s something that’s only really visible to developers. It allows app developers to take full advantage of the highly accurate accelerometer and gyroscope hardware in the Apple Watch Series 8 and Apple Watch Ultra. That means app developers can capture more precise motion tracking and provide more accurate analysis.

You won’t see these benefits if you don’t have a compatible watch, but be on the lookout for more precise motion tracking from some of your favorite apps if you own an Ultra or Series 8.

Which Versions of Apple Watch Get watchOS 10?

To qualify for the free watchOS 10 upgrade, you need a watch that’s compatible with the update and an iPhone that’s compatible with iOS 17.

Here’s a list of compatible watches:

· Apple Watch Series 4

· Apple Watch Series 5

· Apple Watch SE

· Apple Watch Series 6

· Apple Watch Series 7

· Apple Watch Series 8

· Apple Watch Ultra

Note: Some features are only available on Apple Watch Ultra and Apple Watch Series 8.