- watchOS 26 will let your Apple Watch trigger actions on your iPhone.
- This new update will let you perform quick actions without opening apps using the new Control Center integration.
- You will be able to add control centre controls from your iPhone (including those not available in watchOS) to your Apple Watch.
If you are an iPhone user thinking about fitness, then Apple Watch will be the first thing that comes to your mind. For years, it’s been the perfect partner, whether you’re tracking your steps, checking notifications, or just glancing at your schedule on the go. And now, with watchOS 26, Apple is making the sync more seamless by bringing over Control Center controls from iPhone directly to Apple Watch.
Apple recently shared details on its developer website about what’s coming in watchOS 26, and one of the standout changes is how the Control Center works.
The Control Center gallery from the iPhone will now be available on the Apple Watch as well. What’s even better is that this isn’t limited to apps already available on watchOS. If the app isn’t present on the watch, the control will still act directly on the paired iPhone.
How watchOS 26 Transforms Control Center on Apple Watch
The Control Center on Apple Watch was limited to built-in features like toggles for Wi-Fi, Airplane Mode, Theater Mode, and the flashlight. You couldn’t add controls from third-party apps and customize them beyond what Apple provided.
In watchOS 26, the Control Center gallery from your iPhone will sync directly with your Apple Watch. So, when you tap a control on your Apple Watch, the action will happen on your companion iPhone if it’s not available on the Apple Watch.
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For example, let’s say you have a smart home app on your iPhone that adds a control for turning on the lights. Even if that app doesn’t have a dedicated Apple Watch version, you can still access that control from your watch.
What’s more is that watchOS app developers can now build their custom controls. Developers can even assign these custom controls to the Action Button on the Apple Watch Ultra.
The watchOS 26 update is currently in beta for developers and supports Apple Watch Series 6 and newer. As with previous releases, Apple is expected to roll out the stable public version of watchOS 26 around September 2025. It will likely debut alongside the launch of the next iPhone 17 series.
