Apple just announced WatchOS 11 at WWDC 2024 on the morning of June 10, and right after the show Apple released the first developer beta for the software that you can install. If you’re the type that likes to check out the latest software as early as possible, then this developer beta is going to be right up your alley. Keep in mind that this is a developer beta. So while it is accessible to users, it’s intended for developers. And that means it could be less stable than what some users are used to experiencing.
Apple will also release a public beta of WatchOS 11 sometime in the near future. Most likely sometime in July as it generally puts out the public beta one month after the developer beta is released.
Editor’s note: Although we already mentioned it above, it’s worth reiterating that this is a developer beta. Developer beta software can be more prone to bugs and instability. So with that in mind, consider whether or not you want to deal with these kinds of issues. Especially if you’d be installing the developer beta software on your only Apple Watch. Because if something goes wrong or things don’t work as well, you could be stuck with it unless you go through the process of reverting things back.
How to install the WatchOS 11 Developer Beta
To get started the first thing you’ll have to do is make sure the iOS 18 Developer Beta is installed on your iPhone. You won’t be able to install the WatchOS 11 Developer Beta until that’s done.
Start by going to the Settings menu on your iPhone. Then go to the General menu, then to Software Update, and then Beta Updates. From there, select the iOS 18 Developer Beta.
Once you’re on the Beta Updates screen, you can choose from a few different beta options. Make sure to select iOS 18 Developer Beta.
The software update is fairly large for this, sitting at 7.11GB. So it’ll be a big download file and we recommend doing this while your iPhone is connected to Wi-Fi.
After you have the iOS 18 Developer Beta installed, you can finally install the WatchOS 11 Developer Beta software on your Apple Watch.
Start by opening the Watch app. From there, tap on the My Watch option. On this screen, you’ll see a menu for General settings. Tap that, and then tap on the menu option for Software Update, and then Beta Updates.
Just like with the iOS 18 Developer Beta, select the WatchOS 11 Developer Beta option to install the beta software. After initiating the installation process, the Watch will do its thing and then restart once the installation is complete. We’d also recommend that before starting the install process, you should charge your Apple Watch all the way up.
What devices are compatible with WatchOS 11
Following the WWDC 2024 keynote today and the release of the WatchOS11 Developer Beta, Apple also released a compatibility list for the upcoming software. To install WatchOS 11, you’ll need an Apple Watch Series 6 or later. This includes the following watches.
The Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen), Apple Watch Series 6, Apple Watch Series 7, Apple Watch Series 8, Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Ultra, and Apple Watch Ultra 2.
