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How to update your Apple Watch to watchOS 2

Published Sep 21st, 2015 5:35PM EDT
Apple Watch watchOS 2 Update

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Unsurprisingly, Apple’s hardware announcements stole the spotlight during the ‘Hey Siri’ event earlier this month, but for many Apple Watch owners, the release date reveal for watchOS 2 software update was just as exciting.

READ MORE: 85 legitimate iPhone apps that were infected with malware in the big App Store hack

Unfortunately, Apple had to push the September 16th date back a few days after bugs were discovered in the software, but now that everything’s been ironed out, the update is finally available to download.

watchOS 2 includes a wealth of new watch faces, a Time Travel feature to check your upcoming appointments, Nightstand mode, the ability to reply to emails and an improved version of Siri. It might not be quite as drastic an update as iOS 9 is for the iPhone and iPad, but if you own an Apple Watch, this is one you’re going to want to download ASAP.

Here’s how to go about doing that:

  1. First, update your iPhone to iOS 9. You need to be running the latest version of Apple’s mobile OS in order to snag the wearable update.
  2. Make sure your Apple Watch is charged to at least 50%. Leave it plugged in while the update downloads and installs.
  3. Find the update by opening the Apple Watch app on your phone or tablet, navigating to “General” -> “Software Update” and tap the button that reads “Download and Install.”
  4. Keep your iPhone within Wi-Fi range of the watch while the update downloads.
  5. Enjoy updated software!

It’s not an especially complicated process, but it does require one or two extra steps over your typical iOS update. Better safe than sorry.

Jacob Siegal
Jacob Siegal Associate Editor

Jacob Siegal is Associate Editor at BGR, having joined the news team in 2013. He has over a decade of professional writing and editing experience, and helps to lead our technology and entertainment product launch and movie release coverage.