Apple Releases watchOS 3.1 With Bug Fixes

Apple today released a new software update for the Apple Watch, upgrading watchOS 3 to watchOS 3.1. The new watchOS 3.1 update comes more than one month after watchOS 3 was first provided to the public, marking the first update to the new operating system. watchOS 3.1 has been in testing since September 21, with Apple having seeded three betas before launch.

watchOS 3.1 can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General -> Software Update. To install the update, the Apple Watch must have 50 percent battery, it must be placed on the charger, and it must be in range of the iPhone. An iPhone running iOS 10 or later is required to download the new software, but it is available for all Apple Watch models.

watchos3-1
During the beta testing period, no major outward-facing changes or feature tweaks were discovered, so watchOS 3.1 focuses mainly on performance improvements and bug fixes to address issues that have popped up since the release of watchOS 3. The release notes list several bug fixes and improvements:

- New option to replay bubble and full screen effects in Messages
- Messages effects can play with Reduce Motion enabled
- Fixes an issue that could cause the notification for Timer complete to be delivered twice
- Resolves an issue that could prevent Apple Watch Series 2 from fully charging
- Resolves an issue where Activity rings may disappear from the watch face
- Fixes an issue that prevented Force Touch options from appearing in some third-party apps.

watchOS 3 is a significant update that brings a new interface to the Apple Watch, with a dedicated app dock, instant launch apps, and new watch faces. There are new Activity sharing features, a "Breathe" app guides users through deep breathing sessions to cut down on stress, and an SOS feature can automatically call emergency services. For more details on watchOS 3, make sure to check out our watchOS 3 roundup.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)

Popular Stories

Apple iPhone 16e Feature

Apple Announces iPhone 16e With A18 Chip and Apple Intelligence, Pricing Starts at $599

Wednesday February 19, 2025 8:02 am PST by
Apple today introduced the iPhone 16e, its newest entry-level smartphone. The device succeeds the third-generation iPhone SE, which has now been discontinued. The iPhone 16e features a larger 6.1-inch OLED display, up from a 4.7-inch LCD on the iPhone SE. The display has a notch for Face ID, and this means that Apple no longer sells any iPhones with a Touch ID fingerprint button, marking the ...
iphone 17 pro asherdipps

iPhone 17 Pro Models Rumored to Feature Aluminum Frame Instead of Titanium Frame

Tuesday February 18, 2025 12:02 pm PST by
Over the years, Apple has switched from an aluminum frame to a stainless steel frame to a titanium frame for its highest-end iPhones. And now, it has been rumored that Apple will go back to using aluminum for three out of four iPhone 17 models. In an investor note with research firm GF Securities, obtained by MacRumors this week, Apple supply chain analyst Jeff Pu said the iPhone 17, iPhone...
apple launch feb 2025 alt

Here Are the New Apple Products We're Still Expecting This Spring

Thursday February 20, 2025 5:06 am PST by
Now that Apple has announced its new more affordable iPhone 16e, our thoughts turn to what else we are expecting from the company this spring. There are three product categories that we are definitely expecting to get upgraded before spring has ended. Keep reading to learn what they are. If we're lucky, Apple might make a surprise announcement about a completely new product category. M4...
Generic iOS 18

Here's When Apple Will Release iOS 18.4

Wednesday February 19, 2025 11:38 am PST by
Following the launch of the iPhone 16e, Apple updated its iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia pages to give a narrower timeline on when the next updates are set to launch. All three pages now state that new Apple Intelligence features and languages will launch in early April, an update from the more broader April timeframe that Apple provided before. The next major point updates will be iOS ...
prioritize notifications ios 18 4

Everything New in iOS 18.4 Beta 1

Friday February 21, 2025 1:08 pm PST by
Apple finally released the first beta of iOS 18.4 to developers for testing purposes, and while the beta is lacking some of the Apple Intelligence features we were hoping for, there are some notable new additions. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Priority Notifications - Apple Intelligence There is a new Priority Notifications feature that can show you your most...
apple launch feb 2025

Tim Cook Teases an 'Apple Launch' Next Wednesday

Thursday February 13, 2025 8:07 am PST by
In a social media post today, Apple CEO Tim Cook teased an upcoming "launch" of some kind scheduled for Wednesday, February 19. "Get ready to meet the newest member of the family," he said, with an #AppleLaunch hashtag. The post includes a short video with an animated Apple logo inside a circle. Cook did not provide an exact time for the launch, or share any other specific details, so...
iPhone 16e Feature

Apple Denies Speculation Surrounding iPhone 16e's Lack of MagSafe

Friday February 21, 2025 8:01 am PST by
Apple has confirmed that its custom-designed C1 modem in the iPhone 16e has nothing to do with the device's lack of MagSafe support, according to Macworld. Following the launch of the iPhone 16e, there was some speculation online about how MagSafe magnets might have interfered with the C1 modem's cellular connectivity performance, and this was considered to be a potential reason for the...
apple c1

Apple Unveils 'C1' as First Custom Cellular Modem

Wednesday February 19, 2025 8:08 am PST by
Apple today announced its first custom cellular modem with the name "C1," debuting in the all-new iPhone 16e. The new modem contributes to the iPhone 16e's power efficiency, giving it the longest battery life of any iPhone with a 6.1-inch display, such as the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16. Expanding the benefits of Apple silicon, C1 is the first modem designed by Apple and the most...

Top Rated Comments

macsplusmacs Avatar
109 months ago
Frosting on the delicious cake.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dacreativeguy Avatar
109 months ago
My apple watch series 1 is slow and laggy on watchos 3. hope this at least alleviates that.

Can't help but think that lazy programming is behind all this. I mean come on, do we really need a dual core processor nowadays to smoothly run a 42mm screen computer on a wrist watch?

My main desktop computer 10 years ago was single core amd athlon xp with 512mb ram....same as my 'old' watch...and it was a beast and could do incredible and amazing things... like play online against 30+ people on battlefield lol.

Now 10 years later, the same specs can't send or receive emojis to one person without lag.
I bet that 10 yr old desktop wasn't milled from a solid ingot of aluminium! Was it the most personal computing device you ever owned? Probably wasn't even magical either.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Tyenglund Avatar
109 months ago
Is the build number the same as beta 3?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kissfan Avatar
109 months ago
With app updates that are much larger, when will Apple do away with Wi-Fi only update requirements? [emoji35]
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ipedro Avatar
109 months ago
I don't think the watch no longer needs to be placed in a charger to update. As long as your batter is greater than 50%, you should be good.
Incorrect.

Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Raineer Avatar
109 months ago
I don't get what some of you guys are doing with your watches - I've had a S0 for around a year before upgrading and damn this battery in my S2 is amazing! Days with a trip to the gym or a run without my phone is still around 50% at night and days with no workout is around 70% remaining battery - never got near that with my S0
Agreed, same here. I have all the bells and whistles turned on, I do 1-2 hours of cardio a day, typically half of it using GPS. I've yet to ever go to bed with the battery below 30%.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)