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Apple Watch Control Center May Support Third-Party App Shortcuts in watchOS 26

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Apple's upcoming watchOS 26 update could introduce support for third-party shortcuts in Control Center, according to a report from 9to5Mac. This would allow settings from third-party apps to be accessed right alongside Apple's own Control Center options.

watchOS-26-Mock-Feature.jpg

Right now, the Control Center on Apple Watch (accessed by pressing the Side button) is limited to Apple's built-in shortcuts for doing things like toggling on Wi-Fi, turning on Airplane mode, activating Do Not Disturb, and pinging the iPhone, but watchOS 26 could bring some of the same customizations that Apple added to the iPhone in iOS 18.

iOS 18 introduced a customizable Control Center that supports third-party shortcuts on the iPhone, so it makes sense that the feature might also expand to the Apple Watch. Shortcuts could be useful for activating specialized workouts in third-party apps, launching streaming music apps, logging food and water intake, and more.

The Apple Watch Control Center could get new options for customizing the layout through the Apple Watch app, with Apple allowing users to add new shortcuts and remove those that aren't necessary.

watchOS 26 is set to debut at the Worldwide Developers Conference, which begins with a keynote event on Monday, June 9.

Article Link: Apple Watch Control Center May Support Third-Party App Shortcuts in watchOS 26
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2025/06/05/apple-watch-control-center-third-party/
jz0309 said:
seems to be getting convoluted if true ...
Click to expand...
Respectfully, how is that convoluted? I would think that it's a good thing for the Control Center on watchOS to support third-party controls like on iOS. watchOS in the past 10 years seemingly hasn't been very enticing for developers to develop for, hence the lessening support of the platform even by big companies like Meta, and even apps that are supported by watchOS aren't very capable or appealing to use. Adding more capabilities that developers can take advantage of is a good thing, as additional capabilities and customization is always a plus.
 
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eveluvsrainbows said:
Respectfully, how is that convoluted? I would think that it's a good thing for the Control Center on watchOS to support third-party controls like on iOS. watchOS in the past 10 years seemingly hasn't been very enticing for developers to develop for, hence the lessening support of the platform even by big companies like Meta, and even apps that are supported by watchOS aren't very capable or appealing to use. Adding more capabilities that developers can take advantage of is a good thing, as additional capabilities and customization is always a plus.
Click to expand...
2 columns of icons, I currently have 6 rows, so 12 icons ... there just isn't a whole lot of screen there ... and keep scrolling ...
 
How about third party watch faces?

...and the ability hide apps I'm not using. I don't like scrolling for ever and wver to get to the workout app.
 
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jz0309 said:
2 columns of icons, I currently have 6 rows, so 12 icons ... there just isn't a whole lot of screen there ... and keep scrolling ...
Click to expand...
The Control Center on watchOS is already customizable, so you can already remove any unwanted shortcuts that you don't use. Plus its not like those third-party controls will be automatically added, so if you don't want them, you don't have to add them.
 
Honestly, it's such a waste of a button. I hope they completely revamp Control Centre. It was better as a Dock of recent apps.

The Side button is only one of two (or three on Ultra), it should have a far more prominent role. I'd love to see the side button bring up pinnable widgets. Click once to see your widgets, then swipe left or scroll with the Digital Crown to go through your widgets or right to see Control Centre.
 
Apple's upcoming watchOS 26 update could introduce support for third-party shortcuts in Control Center, according to a report from 9to5Mac. This would allow settings from third-party apps to be accessed right alongside Apple's own Control Center options.
Click to expand...
Will third-party developers who utilize this shortcuts feature have to pay Apple a Core Technology Fee?
 
Will that awful dot ui finally be gone 😂 list was always better where is the watch face store 🤷🏻‍♂️. Can’t believe it took 10 years to get different ring tones to me Apple Watch always felt unfinished.
 
eveluvsrainbows said:
Respectfully, how is that convoluted? I would think that it's a good thing for the Control Center on watchOS to support third-party controls like on iOS. watchOS in the past 10 years seemingly hasn't been very enticing for developers to develop for, hence the lessening support of the platform even by big companies like Meta, and even apps that are supported by watchOS aren't very capable or appealing to use. Adding more capabilities that developers can take advantage of is a good thing, as additional capabilities and customization is always a plus.
Click to expand...
Some people on here hate choice and I never got that, I like Apple but the users not so much when they try to limit others people choices
 
WarmWinterHat said:
How about third party watch faces?

...and the ability hide apps I'm not using. I don't like scrolling for ever and wver to get to the workout app.
Click to expand...
There are Widgets, and theres a workout complication regular athletes should add, as well as grid view as has been stated. Anyone scrolling to W on a regular basis really should get to know the OS and look at the other options.
However the last redesign was a step backwards IMO
 

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P_Watt said:
There are Widgets, and theres a workout complication regular athletes should add, as well as grid view as has been stated. Anyone scrolling to W on a regular basis really should get to know the OS and look at the other options.
However the last redesign was a step backwards IMO
Click to expand...
I'm aware of widgets, but I generally like a clean watch face. Widgets also use battery.

Either way, they need to let us hide unused apps. I don't need an icon for cycle tracking, or medications, or remote, etc. I can hide/delete on the iPhone, and should be able to do the same on the watch.
 
jimscard said:
Why? That’s not where media playback / any activity interacting with an app belong. Playback controls are in the Live Activity that automatically appears…
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A few reasons:

With the live activity you just get a pause button, so you have to then press it, the Now Playing screen then takes a few seconds to load and you can then get to the controls

It can be hard to access. If I'm in an app I have to go back to the clock, then scroll up, then press the live activity, then get to the controls. If it was also in Control Centre I could just press the side button anywhere and get to the controls.

It's also app specific so if I'm playing say a podcast it opens up the Podcast app, or Music it opens up the Music app, Spotify it opens up the Spotify app etc, along with the loading time for each one. I just want a control that works with all of them and is instantly available.

Fundamentally the Live Activity is a widget that appears during audio playback and takes you into an app, whereas playback controls are controls and therefore belong in Control Centre.
 
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jimscard said:
Why? That’s not where media playback / any activity interacting with an app belong. Playback controls are in the Live Activity that automatically appears…
Click to expand...
...and I hope/wish/pray they make it possible to fully disable Live Activity. I absolutely detest that function. I do not want my watch doing things I did not initiate and that stupid, insistent Live Activities is the perfect example. The default should always be the home watch face.
 
WarmWinterHat said:
I'm aware of widgets, but I generally like a clean watch face. Widgets also use battery.

Either way, they need to let us hide unused apps. I don't need an icon for cycle tracking, or medications, or remote, etc. I can hide/delete on the iPhone, and should be able to do the same on the watch.
Click to expand...
The only widgets or faces that use battery are astronomy, weather etc that take live feeds.
Can always uninstall a lot of the apps.
 
P_Watt said:
The only widgets or faces that use battery are astronomy, weather etc that take live feeds.
Can always uninstall a lot of the apps.
Click to expand...

I get that but why not let us hide or uninstall default apps like we can on the iPhone?

It's academic at this point anyway; I've started the process of moving to Garmin.
 
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