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Apple Watch Workout App Gets Corner Buttons, Music Integration in watchOS 26

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In watchOS 26, the Apple Watch Workout app has received its biggest interface overhaul since it launched, introducing a redesigned layout that promises easier access to key features.

watchos-26-workout-app.jpg

Four new corner buttons now provide quick access to popular workout customization tools including Workout Views, Custom Workout, Pacer, and Race Route. Apple has also integrated music and podcast setup directly into the Workout app itself. Users can now configure audio to automatically begin playing when they start exercising, eliminating the need to switch between apps mid-workout.

The update includes intelligent playlist selection through Apple Music integration (with a subscription). It can now automatically choose playlists based on both workout type and individual listening preferences, though users retain the option to manually select from suggestions.

workout-app-watchos-26.jpg

For podcast listeners, the app will surface recommendations based on previous listening habits during specific workout types. A runner who typically listens to true crime podcasts during jogs, for instance, might see those suggestions prominently featured.

The corner button approach is a departure from the previous scrolling interface, and should hopefully make one-handed operation easier during exercise. watchOS 26 is currently available in developer beta, with a public beta expected to arrive next month.

Article Link: Apple Watch Workout App Gets Corner Buttons, Music Integration in watchOS 26
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2025/06/10/apple-watch-workout-app-watchos-26/
How about a fix for knowing when I started a walk or run? For example, I often forget to manually start an outdoor walk, when I say ‘Siri continue outdoor walk’ midway through it starts it at that moment, but not when I actually started - oddly sometimes it will prompt me ‘it appears you started an activity’ - so it does have some algorithm for sensing elevated heartbeat or pace… they need to finish refining their code.
 
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iSeb said:
They removed the "water" drop button in the control center.
Now I can't activate it when I'm biking with gloves without the shortcut apps.
Super annoying.
Click to expand...
*checks* Oh my gosh, they did; why?????

Unless I'm missing something, seems like there's no easy way to add it back either

Just tried doing so but wasn't seeing a water lock option front and center
 
I use several playlists for different workout moods (walk to gym, weightlifting, stair-master/cardio, walk home from gym. Siri never has trouble controlling my workouts, but is unreliable for playlists, so this is welcome.
 
iSeb said:
They removed the "water" drop button in the control center.
Now I can't activate it when I'm biking with gloves without the shortcut apps.
Super annoying.
Click to expand...
MNWildFan said:
*checks* Oh my gosh, they did; why?????

Unless I'm missing something, seems like there's no easy way to add it back either

Just tried doing so but wasn't seeing a water lock option front and center
Click to expand...
It’s still an option. When you hit the add control button it’s an option under Settings.
 
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I typically alternate between a couple different workouts. How do I get to those now? This screenshot makes it seem more cumbersome to pick between those when I want to start a workout quickly.
 
Circa1984 said:
oddly sometimes it will prompt me ‘it appears you started an activity’ - so it does have some algorithm for sensing elevated heartbeat or pace… they need to finish refining their code.
Click to expand...
yeahhh... i can't be the only one who gets the "are you doing an elliptical workout" notification when i'm doing the five knuckle shuffle. it would be nice to have the algo more attuned to the motions involved when battling the purple headed yogurt slinger, but being able to select an option that makes it clear that i do not use an elliptical machine would be nice. or better yet, a "men's health" exercise that defaults to not being posted to shared activity with friends and family, unless you want to enable it to let folks know how many times you've liquidated the inventory for some reason. if cycle tracking is important enough to include in apple's apps, so should prostate health and male wellness. ignoring it and / or taking a puritanical approach about spanking the monkey is why so many guys have prostate issues later in life.
 
This is the most important app on the watch. I hope this will be great. It generally gives me no trouble and works great. Podcast integration is great.
 
The photos in this article really highlight the Liquid Trash...I mean Liquid Glass look. It is terrible. It looks like something a ****** software startup would create, right before they went bankrupt.
 
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Some good additions, but not where it counts. I wanted to come back to the AW for the ecosystem but the software still is years behind the Garmin with respect to useful reporting and tracking things like stress, body battery, and sleep. I guess given the sales of the AW, they don't really have to rush anything.
 
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Does anyone know if it can auto play Overcast when starting an exercise, or does it only work with the default Podcast app?

Now that I think about it, this is a good idea for a Shortcut: When doing a workout, if my AirPods are connected, play Techmeme Ride Home in Overcast.

Ok I just left this comment to go make it, found a third party app that can detect audio playback destination, and added that as a logic gate for an automation which runs when starting a walk. Unfortunately it doesn’t allow you to select the specific podcast, it just starts playing whatever you were listening to before in Overcast, which is honestly usually ok. But the built-in Podcasts app shortcut seems to allow you to select the Podcast you want.
 
It's getting closer.. If it could add the kinds of features that I get with my Runkeeper subscription, I could drop that. Runkeeper (and others) have a website when you can get all kinds of information based on the history of your runs (how many miles have I run this year, versus last? What is my fastest 5K, 10K, half marathon, etc? Trend analysis? Making notes to attach to workouts?)

Those features could be restricted to the Health app on iPadOS or macOS.
 
I’m personally disappointed that they did not make any real enhancements to the Health or Fitness apps to actually give context to fitness and health metrics with AI. That’s one actually good use case for it, and they instead opt for some silly AI trainer voice in workouts.

I personally think this was a big miss. Every year, they should be increasing the contextual use of fitness and health data.
 
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