New Watch Set Up Questions

[Gator5000e]

If I buy a series 8, will I be forced to install/upgrade to WatchOS 10 when I set it up or will I be able to use WatchOS 9? If it does install WatchOS 10, could I restore a backup that uses WatchOS 9?

Thanks.

 

[Howard2k]

I had to upgrade my watch to WatchOS10. But it may depend which phone iOS you're using too.

If you do restore a WatchOS9 backup to a WatchOS10 watch you won't get WatchOS9, you'll get your WatchOS9 settings on WatchOS10.

 

[Gator5000e]

Thanks. I guess my question was confusing. I am trying to avoid WOS10. I was thinking of buying a series 8 that presumably would come with OS9. My phone is iOS17. My concern is that I would lose WOS9 when I set it up and WOS10 would get installed. Do you know if that would happen?

I don't want to lose the customizable Dock and Control Center from WOS9. Especially my customized Dock, so that is why I want to preserve WOS9.

 

[Jackbequickly]

Mine forced me to do the latest update before the install.

 

[LucylouZ]

I just got a series 9 and wanted to install it but my internet was down. AT&T said it would take a week to fix my line and I didn’t want to wait. So I installed my watch with just my phones’s cellular connection and everything went perfectly except I couldn’t do the software update until later after my line was replaced. So you can find a series 8 new and achieve what you want…just make sure to turn off automatic software updates on the watch app before you reconnect to your internet. I used my watch a week without doing the software update and had no problems.

 

[Gator5000e]

Thanks, but didn't the 9 already come with WOS 10? The update would have been to 10.2 or whatever they are up to now. I am not sure installing over cellular instead of WiFi would prevent WOS 10 from being installed.

 

[LucylouZ]

Sorry I wasn’t clear…just stating that by not using Wi-Fi and only cellular that it didn’t install any software updates. And I thought that was what you wanted. Just was letting you know my experience. If you purchased the series 8 with OS9 don’t use Wi-Fi when adding the watch to your phone that way you won’t have to install any additional software updates

 

[Gator5000e]

Thanks. I thought I understood what you are saying. But what I don't understand is why an install using cellular wouldn't install OS10? And then I am fearful that when I unpair my 7 to pair the 8, if the 8 somehow got 10 installed going back to the 7 would also update to OS10. I should probably just be happy with the 7 for now. But agan, thanks for all the responses!