The forthcoming watchOS 26 promises to bring a host of exciting features to the Apple Watch. Noteworthy additions include the long-awaited Notes app and improvements to notifications that will be significantly less intrusive. Following several weeks of developer beta testing, Apple released the public beta for watchOS 26 last week.

While this public beta allows early access to its new functionalities, a word of caution: hold off on installing it—at least for now.

Weighing the Choice to Beta Test

Using beta software entails certain risks. When you opt to install a beta version on any device—be it a smartphone, computer, or smartwatch—you are using unfinished software. Your experience may help developers identify bugs and glitches they need to address prior to the official public release.

Occasionally, the issues encountered may be minor irritations. However, at other times, they can be quite serious, rendering your device nearly unusable. You might experience app crashes, laggy animations, or unexpected freezes and reboots—anything can happen.

There is usually a method to escape these beta pitfalls—you can revert your device to factory settings to return to a stable version. However, this process typically results in the loss of any data that wasn’t backed up prior to installing the beta, which is undeniably frustrating. Unfortunately, the approach with watchOS is distinctly separate.

The Unique Challenges of watchOS Beta Installation

With watchOS, the scenario is quite different. Apple does not permit downgrading to a previous version of the operating system once you’ve installed a new software update. This means that after initiating the watchOS beta, you remain locked into that potentially inconsistent and buggy version until the next update arrives. A factory reset will merely leave you with a blank Apple Watch running watchOS 26.

Although there aren’t widespread reports of severe issues with the current watchOS beta (though there have been some complaints regarding battery performance), this doesn’t guarantee that complications won’t arise. While many users may find their Apple Watches function smoothly, there’s still a chance that the beta may not perform well with your specific device.

In case something goes awry, there are limited options available: either wait for Apple to release an updated beta that ideally addresses your issues or for the final Release Candidate that matches the version provided to the general public.

Removing the WatchOS Beta: A Complicated Process

For those who have already installed watchOS 26 and now feel regretful, downgrading independently is not an option. Instead, contacting Apple is essential, as they will handle the removal of the beta from your watch.

Although specifics of this process are not widely documented, discussions on platforms like Reddit suggest that the best first step is to reach out to Apple Support directly. Visiting an Apple Store might not yield results, as individuals often need to send their devices in for repair.

Feedback varies on both the costs and duration of this service. Some users indicate the procedure can be complimentary with AppleCare+, whereas others suggest insurance may not be needed. One individual even shared that the entire process took around a week and a half. Therefore, while dealing with a problematic watchOS 26 beta isn’t hopeless, it can certainly be cumbersome.

The Downgrade Dilemma: Why It’s Not Allowed

While Apple hasn’t provided an official explanation, it’s possible that the absence of a physical connection option for the Apple Watch—since it solely relies on WiFi and Bluetooth—plays a role. Should a downgrade cause software corruption, you wouldn’t be able to connect the device to restore it, particularly if the corruption impairs its communication capabilities. In such cases, sending the watch to Apple remains your only viable solution.

Ultimately, caution is advisable with beta versions, particularly with watchOS. Until Apple provides a user-friendly way to restore previous versions independently, the potential risks associated with beta testing remain significant.