Your Apple Watch Quietly Got a Simple Yet Helpful Charging Feature
And no, you don't have to have the newest Apple Watch to take advantage of it.
watchOS 26 has finally landed — as has the availability of all three new Apple Watch models, the Ultra 3, Series 11 and SE 3 — and with it, your current Apple Watch gained a bunch of new features.
( Note: watchOS 26 is supported by the Series 6 or later, SE 2 or later and all Ultra models.)
If you're somebody who always worries about your Apple Watch's battery life, watchOS 26 adds a few things that you might find helpful.
For example, when your Apple Watch is running low on battery, it'll send a notification to your iPhone to tell you to charge. Then, when it's charging and finally full, it'll send your iPhone another notification telling you it's ready to rock.
Additionally, Apple has added a new feature that lets you know if your Apple Watch could be charging faster.
A "Slow Charger" warning
The "Slow Charger" notification will appear in the Battery section of your Apple Watch. - Credit: Apple
Now that watchOS 26 is out, Apple has published a new support page that discusses Apple Watch charging speeds.
The most notable thing about this support page is that it highlights a new "Slow Charger" notification that will let you know if, when charging, your Apple Watch is paired with a slower charger. Below is how the support document explains it:
"With watchOS 26, if your Apple Watch detects that your charging experience could be improved, you'll see a Slow Charger message in Settings > Battery. This doesn't mean that there's anything wrong with your Apple Watch or charger; it just means that your watch could charge faster by using a higher-wattage charger."
Any Apple Watch Series 6 (or later), SE 2 (or later) or any Ultra model supports watchOS 26. - Credit: Photo by Tucker Bowe for Gear Patrol
Accessing this feature is a bit of a hassle, admittedly, as you have to place your Apple Watch on the charging puck and then navigate to the Battery section on your Apple Watch — you can't access this from the Watch app on your iPhone.
Once you get to the Battery section, a "Slow Charger" warning will appear in orange if you're not charging at its fastest charging speed.
To charge your Apple Watch at its fastest charging speeds, Apple recommends using the charging cable that comes with it and pairing it with a USB-C adapter that supports Power Delivery (PD).
To learn more about this feature, check out Apple's support page below.
LEARN MORE About the Author:
Tucker Bowe has been on Gear Patrol's editorial team since 2014. As a Tech Staff Writer, he tracks everything in the consumer tech space, from headphones to smartphones, wearables to home theater systems. If it lights up or makes noise, he probably covers it.
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