watchOS 11 Drops Support for These Apple Watch Models

As was rumored, watchOS 11 drops support for the Apple Watch Series 4, Apple Watch Series 5, and first-generation Apple Watch SE, according to Apple's website.

apple watch series 4 flames
The update is compatible with all other models, including the Apple Watch Series 6 and beyond:

  • Apple Watch SE (2nd generation)

  • Apple Watch Series 6
  • Apple Watch Series 7
  • Apple Watch Series 8
  • Apple Watch Series 9
  • Apple Watch Ultra
  • Apple Watch Ultra 2

Even though the Series 5 has an S5 chip, it has the same processor as the S4 chip in the Series 4, so it is not too surprising that Apple dropped support for these models simultaneously. Key changes with the Series 5 compared to the Series 4 included an always-on display option, increased storage, and a compass.

watchOS 11 continues to work with a paired iPhone XS or newer. A developer beta is available starting today, and a public beta will follow in July.

The general public can expect watchOS 11 to be released in September.

Related Forum: Apple Watch

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
We are still waiting for the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate to come out, so the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week or two away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
Apple Logo Black

Apple's Next Launch is 'Imminent'

Sunday February 1, 2026 12:31 pm PST by
The calendar has turned to February, and a new report indicates that Apple's next product launch is "imminent," in the form of new MacBook Pro models. "All signs point to an imminent launch of next-generation MacBook Pros that retain the current form factor but deliver faster chips," Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said on Sunday. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated...
iOS 26 Home Feature

Apple Gives Final Warning to Home App Users

Tuesday February 3, 2026 8:55 am PST by
In 2022, Apple introduced a new Apple Home architecture that is "more reliable and efficient," and the deadline to upgrade and avoid issues is fast approaching. In an email this week, Apple gave customers a final reminder to upgrade their Home app by February 10, 2026. Apple says users who do not upgrade may experience issues with accessories and automations, or lose access to their smart...
Aston Martin CarPlay Ultra Screen

Apple's CarPlay Ultra to Expand to These Vehicle Brands Later This Year

Sunday February 1, 2026 10:08 am PST by
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly nine months later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon. In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. In his Powe...
Apple Foldable Thumb

First Foldable iPhone Design Details Revealed

Monday February 2, 2026 7:19 am PST by
Apple's first foldable iPhone will feature relocated volume buttons, an all-black camera plateau, a smaller Dynamic Island, and more, according to design leaks from a known Weibo leaker. The user known as "Instant Digital" today claimed to share several key details about the design of the foldable iPhone: The volume buttons will be located on the top edge of the device, aligned to the...

Top Rated Comments

rotvaldi Avatar
22 months ago
What a ******** to kill watches at 4 years… dude the SE 1st gen came out same as S6 like forreal
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
roguedaemon Avatar
22 months ago
sad that my only reason to upgrade is my series 4 is no longer supported...
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
b251 Avatar
22 months ago
I bought my SE 2020 shortly before the 2022 came out. I’m very disappointed that I got less than 2 years of software updates for it. This it the last Apple Watch I’ve bought. I don’t think Apple will provide security updates to it for long.

I don’t understand why the $149 Apple TV HD gets support for 10 years whilst the $399 Apple Watch only gets 4 years.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
b251 Avatar
22 months ago
The new features in watchOS 11 are not overwhelming for me too but the point is that watchOS 10 won’t get security updates for long so it quickly gets unsafe.

Technically there’s no reason why the SE (as well Series 4 and 5) get dropped with watchOS 11. It’s does not have any major changes which require a more powerful processor.

The Apple TV HD which has the Apple A8 in it will get the iOS 18 based tvOS 18.

If Apple wants to force the customers to replace their perfectly working watches (mine has 97% battery life left) my clear answer is that I will never buy one again. I understand when they drop devices if they can simply not handle the new software version but this is a kind of planned obsolescence.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Blackstick Avatar
22 months ago
One thing I've seen with the Apple Watch is that, more than any other device, if it's even a few generations old -- it's painfully slow to sync/unsync, upgrade, erase, etc.

I know they're miniature compared to phones and the constraints on the wrist are enormous because of size and cooling considerations alone, but they really gotta make that a lot less painful.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dandyryan Avatar
22 months ago
literally why cant they just give the series 4/5 watchOS 11? are they really pushing the chip of a damn watch that hard? its just greed. smh
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)