Since updating to WatchOS 26 I no longer receive any alerts (i.e. pace, heart rate zone and splits) - only beeps, no voice alerts. I do not use headphones/iphone while running. On previous watchOS this worked fine. Alerts are received in other exercises in the Workout app (e.g. Walking and Yoga). Series 6 watch. Yes it is old but it worked fine before the update.
Apple Watch Series 6
I have a similar issue. Alerts are not voiced in ANY workout types (so not only running).
What I realized is that the alerts don’t work if the watch is offline, but will work if the watch is connected with the Internet. My watch is Wi-Fi only and I don’t take my phone on my runs, so it’s always offline during workouts.
The issue happens even if the watch disconnects mid workout. It’ll start playing alerts and stop as soon as the watch loses connection.
Here is how I was able to reproduce the problem and my devices:
As I said, my watch doesn’t have cellular connection and taking my phone with me is not a viable workaround.
I tried changing the settings mentioned in this thread to no avail.
Sorry for adding a "me too" but I just wanted to share my experience. I have an Apple Watch Ultra 3, watchOS 26.0.2 and AirPods Pro 2s. Cellular is activated on my watch and I do not workout with my phone while running. I have 1 mile splits activated and have for years so I know what the right settings are and I've changed nothing. Workout buddy is disabled because last I knew, at least with my original Apple Watch Ultra, it could not function without the phone.
The voice notifications for splits are absolutely sporadic at best. Seems like most frequently, there is no audio notification at all - my watch will pop up a notification for each split but no audio cue. When it does play, it's a toss up as to whether it stops my music to do the notification or just lowers the volume where as it used to always just lower the music volume.
Extremely frustrating to have such inconsistent behavior as it's no longer a device that can be counted on if you are really counting on that split information for your training - luckily I am not that serious about it but I can understand how someone would be.
Having a conversation with an Apple agent about this issue, I was advised to calibrate my watch….i know that’s exactly what I thought but It couldn’t hurt so I restarted the watch and went for a 20 minute walk outdoors. The next day I went for a 5k run and it’s exactly the same, no audible splits.
It’s a big deal for me and I get the impression this won’t be a quick fix, if indeed it is an unintended side effect of the update so I’ve been looking at Garmin watches. The nearest thing to an ultra is the Fenix, it will do whatever audible you desire in workouts, you can send your iTunes music to it and it all works without the phone near it. The battery allegedly lasts weeks as opposed to hours. I’m sure there are things the Apple does better and I would have bought a new Ultra but I’m not prepared to spend that amount when it may be useless for my circumstances.
I know this is an Apple site and I still like the other Apple products but the watch with it’s current offline limitations may be fine for you if not there is an alternative.
I have an Apple Watch 11 cellular model and I do not pay for cell service on the watch and I have the cellular turned off on the watch as well, and the audio queues while on a workout do function for me, even when I’m miles away from my phone and my WiFi. So that information you were told, that it requires a network connection is false.
(I just upgraded from an Apple Watch 7 GPS only model, which the audio queues do not work after updating to iOS 26 and then 26.1)
It seems like no one at Apple is actually looking into the issue, different customer service people and different engineers are just saying whatever they feel to be true, not what is actually true.
MajorLeagueSoccer wrote:
Yes, I AM able to receive voice feedback when wearing headphones, in the workout app, while on a run, with an Apple Watch 11 gps+cellular, but the cellular is turned off and I don’t pay for cellular service for the watch, on iOS 26.1, and I am miles away from my phone and WiFi (because I’m running), so I am nowhere near any network connection for my watch.
I can confidently say that everyone in this thread is very interested in your settings. I have a AW 6 Cellular with cellular not activated and have not been able to hear the voice feedback since installing Watch OS 26 unless I take my phone on a run.
edit: I use AirPods Pro 2 headphones and used to hear the feedback through them while I had music playing.
Some questions:
MajorLeagueSoccer wrote:
It seems like no one at Apple is actually looking into the issue, different customer service people and different engineers are just saying whatever they feel to be true, not what is actually true.
This is the most factual piece of information in this thread.
I think it's a problem with the workout app at this point, and not so much the watch. For custom workouts I'm not even getting haptics past 10 minutes or so, let alone voice.
Open goal Outdoor Runs on the other hand I am consistently getting split times voiced every 1km. Completely disconnected. So, voice still functions in OS26.
Oh, that’s happening to me too! I’m using the Apple Watch Ultra 2, and I’m testing this out. It seems to work perfectly when the Apple Watch is connected to the Apple AirPods Pro 2. But when I connect it to my Shokz headphones, Siri’s saying the workout alerts a bit late, which makes the headphones skip those alerts. I tried what JaseC628 said, but it didn’t work for me.
Yeah I'm having issues with this as well. When running none of the pace alerts go off. I was playing around with it yesterday and did forget my airpods but I did get some alerts. Not the normal you're going to fast, back in range, or speed up, but just dings. It wasn't consistent either, maybe 2 dings in a row that I was too fast, but never the one in between that I was in target.
I've created a new custom run today to test. Will report back on it.
yeah I forgot to mention, I get the dings just not the verbal alerts. I am wondering whether apple has programmed obsolescence into watchOS 26 to make people upgrade their older watches though I did see someone with an Ultra2 has a similar problem.
I will try taking my phone with me next time I go running run but that wouldn't be a long term solution for me- I don't need/want to carry a phone when running. I do not see why apple requires us to now carry our phones at all time when it wasn't required on the earlier watch os :( Has this got something to do with the 'buddy' feature, again something I neither want nor need.
Yeah my volume was down at zero for voice feedback, I didn’t specify my headphones were Shokz. They still give the alerts but the audio quality is horrible, is this something you’re experiencing too? My APP2 give perfect quality but they are also bugged with media playback from my AWU2 playing at a slower tempo then just disconnecting 🤦♂️.
I should add that I run without my iPhone and cellular turned off on my AWU2 so I’m not experiencing the same issues with requiring an internet connection as you folks
Me too. Apple Watch 8 wifi only model.
I will add that even if connected to wifi the Siri alerts are intermittent and inconsistent. Sometimes they are voiced, sometimes not at all and sometimes voiced for a while and then nothing further. All of this while never disconnecting from wifi.
As additional info I’ve not tried or enabled Workout Buddy yet.
Thanks GeeZ06. None of my devices meet the workout buddy minimum requirements and frankly I don't want or need it. The watch was working fine prior to 26. Hopefully as discussed elsewhere, this is a bug and apple didn't intend to remove working Workout features and replace them with a new feature not available to older phones/watches. I would not have allowed the watch to update its os if apple had made it clear that I would loose functionality. Either way, sounds like you need to carry your phone at all times for the voice feedback to work or have a cellular watch with a cellular plan?
I have the same issue. Apple Watch series 8, no cellular. When I was close to my house, the Watch connected to my Wi-Fi and I heard one of the voiceover announcements otherwise It was only things for about half my run until they completely disappeared altogether🤷🏽♂️
I have the same problem with my Apple Watch Ultra. My alerts only vibrate. It's amazing how a team like this would release an update with such flaws, and the weirdest thing is that no one from support says anything. It seems like an amateur thing.
I agree very amateurish if this was intended. I raised it during the beta in feedback but no response. I called last week. They have raised a case and are apparently actively looking into it. Will pass on any info they provide
watchOS 26 no alerts in workout-running app
