Instructions for activating Auto volume adjustments on an Apple Watch, to prevent disturbing others around you.
The upcoming watchOS 26 update, scheduled for launch in fall 2025, introduces a thoughtful new feature: Automatic Volume Adjustment. This innovative addition to the Apple Watch aims to make alerts less jarring and more context-aware, ensuring you don't have to manually adjust volume or switch to silent mode depending on your environment.
The feature works by using the watch's built-in microphone to monitor the ambient noise level of your surroundings. It continuously analyzes sound levels and adjusts the volume of notifications, calls, timers, alarms, and Siri accordingly. In a noisy environment, the watch will increase notification volume so you can hear it clearly, while in quiet places, it will lower the volume to avoid disturbing others.
This feature is designed to prevent socially awkward loud alerts or missed notifications in noisy places. With Automatic Volume Adjustments enabled, the Apple Watch will deliver audible notifications in a more courteous manner. However, it does not override silent mode.
To enable Automatic Volume Adjustments, open the Settings menu on your Apple Watch, scroll down to 'Sound & Haptics', find 'Automatic Volume Adjustments', and toggle it on. Once enabled, manual volume adjustments are no longer possible. If the toggle next to 'Automatically Adjust Volume' is grey, the feature is turned off.
The watchOS 26 update also brings a Notes app to the Apple Watch, a new gesture called Wrist Flick to dismiss notifications, incoming calls, etc., and an AI-powered fitness coach called Workout Buddy.
Please note that to access Automatic Volume Adjustments, you may need to install the watchOS 26 beta on your Apple Watch, which is currently available for Apple Watch Series 6 models and newer, including the second-gen Apple Watch SE (2022) and both models in the Apple Watch Ultra series. The iOS 26 beta can be installed on iPhone 11 models and newer.
Some users may not be able to use the Workout Buddy feature, even with the latest Apple Watch. For more information, we recommend visiting the official Apple support website.
In summary, the new Automatic Volume Adjustment feature on the Apple Watch promises to make alerts less jarring and more context-aware, enhancing courtesy and convenience by adapting sound levels dynamically based on where you are. With this feature, the Apple Watch takes another step towards becoming a more integrated and intuitive part of your daily life.
Smartphones syncing with the Apple Watch may benefit from the upcoming Automatic Volume Adjustment feature, ensuring that they vibrate at the same levels as the wearable device to match the noise levels of my surroundings. Users can continue to adjust the volume on their smartphones if needed because the watch's feature only affects notifications that originate from the Apple Watch itself.
In addition to the Automatic Volume Adjustment, the watchOS 26 update also introduces a new AI-powered fitness coach called Workout Buddy, which is not accessible to all Apple Watch users due to certain device limitations.
