Your Apple Watch quietly got a neat new ability

It’s a small but noteworthy improvement to one of the watch’s most-used apps.

Smartwatch with a blue woven band displaying colorful app icons on the screen, worn on a wrist.

Apple recently rolled out watchOS 26.4, the latest important software update to your Apple Watch. And, admittedly, it’s not going to blow you away with new features.

As Apple describes it, the update “introduces 8 new emoji, along with other features, bug fixes, and security updates for your Apple Watch.”

That said, watchOS 26.4 does introduce a small but noteworthy change to the Workout app that aims to make it a little easier to start a workout.

A Workout update

watchOS 26.4 is available now.

Prior to watchOS 26.4, when selecting a workout in the Workout app you had to press the “Play” button beneath the workout type icon to actually initiate it. Once pressed, you’d see the “Ready…3…2…1” countdown, and then your workout would begin.

Now, when running watchOS 26.4, you can still initiate a workout by pressing that same “Play” button, but you can also tap the Workout type icon above it, and it’ll initiate the workout just the same.

In the photo below, you can press the “Play” button or the guy running icon to start an Outdoor Run workout.

With the new software, you can initiate a workout by pressing the “Play” button or the Workout type icon above it.

The idea is that it makes it easier, or rather gives you more screen real estate, to kickstart a workout. (Long-time Apple Watch wearers will know that the “Play” button can sometimes be a bit difficult.)

If your Apple Watch isn’t already running watchOS 26.4, you can manually initiate the download through the Watch app on your iPhone > General > Software Update.

Not running watchOS 26.4, you can initiate it via the Watch app on your iPhone.

About the Author: Tucker Bowe has been on Gear Patrol’s editorial team since 2014. With a passion for consumer tech and hi-fi, he tracks everything from headphones and turntables to smartphones and wearables. If it lights up or makes noise, he probably covers it.

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