Workout app in watchOS 26 is causing major frustrations: this is what’s going on

The Work-out app has received a major update with watchOS 26. But many users are anything but happy with it.

Workout app in watchOS 26 causes major frustrations

Since the release of iOS 26 and watchOS 26, more and more frustrations have arisen among iPhone and Apple Watch owners. The updated Workout app in particular misses the mark for a large group. Apple said when introducing the watchOS 26 update that the Workout app has become clearer, but many users find the opposite.

Frustrated Apple Watch owners express their frustrations in a special thread on Reddit about the Work-out app. The biggest annoyance is mainly focused on the new interface. Apple has opted for a more compact list with different workouts, where the buttons are a lot smaller. For some users, they have become annoyingly small.

They also don’t like that many parts have been moved to a new place. And that the order of the Workouts changes regularly. For years they knew exactly where the different buttons were and how to quickly start a training session without thinking about it. But the new animations and extra steps have made things a lot more unclear.

Whether Apple will make any adjustments remains to be seen. But for some athletes, the Workout app in watchOS 26 now feels more like a kind of obstacle course.

This is watchOS 26

In addition to iOS 26, watchOS has received a new look with the latest update. Apple calls this ‘Liquid Glass’, which makes the buttons and other parts appear to be made of glass. Various apps have also undergone a major transformation, including the Work-out app.

For example, controls are now available in every corner of the app, giving you faster access to functions such as route, target pace and the Work-out Buddy. The latter is a new feature that encourages you to perform training sessions from watchOS 26.

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