Apple releases watchOS 7.6.1 update with bug fixes, security updates

Apple has released watchOS 7.6.1, a minor update to the Apple Watch operating system that likely only contains bug fixes and security updates.

The watchOS 7.6.1 update, released on Wednesday, comes a couple of days after Apple released iOS 14.7.1 and iPadOS 14.7.1. Those point releases included fixes related to an Apple Watch bug that prevented it being unlocked when connected to Touch ID devices.

Additionally, the software updates also patched a security vulnerability that may have allowed arbitrary code execution. Apple said it is aware of reports that the issue has been exploited in the wild, which likely warranted the minor point release.

As of writing, Apple has yet to update its security updates page with information related to watchOS 7.6.1. However, given that macOS Big Sur 11.5.1 also contained a fix for the issue, it's likely that the watchOS update does, too.

Apple's new watchOS 7.6.1 update should now be available to users as an over-the-air update. Users can also install the update manually in the Watch app on an iPhone, given that the Apple Watch is at least 50% charged and placed on a charger.

Apple on Tuesday also released new public beta builds of its milestone iOS 15, iPadOS 15, tvOS 15, and watchOS 8 updates.

16 Comments

alexclst 15 comments · 10 Years

About 3 years ago

This update isn't available yet for my Series 3 (regardless if it could actually install it without an unpair/repair or not).

MplsP 4021 comments · 8 Years

alexclst said:

This update isn't available yet for my Series 3 (regardless if it could actually install it without an unpair/repair or not).

I saw a post a while back that Apple had fixed it so you could update the GPS series 3 without wiping/unpairing it. Does anyone know which watchOS version that was?

MplsP said:

alexclst said:

This update isn't available yet for my Series 3 (regardless if it could actually install it without an unpair/repair or not).

I saw a post a while back that Apple had fixed it so you could update the GPS series 3 without wiping/unpairing it. Does anyone know which watchOS version that was?

That is coming with watchOS 8, as far as I know. In the past, though, the 7.x.x updates installed without issue on my Watch. Regardless, the update is still not even offered to me. Is anyone else seeing it? Maybe it just doesn't apply to Series 3 anyway?

Actually, this update isn't even listed by Apple on their page of watchOS 7 updates. Are we actually sure they released this update?

buttesilver 41 comments · 6 Years

alexclst said:

This update isn't available yet for my Series 3 (regardless if it could actually install it without an unpair/repair or not).

Not showing here (LA, CA) on Watch 6 either...