After years of being left out, the Notes app has finally arrived on the Apple Watch with watchOS 26. And while it’s not a full-blown version like on iPhone or Mac, it brings just enough power to your wrist to be genuinely useful in everyday life.
We all have those moments—you’re walking, cooking, or halfway through a workout when a random thought pops into your head. Before, you’d have to grab your phone or hope Siri got it right with a reminder. Now, you can just use Notes on your watch. It’s quick, synced, and always with you.
What You Can Do with Notes on Apple Watch
The new Notes app on Apple Watch keeps things streamlined yet practical. Here’s what you can do:
- Create new notes using voice dictation, the onscreen keyboard, or Siri.
- View existing notes that are synced from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac via iCloud.
- Pin important notes so they stay at the top.
- Unlock locked notes (if you’ve enabled Face ID or passcode protection on your iPhone).
- Tick off checklist items if your note includes tasks or to-do lists.
- Delete notes you no longer need.
Every note you create syncs automatically with the Notes app on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Limitations: While you can create new notes, editing existing ones isn’t supported yet. Also, you can’t create notes with checklists, headings, tables, or drawings—as you can on your iPhone or Mac. You can only create plain text notes.
The experience is stripped-down, but that’s exactly what makes it work on a small screen.
One of the biggest advantages is Siri support. You don’t even need to open the app—just raise your wrist and say, “Take a note,” and it’s saved instantly. This is especially handy when your hands are full or you’re out for a run.
Device and Software Requirements
To use the Notes app on Apple Watch, make sure the following are in place:
- watchOS 26 installed on your Apple Watch.
- An Apple Watch Series 6 or later, including Apple Watch SE (2nd gen) and all Apple Watch Ultra models.
- An iPhone 11 or newer running iOS 26 to sync your notes and enable Siri support.
- Siri language should match your device language for dictation to work properly.
Related: How to Download watchOS 26 Developer Beta on Your Apple Watch
How to Use the Notes App on Apple Watch
Once your Apple Watch is updated to watchOS 26, follow these steps:
- Open the Notes app from the app grid or list view. It gets installed automatically with the watchOS 26 update.
- You’ll see a list of your synced notes, similar to how it appears on iPhone.
- Tap to open and view any note. Locked notes can be accessed by entering your passcode.
- To create a new note, tap the floating new note icon in the bottom-right corner.
- Use voice input, on-screen keyboard, or swipe typing to write your note.
- Swipe right on a note to see the Pin option.
- Swipe left on a note to see the Delete option.
That’s it! You can now manage your notes right from your wrist—quick, simple, and always accessible.
Want more new features? Here’s everything new in watchOS 26 and how to use the new Wrist Flick gesture on Apple Watch.
Notes on Apple Watch Are Finally Here—And They’re Exactly What We Needed
Having the ability to check notes on the go is a major advantage for anyone who uses Apple Notes and Apple Watch. Being able to create, pin, or delete notes is an added bonus.
While we still can’t edit existing notes, having the Notes app on Apple Watch is a great start—and a long overdue one.
