Skip to main content Tom's Guide Tom's Guide Search Tom's Guide View Profile Newsletters Best Picks Entertainment Galaxy Z Fold 7 Switch 2 Restock Best laptops Wordle Today Best Mattress Recommended reading Smartwatches The most buzzed about watchOS 26 feature sounds like a gimmick — here's why I'm skeptical Smartwatches watchOS 26 announced — Workout Buddy and all the new features for your Apple Watch Smartwatches watchOS 26 preview: 5 new Apple Watch features I can’t wait to try I needed to get in better shape — my iPhone played a big part in getting me on the right track Your next AirPods could coach your workouts with pose detection — here's why it matters Smartwatches One UI 8 Beta rolling out now — here's the 3 biggest upgrades for your Samsung Galaxy Watch Don’t own a smartwatch? Strava’s app update just made phone tracking way better Smartwatches Fitness Trackers The Apple Watch just got an AI fitness coach — how to enable Workout Buddy in watchOS 26 Kaycee Hill 26 July 2025 Your Apple Watch can now push you harder than ever When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Shutterstock/Apple) Apple's latest update, WatchOS 26, introduces Workout Buddy, an AI-powered fitness coach that lives right on your wrist. This new feature uses Apple Intelligence to analyze your workout data and deliver personalized voice feedback during exercise sessions. Instead of just tracking your stats silently, Workout Buddy acts like a personal trainer, offering motivation at the start of workouts, real-time updates on your performance, and encouraging summaries when you're done. The AI uses voices trained from actual Apple Fitness Plus trainers, so it sounds more like a real coach than a robotic assistant. Setting up Workout Buddy takes just a few taps, but there's some steps you'll need to follow to get this AI fitness companion working properly. You may like The most buzzed about watchOS 26 feature sounds like a gimmick — here's why I'm skeptical watchOS 26 announced — Workout Buddy and all the new features for your Apple Watch watchOS 26 preview: 5 new Apple Watch features I can’t wait to try Here's how you can enable Workout Buddy on your Apple Watch. 1. Check if your device supports Workout Buddy (Image: © Future) Before you start setting up Workout Buddy, make sure your hardware can actually run it. You'll need an Apple Watch Series 6 or newer running watchOS 26, since older models don't have the processing power for this AI feature. More importantly, your paired iPhone must be an iPhone 15 Pro or newer with iOS 26 installed. This is because Workout Buddy relies on Apple Intelligence, which isn't available on older iPhones. You'll also need to have your device language set to English, as that's the only supported language at launch. If any of these requirements aren't met, you won't see the Workout Buddy option in your settings. 2. Connect headphones to your Apple Watch (Image: © Future) Workout Buddy only works when you have Bluetooth headphones connected, since all the voice feedback comes through audio. You can use AirPods, AirPods Pro, or any other Bluetooth earbuds, just make sure they're paired to either your Apple Watch or your iPhone. To check your connection, press the side button on your Apple Watch to open Control Center, then tap the AirPlay icon to see which audio device is selected. If your headphones aren't connected, go to Settings, Bluetooth on your Apple Watch and pair them there. The voice coaching won't work without headphones since there's no speaker on the Apple Watch, so this step is essential before you can use any of Workout Buddy's features. 3. Enable Workout Buddy in the Workout app (Image: © Apple) Open the Workout app on your Apple Watch and select one of the supported workout types. Before starting the workout, tap the Alerts icon in the top-left corner of the screen. Scroll down until you see Workout Buddy and tap it. You'll see a toggle switch that says Enable Workout Buddy, flip this on. The feature isn't enabled by default, so you have to manually turn it on for each workout type you want AI coaching for. Once enabled, Workout Buddy will automatically start providing voice feedback whenever you begin that type of workout. 4. Choose which workouts get AI coaching (Image: © Future) You don't have to enable Workout Buddy for every type of exercise. You might love motivational prompts during runs but prefer complete silence during strength training sessions. Apple designed it as an opt-in feature so you can pick and choose what gets AI coaching. Go through each supported workout type and decide which ones would benefit from AI feedback. For each workout type you want coached, follow the same process: open that workout, tap Alerts, find Workout Buddy, and enable it. This gives you complete control over when you want AI assistance and when you'd rather work out in peace. 5. Customize the voice style and feedback options (Image: © Future) Once Workout Buddy is enabled, you can personalize how it sounds and what information it shares. To change the voice style, go back to the Workout app, select a supported workout, tap Alerts, then Workout Buddy, and choose Voice Style. You'll see multiple options that sound different from each other, similar to how you can customize Siri's voice. Pick whichever one motivates you most or feels most natural. You can also customize what data appears on your workout screen alongside the voice coaching by tapping Workout Views instead of Alerts, then hitting the Edit button to rearrange or add different metrics. This way, you get both the audio coaching and the visual information that's most useful for your specific training goals. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button. 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Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. See more Wellness How-Tos Apple Watch Kaycee Hill Social Links Navigation How-to Editor Kaycee is Tom's Guide's How-To Editor, known for tutorials that skip the fluff and get straight to what works. She writes across AI, homes, phones, and everything in between — because life doesn't stick to categories and neither should good advice. With years of experience in tech and content creation, she's built her reputation on turning complicated subjects into straightforward solutions. Kaycee is also an award-winning poet and co-editor at Fox and Star Books. Her debut collection is published by Bloodaxe, with a second book in the works. 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The most buzzed about watchOS 26 feature sounds like a gimmick — here's why I'm skeptical watchOS 26 announced — Workout Buddy and all the new features for your Apple Watch watchOS 26 preview: 5 new Apple Watch features I can’t wait to try I needed to get in better shape — my iPhone played a big part in getting me on the right track Your next AirPods could coach your workouts with pose detection — here's why it matters One UI 8 Beta rolling out now — here's the 3 biggest upgrades for your Samsung Galaxy Watch Latest in Fitness Trackers I swapped my Apple Watch Series 10 for a Google Pixel Watch 3 — here’s what I liked and disliked How to create custom running workouts on the Google Pixel Watch 3 I’ve run two marathons with this Garmin watch — and right now it's a whopping $350 off for Prime Day I've tested dozens of fitness trackers — and I'd snap up this Oura Ring 4 Prime Day deal for $50 off right now This Oura Ring alternative tracks my sleep like a dream - and now it's on sale for Prime Day I swapped my Apple Watch for this budget Amazfit and never went back — now it's at its lowest price for Prime Day Latest in How To Experts recommend the 'DIY cool room' technique during a heatwave — here's how to do it Liquid Glass arrives on Apple Watch via watchOS 26 beta — here’s how to unlock it How to download the iOS 26 public beta — follow these steps iPadOS 26 public beta is here — how to download it now How to hit your daily step goal without going outside — 5 easy ways to get 10,000 steps How to spot AI writing — 5 telltale signs to look for LATEST ARTICLES I've been teaching weightlifting for years — and I still prefer this gymnastics plank to build core strength without weights 5 best new movies to stream this weekend on Netflix, HBO Max, Peacock and more Ignore this TikTok trend doing the rounds again — these 3 hacks will actually help you fall asleep quickly I've been using this budget-friendly cordless vacuum to suck up my dog's hair — and now it's discounted by 40% post Prime Day GPT-5 could be OpenAI’s most powerful model yet — here’s what early testing reveals Tom's Guide is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. 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