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How do I revert/downgrade from watchOS 10 to watchOS 9?

Without warning, watchos updated and broke the UI.


The issue for me is that I constantly swipe to change the face. A single face is not adequate (even Apple cannot fit a quart into a watch screen size!). By following Apple's own advice on face customisation I created multiple faces that I can swipe through several times an hour. It actually reflects what I do on my Mac and my iPhone.


As of today that functionality is broken (although no-one has yet to tell siri!).


How do I revert to watchOS9 until either the functionality is restored, or Apple deem to give us control over how the watch works?


As far as I can see, this change dedicates swipe to opening the main app in the screen … which tap kind of did at any rate … switching faces/spaces and apps (per rest of apple eco system) is no longer allowed!



[Re-Titled by Moderator]


iPhone 14

Posted on Sep 20, 2023 6:42 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Oct 30, 2023 4:50 PM

I paired my watch 8 to a business iPhone 12 for a short five day trip overseas, and the watch updated to WatchOS 10. Now, I can't use it with my personal iPhone 8.


I have lost a lot of functionality with the watch since I cannot now use it with my personal iPhone.


This is total BS.

94 replies

Oct 16, 2023 1:59 AM in response to BobHarris

hmm right, so let me see if I understand the issue from your point of view


I paid almost $2K for my watch. it had limitations, many, like any other device work in progress. however, the dock and swiping faces were essential in the meantime and helped users to get around some of those limitations.


Apple released the OS 10. exciting! however...


(1) no warning, before the update which raises some concerns, particularly considering the type of dramatic changes affecting many many many users


(2) cannot be reversed, so sorry your $2K investment is gone if you don't like what we did with the OS it is your problem not ours. this one sounds like a nightmare from a movie


(3) Apple does not take any responsibility for rendering the device not useful according to the owners' expectations which were set upon seeing what the watch could do from Apple's advertisement about a product with features that Apple has now removed in their OS 10 without prior notice? are you serious?


(4) some of the features removed such as the essential dock - still with 10 limited favourites as the only way to manage dozens of apps quickly - and swiping faces simply, instead of a tedious press and swipe process dedicated to edit the faces instead, were 101 features for the watch. it almost sounds like someone made a mistake with the release or they run out of time and repatched the OS before releasing it?


(5) the features that Apple removed, were carried after each OS upgrade, hence building the core usability of the watch. and responding to the user's expectations


as an example if I buy a Tesla that has self driving capability and Tesla deletes that capability later in a new release while I am driving and without notice, it sounds to me that the car I purchased is not going to be the same car I purchased, right?

these are just some examples as the new limitations expand across the entire usability of the watch. one might thing Apple conducts some serious customer usability testing before doing something like this, right?


so what are we missing here? why would someone remove the self driving capability of a Tesla without prior notice?


and, is this fair and reasonable for customers supporting Apple? let's remember that some of us paid almost $2K for an Apple watch. this is an expensive price tag for a watch. even if we wanted to sell that watch now, the word is already out. potential buyers would not buy this watch because without the self driving capability, not many would buy a second hand Tesla,


right?


does anyone know how to reset the watch to its default OS, please?

Oct 19, 2023 9:17 AM in response to MarkL61

Totally agree. We switched to Apple ten years ago. Now with the update to watchOS 10 it feels like the whole Apple walled garden approach is not the best nor most secure cost-benefit option. The five Apple Watch users in my family are preparing to get rid of their watches and are looking at alternatives such as Garmin, FitBit, Amazfit, and Samsung. I literally hate my Apple Watch with watchOS 10 that I will NOT buy another unless I can get watchOS 9.X organization, ease of use, and battery performance back. This watchOS 10 casts a dark shadow and the whole Apple infrastructure of products and services for my family.

Oct 16, 2023 2:06 AM in response to Dah•veed

when you say "Many folks complained that they were constantly accidentally changing their watch face". can you provide the source that says how many folks complained about this?


giving the dramatic change that also "affects many many many other folks" who are now complaining about being unable to do anything with their watch,


wouldn't you agree that a setting in the watch to decide what way you want to use the watch (dock on/off), swipe faces (on/off) would be a smart move to respect everyone, before drastically leaving the watch on one leg running?

Jan 28, 2024 12:58 PM in response to Lavapug

I agree. In the history of my use with apple Mac, iPhones and my I watch, this is the WORST update ever. My battery life now doesn’t even get me through the day without going flat and I’m hardly using it! Text messages are so much more difficult to read. The control centre swipe up function being removed is a real pain. I don’t know what Apple was thinking. I just want my old watch back. I wouldn’t even buy one if it came with the setup it has now.

Oct 24, 2023 6:37 AM in response to ng1194

ng1194 wrote:

I am with you on this. I hate the update and it did it without any notice on mine too. I mostly hate the removal of the face swiping feature. Like you, I used it constantly and having to hold down to swipe is super, super annoying. Apple should give the option to do it either way. But we all know Apple isn't about to do anything to let the user customize their device

Tell Apple:


Product Feedback - Apple

Oct 16, 2023 7:11 AM in response to dunstanSphacelus

does anyone know how to reset the watch to its default OS, please?

Unlike with the Mac, which can be restored to the version of macOS that was originally installed when it was shipped, there is no process for restoring iOS, iPadOS or watchOS devices to the OS installed when it was shipped.


I'm not aware of a $2K Watch unless you bought an original Watch Edition which started at $10K and is now obsolete. Some 45mm stainless steel models can fetch $1,750!


https://books.apple.com/us/book/apple-watch-user-guide/id6442854652


Dec 27, 2023 7:08 AM in response to Dah•veed

I bought the less expensive SE model watch a few years ago. I planned to upgrade to a model that does more cardiac monitoring. But I find that I use my watch less and less since the latest update. Also, my watch battery isn’t lasting the whole day as it used to. I find that I never switch the clock face to use the complications I used to use. I am ready for a phone upgrade from my cellular service and I am seriously considering switching back to android.

How do I revert/downgrade from watchOS 10 to watchOS 9?

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