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

FmsIphone wrote:

No one that I talked to likes the new version Apple please fire whoever came up with that garbage and give us back the watch we loved

Well, you haven’t talked to me. I think just about everything in the new version is a breakthrough, and makes the watch much easier to use. For one, moving the Control Center to a physical button was a stroke of genius! You can now bring up the Control Center from any app and any display, not just the watch face display. And the Stack is a great timesaver when going back to a recently used app.

The change to switching watch faces was in response to a huge number of user complaints that it was too easy to inadvertently switch watch faces. And, there’s even a way to switch between the new and old way of changing watch faces, so it meets everyone’s expectations.

These are just a few of the things I like about it.

You cannot downgrade anWatch's OS.

Many folks complained that they were constantly accidentally changing their watch face. The function is now Tap & hold. Swipe. Tap.

M1 Mac mini, macOS 13.5.2;  Watch, series 7 GPS/cellular, watchOS 10; iPad Pro 2nd Gen, iPadOS 17; iPhone 12 Pro, iOS 17; TV 4th Gen, tvOS 17; HomePods, audioOS 17 and Airport Express w/ Airplay 2

dunstanSphacelus wrote:

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? …

While I am just a user like you, I have been reading this forum since I obtained my Apple Watch 5 years ago.

And if I’ve seen complaints posted in this forum about unintentionally switching watch faces, I’m sure Apple support has seem many many more.

And Apple does not work in a vacuum. So there must have been a reason to change the UI.

Apple may not have realized the extent of the negative reaction to the change.

So feel free to search https://discussions.apple.com for examples. Some very heated when the watch face switches and they do not know why.

Anyway, send Apple your feedback at

https://www.apple.com/feedback/watch

If this isnt possible the watch is going on sale asap. What a cluster apple had made with this change.

Thank. That makes the decision easier. I absolutely hate using this watch since I updated it. #damnitapple

beastlet wrote:

Not being able to easily swipe between watch faces is a deal breaker for me. As others have said it makes the watch useless. I spent years building up my modular faces with the apps I need (mainly for my job) and now accessing them is a pain. If I'm going to have to go back to my phone for everything I might as well ditch this watch and just buy a digital one that doesn't need to be charged all the time.

Tell Apple:

Product Feedback - Apple

Also, although it's not as robust as it may become, the Smart Stack has some potentional. You may find exploring it worthwhile.

harald83 wrote:

i came on to this forum to complain about new apple watch update- i do not want to use my watch anymore- the heart app now has a pulsing heart/ who needs that? - before i could see the slowing of my heart and history- the range function could show that but it is not live - so i am signing onto say goodbye to apple - the upgrade was a deal breaker- heart app folks should be fired!!!

Apple does not read this user-to-user technical support forum for feedback.

But you can send Apple feedback via:

Feedback - Watch - Apple

If enough users send feedback, it is more likely a decision maker will see it, and maybe take action.

justacustomer wrote:

Looks like Apple trashed this feature at the behest of a small minority of users. Additionally, I’ve never seen nor heard a complaint about annoying accidental watch face swipe changes from any (many) Apple Watch users I know, many who have been using Apple Watch since it came out.

What you may not realize is that Apple has access to huge amounts of user data. They don't rely solely on self-selected feedback. They know, far better than any of us ever will, what features are used frequently by most users and what ones aren't. It's easy to fall victim to the logical fallacy that, because we like (or don't like) something, most other people feel the same.

I have other nice watches that I’m using again—until Apple fixes this unacceptable situation with watchOS 10.

You should always use the tool that best meets your needs. No one here minds if you use a different brand of watch.

I'm having Apple Watch almost since the beginning. At this time, switching Watch faces where exactly as it is now with WatchOS 10. Apple seemed quite fast to realize that this is cumbersome and a gives bad user experience and introduced the feature to switch between Watch faces by a simple swipe. That was in my opinion one of the greatest improvements in the WatchOS they made.

And now we are back at square one? Really?

To be even a bit more sarcastic: Next to come is that Watch applications are running on the iPhone instead of on the Watch as it was at the beginning?...

I'm really disappointed!

Furthermore, a simple feature like enable / disable Retina display always on in the control center still didn't make it to WatchOS 10.

"It's a simple tap & hold, swipe and tap. It takes a mere 2 seconds."

No it doesn't. I'm old. I can't see what is on the modular faces once they shrink that small, so now I have to find my glasses to figure out which face I want. I use(d) my watch for work, and now I can't because it's embarrassing in front of a client to be fiddling with my watch trying to figure out which face has the widget I want.

I am very disappointed in the last upgrade. As with others the previous ease of seeing the battery condition by simply swiping up has gone and is now a frustrating multi-step task.

In my experience the side button is very vulnerable and mine no longer functions. Despite that, in the previous OS I could not only easily access the battery charge level, but by swiping up also turn on the watch light which I frequently found very useful. I can no longer access this which is very annoying.

I see we cannot go back to a previous OS and there is a further revision waiting to be installed. I fear what further kiss of functionality this will bring about!

I respectfully ask that the ability to swipe up and see the simple functions be reinstated, please!

Pkjri wrote:

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.

Whatever tech makes you happy is perfectly acceptable.

Now, do you have a question for this user-to-user technical support forum?

WHAT is “awful”. You mean pressing a button instead of swiping up to open the Control Center? REALLY?! It’s the same number of steps, it’s actually easier, and it adds functionality, specifically the ability to open the control center when an app is using the screen, without having to close the app, swipe up, finish with the Control Center, then find and re-open the app you were using (such as Workout).

mohamedfromcolumbia wrote:

i bought my mom an Apple Watch Series 8 for Mother’s Day. She has a iPhone X and I read the series 8 is compatible with iPhone 8 and up, to find out that the watch shipped with WATCH OS 10 and needs an iPhone that will go to IOS 17. Then how does Apple claim the series 8 watch works with iPhones 8 and up ?

Who did you buy this watch from? Apple stopped selling the Watch 8 in October 2023.

mapetersons wrote:

I have the same problem with my WatchSE. As soon as I synced it to a new iPhone it updated the WatchOS. Now I can’t use it with my previous iPhone. Has there been any response from Apple on reverting back to the previous WatchOS?

First, Apple doesn't respond here in this user-to-user forum if that's what you were hoping for. And second, Apple has never supported reverting to a previous operating system on iPhones, iPads, or Watches. They are not likely to start now.