Apple released watchOS 10.6.1 and tvOS 17.6.1 on Monday, a pair of “bug fix” patches for Apple Watch and Apple TV that offer no new features.
New versions of iOS 17.6.1 and iPadOS 17.6.1 from two weeks ago went out at the same time, but don’t appear to be available for most models.
watchOS 10.6.1 and tvOS 17.6.1 fix bugs
watchOS 11 and tvOS 18 should launch in September with new features, but Apple hasn’t abandoned any of the operating systems introduced in 2023. New patches continue to appear.
And that includes watchOS 10.6.1 and tvOS 17.6.1, which just debuted. But with major upgrades coming so soon, these patches are about bugs and nothing else. The release notes for the one for Apple Watch users says simply, “This update fixes an issue that may prevent access to Apple Fitness+.”
iOS 17.6.1 and iPadOS 17.6.1 déjà vu
Apple introduced iOS 17.6.1 and iPadOS 17.6.1 on August 7. And Monday, these patches appeared again, with updated build numbers but not new version numbers. It’s not clear what changed.
Most iPhone and iPad users who already installed the previous versions do not see the option to put these on their devices.
How to install these watchOS and Apple TV updates
The watchOS update can be installed directly onto an Apple Watch, as long as the wearable is connected to Wi-Fi. From the Settings app, just navigate to General > Software Update. Or you can install it from an iPhone by opening the Apple Watch app and going to My Watch > General > Software Update.
To get the tvOS update, start by navigating to the Settings app on Apple TV. Then click through to System, then click on Software Updates, then click on Update Software.
