watchOS 26: Apple removes five watch faces from Apple Watch

Apple unveiled the latest version of watchOS — watchOS 26 at its annual developer conference WWDC 2025. Bringing a fresh set of features and design enhancements, the watchOS 26 also marks the quiet departure of five beloved watch faces. As reported by 9to5Mac, users updating their Apple Watches to the new OS will find that Fire and Water, Gradient, Liquid Metal, Toy Story, and Vapor watch faces are no longer available.

The removal of these watch faces, discovered by users in the initial developer beta of watchOS 26, continues a trend of Apple streamlining its watch face library with major software updates. Last year, watchOS 11 also saw the discontinuation of several faces, including Siri, Chronograph, Explorer, and Numerals.

While Apple has not provided a specific reason for the removal of these particular faces, it's common for companies to retire features that may have lower usage rates or are no longer optimal for newer hardware and design aesthetics.

Apple removed these five watch faces with watchOS 26 update

The Fire and Water, Liquid Metal, and Vapor faces were notably introduced with the Apple Watch Series 4, designed to showcase the visual effects with the curved edges of the screen. The Gradient face arrived with watchOS 6, also leveraging the display's unique properties. The "Toy Story" collection has been a fixture since watchOS 4, offering animated characters like Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and Jessie.

Despite these removals, watchOS 26 introduces other significant updates, including a new "Liquid Glass" design aesthetic that brings translucent elements and dynamic responses across the interface.

watchOS 26 features

Key Features in watchOS 26 include

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• li1Liquid Glass UI – A translucent, dynamic interface that enhances Smart Stack, Control Center, and app navigation.
• li1Workout Buddy – AI-driven real-time coaching, offering personalized motivation based on fitness history.
• li1Smart Stack Hints – Context-aware prompts that suggest actions based on routine and sensor data.
• li1Live Translation in Messages – Real-time language translation for text conversations on Apple Watch.
• li1Wrist Flick Gesture – A one-handed motion to dismiss notifications, silence alarms, and manage calls.
• li1Music & Podcast Auto-Start – Automatically plays recommended playlists when workouts begin.
• li1Notes App on Apple Watch – Users can now pin, unlock, and create notes directly from their wrist.