Apple Watch battery drain bug squished by new watchOS 10 update

Apple has released a software update for the Apple Watch, which addresses a previously acknowledged issue with battery life drain.

watchOS 10.1.1 is now available to download, with Apple hoping the minor release can clear up reports of rapidly diminishing batteries for some users.

Earlier this week, an internal memo seen by MacRumors prefaced the software update, so Apple has acted quickly to clear-up the issue.

“This update provides important bug fixes and addresses an issue that could cause the battery to drain more quickly for some users,” the release notes say.

The issue manifested following the launch of watchOS 10.1 last month, with some users reporting as much as 50% battery drain in less than an hour. Users took to the various social platforms to claim the issue was causing problems on a large range of Apple Watch devices.

Hopefully this update, which can be downloaded and installed from within the Watch companion app for iPhone, resolves things.

WatchOS 10 was a major update for the Apple Watch operating system, and perhaps the biggest since it arrived all those years ago.

It introduced new Smart Stack widgets and significant redesigns for core apps such as Apple Maps, Weather, Calls and more. There’s also a greater emphasis on mindfulness and wellbeing, and a new Snoopy watch face.

watchOS 10.1 took things to the next level for the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Apple Watch Series 9 by introducing the neat new Double Tap gesture. Now, watchOS 10.1.1 arrives on the same day as a number of minor Apple software updates centred around fixing bugs.

HomePod 17.1.1 is said to squish a Siri bug where commands weren’t being executed, while iOS 17.1.1 takes care of an issue with wireless charging and a problem with the weather widget on the Lock Screen struggling to display snow correctly. Finally, macOS 14.1.1 is charged with resolving an issue with upgrading the software on the brand new M3 MacBook Pro.