Samsung's massive Wear OS 6 update lands on the Galaxy Watch 6 series

What you need to know

• Samsung has started rolling out the One UI 8 Watch update (based on Wear OS 6) for the Galaxy Watch 6 series, beginning in South Korea.
• The update (firmware CYK2) introduces a redesigned interface with stacked tiles, making health stats, media controls, and tools easier to reach.
• A smarter Now bar improves multitasking by giving quicker access to background apps.

Samsung just kicked off a major software refresh for the Galaxy Watch 6 and Watch 6 Classic, and it’s the kind of update that makes a noticeable difference in how these watches work every day.

The stable One UI 8 Watch update, which is based on Wear OS 6, has officially started in South Korea, according to a user's post on X (via GSMArena). The update, with firmware version CYK2, introduces a new interface. Now, instead of moving between separate screens, you see stacked tiles that organize important information more clearly. This means that health data, media controls, timers, and other tools are now easier to find without having to swipe as much.

The update also adds a smarter Now bar, making it easier to access background apps quickly. Samsung is updating its wearables to match Google’s latest Wear OS changes, so the Watch 6 now gets features that fit the platform’s new design and app behavior.

Previous versions worked but did not include Google’s latest UI updates or improved health tracking. One UI 8 Watch fixes this by making animations smoother, improving multitasking, and giving the health dashboard a cleaner and more useful look.

How to get it now

If you own a Galaxy Watch 6 or Watch 6 Classic, checking for the update is pretty straightforward. Just open the Galaxy Wearable app, head to Watch settings, tap Watch software update, and hit Download and install.

It’s rolling out region by region, so don’t panic if it hasn’t reached your device yet. Samsung typically begins in South Korea before expanding to other markets, and this rollout appears to follow the same pattern.

Now the big question shifts to the rest of Samsung’s watch lineup. While the Galaxy Watch 5 series is expected to get Wear OS 6 as well, Samsung hasn’t offered a firm date. Considering how quickly the Watch 6 update landed after preview builds surfaced, the wait may not be long.