TechCrunch reported that the iOS 27.3 and watchOS 27.3 developer-beta rollout reached the United States on November 3, 2026. To try Live Rewind and Siri Recap, install the beta on both a supported iPhone and its paired Apple Watch; updating the iPhone alone does not complete the setup.
Check that your devices qualify
Apple lists Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 as compatible watches. The paired iPhone must support Apple Intelligence and Siri AI (Beta). Apple’s list includes iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 17, iPhone 17e, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone Air, iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and iPhone Duo. Apple’s compatibility requirements also specify the Apple Intelligence and Siri AI (Beta) requirements.
Register for beta access
Apple’s free developer registration gives access to operating-system betas. Sign in with an Apple Account and accept the Apple Developer Agreement at Apple Developer registration. A paid Apple Developer Program membership is not required for this beta access.
Install the iPhone and watch betas separately
- Select the developer beta on your iPhone. On an iPhone running iOS 16.4 or later, open Settings > General > Software Update > Beta Updates and choose the developer beta. Use the same Apple Account on the iPhone and the Apple Developer website. Install iOS 27.3 when it appears.
- Install the watchOS beta from the paired iPhone. Open the Watch app and go to My Watch > General > Software Update > Beta Updates, then select the developer beta and install watchOS 27.3. Apple’s beta installation instructions say the iPhone must be on the latest beta, connected to Wi-Fi and near the watch; the watch needs at least 50 percent charge.
The two updates have separate menus and installation steps. Once both are installed, check the iPhone’s Software Update screen and the Watch app’s Software Update screen to confirm their respective versions.
Turn on Live Rewind and Siri Recap
In the iPhone’s Watch app, open Siri > Live Rewind and enable Double Click Digital Crown. Double-pressing the Digital Crown on the watch then displays a text snippet of the previous 15 seconds. It is a short rewind, not a full conversation transcript.
Enable Siri Recap separately in the Watch app. Apple says you can schedule it by time, location, or both. Unsaved recaps are deleted after seven days. Apple warns that Live Rewind text and Siri Recap summaries may be incomplete or inaccurate, so treat a recap as a summary rather than a verbatim record. When Live Rewind activates, Apple says the watch plays a chime and shows an animation and microphone indicator.
A 9to5Mac walkthrough demonstrates the settings and feature interfaces on Apple Watch Ultra 4 running watchOS 27.3 beta.
Weigh the watchOS beta trade-off
Apple recommends backing up devices before installing beta software and strongly advises using a secondary, non-production device. Beta software can contain errors or inaccuracies and may perform worse than a commercial release. Apple also says an Apple Watch with beta software cannot be restored to a previously released watchOS version. Apple’s beta FAQ explains that rollback limit, so consider it before installing the watchOS beta on your primary watch.
