Promising to bring a “first-of-its-kind workout experience”, Workout Buddy is an upcoming Apple Watch feature that’ll launch with watchOS 26 later this year.
So if you’re sporting one of the best Apple Watches and are keen to know what to expect from the upcoming Workout Buddy feature, we’ve got you covered. We explain everything you need to know about Workout Buddy, including how it works and its compatibility with Apple Watch and iPhones.
If you’re not sure whether the new update will work with your Apple Watch, make sure you visit our watchOS 26 compatibility guide. We’ve also rounded up the main updates from Apple’s WWDC 2025 keynote if you missed the big announcement on the night.
What is Workout Buddy?
Launching with the watchOS 26 update later this year, Workout Buddy will be accessible through compatible Apple Watches and iPhones. As its name suggests, Workout Buddy acts as your own dedicated fitness companion, providing you with motivational and personalised insights during a workout.
Apple gives the example that when a user starts a run, Workout Buddy will “give a personalised pep talk”, while during the workout you’ll hear milestones from your exercise.
Then, when you finish a workout, Workout Buddy will recap your stats and congratulate you on your achievements. Not only will this recap be full of praise, but it’ll also tell you key stats like your heart rate and average pace.
For example, you might hear “way to get out for your run this Wednesday morning” as you begin your workout or be informed that you “picked up the pace and ran that last [kilometre] in 8 minutes and 28 seconds” during your exercise session.
How does Workout Buddy work?
Powered by Apple Intelligence, Workout Buddy incorporates your workout data and fitness history to “generate personalised, motivational insights” during your exercise. Apple explains this is based on data like “heart rate, pace, distance, activity rings, personal fitness milestones, and more”.
Workout Buddy analyses your data privately and securely, while its new text-to-speech AI model translates insights into a dynamic generative voice built using voice data from Fitness Plus trainers. Apple promises this means the voiceover has “the right energy, style, and tone for a workout.”
How to use Workout Buddy
Workout Buddy will be available on all watchOS 26-compatible Apple Watches when paired with Bluetooth headphones and an Apple Intelligence-supported iPhone nearby.
Once it launches, Workout Buddy will be available in English and compatible with a range of popular workouts, including indoor and outdoor running and walking, outdoor cycling, HIIT, and Traditional and Functional Strength Training.
Which iPhones support Workout Buddy?
As Workout Buddy needs Apple Intelligence to run, you’ll need to ensure your paired iPhone is listed below:
