Your Apple Watch just got a major alarm upgrade as watchOS 11.4 finally lands

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No more missed alarms

Apple Watch Series 10
(Image credit: Future)
  • Apple has released watchOS 11.4 one day later than expected
  • It comes with a new sleep alarm upgrade
  • Wake Up Alarms can now be set to break through silent mode

Apple has released watchOS 11.4 – one day later than expected – and among the highlights is a big upgrade for the Apple Watch sleep alarm.

We'd have normally expected watchOS 11.4 to debut alongside iOS 18.4 and other software releases, but Apple hasn't given us a reason why the update was delayed.

It's here now, and it brings a couple of exciting new features, including one that gives you even less of an excuse to miss your morning alarm.

Apple watchOS 11.4 new features

The most welcome new feature is a toggle that lets your Sleep Wake Up Alarm break through Silent Mode. This means you can leave your Apple Watch in Silent Mode (which you probably do all the time), while still hearing your alarm audibly in the morning.

The taptic wake up in Silent Mode is fine if you've got someone else in the bed you don't want to wake, but for anyone who needs an extra shove to get out of bed in the morning, this will help a great deal. Crucially, it means you don't have to turn off Silent Mode every night in order to hear your Apple Watch alarm sound.

Elsewhere, alongside the usual suite of bug fixes and improvements, the new Apple Watch software supports Matter-compatible robot vacuum cleaners in the Home app.

These can be controlled via the app and added to scenes and automations. This is a universal change across all of Apple's software releases, but for Apple Watch users, it means you'll be able to command the best robot vacuums right from your wrist.

Apple has also fixed the unresponsive watch face selection screen, which may previously have become unresponsive when switching faces.

watchOS 11.4 works on the Apple Watch Series 6 and later, so you don't even need the best Apple Watch to take advantage of its new features.

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Stephen Warwick
Stephen Warwick
Fitness & Wearables writer

Stephen Warwick is TechRadar's Fitness & Wearables writer with nearly a decade of experience covering technology, including five years as the News Editor of iMore. He's a keen fitness enthusiast and is never far from the local gym, Apple Watch at the ready, to record his latest workout. Stephen has experience writing about every facet of technology including products, services, hardware, and software. He's covered breaking news and developing stories regarding supply chains, patents and litigation, competition, politics and lobbying, the environment, and more. He's conducted interviews with industry experts in a range of fields including finance, litigation, security, and more. Outside of work, he's a massive tech and history buff with a passion for Rome Total War, reading, and music. 

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