Apple Releases Minor watchOS 4.2.3 Update With Bug Fixes

Apple today released a minor software update for the Apple Watch, upgrading watchOS 4.2.2 to watchOS 4.2.3. The watchOS 4.2.3 update comes one month after the release of watchOS 4.2.2, a minor update focusing on bug fixes.

watchOS 4.2.3 can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General --> Software Update. To install the update, the Apple Watch must have 50 percent battery, it must be placed on the charger, and it must be in range of the iPhone.

applewatchedition 3
Today's update addresses minor bugs discovered since the release of watchOS 4.2.2, and it includes a fix for a bug that causes device crashes when a specific character in the Indian language Telugu is sent, received or input into an app. Similar fixes have also been released for macOS High Sierra and iOS 11.

watchOS 4.2.3 will be succeeded by watchOS 4.3, an update that's currently in beta testing and slated for release in the spring. watchOS 4.3 introduces portrait orientation support for Night Stand mode, and it reintroduces support for controlling music played on the iPhone with the Apple Watch.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 11
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)

Popular Stories

Apple Logo Zoomed

Tim Cook Teases Plans for Apple's Upcoming 50th Anniversary

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026. "I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
wwdc sans text feature

Apple Rumored to Announce New Product on February 19

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld. The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld. Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Finder Siri Feature

Why Apple's iOS 26.4 Siri Upgrade Will Be Bigger Than Originally Promised

Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do. The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up. Upgraded Architecture The next-generation...
maxresdefault

Apple Shows Off a Key Reason to Upgrade to the iPhone 17

Saturday February 7, 2026 9:26 am PST by
Apple today shared an ad that shows how the upgraded Center Stage front camera on the latest iPhones improves the process of taking a group selfie. "Watch how the new front facing camera on iPhone 17 Pro takes group selfies that automatically expand and rotate as more people come into frame," says Apple. While the ad is focused on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, the regular iPhone...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...

Top Rated Comments

Truckondo Avatar
104 months ago
I won’t call it a minor update when they take as long as they do.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple_Robert Avatar
104 months ago
I hope that Apple gets to the point where updates can be done directly from the watch, without having to go through the phone. Good thing I don't have anything pressing for the next 20 - 30 mins. :)
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Westside guy Avatar
104 months ago
The update doesn’t take long something wrong with your watch then
His watch - and just about everyone else's watch other than yours, apparently. :D
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Radeon85 Avatar
104 months ago
And stop the requirement of it being at 50% whilst needing to be on the charger. I always just put it on the charger for a second to start the update then wear it again while it's doing the update. Have done this since the very first watch update on S0, S2 and S3, never had an issue.

Being placed on a charger should not be a requirement unless under 50%.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Tubamajuba Avatar
104 months ago
I think he is taking about in general. In general, the bigger updates do take a long time.
And it takes around 2 minutes for the Series 3 to boot up- the fastest watchOS has to offer. Series 0 is something like 4 minutes.

I'd blame the sluggishness of those things on the fact that the S3 processor is only about as fast as the A6 in the iPhone 5, if even that. Also, has anyone figured out how fast (or slow) the NAND chips in the Apple Watches are? I doubt anywhere near as fast as the ones in recent iPhones.

Eventually Apple's "S-series" processors will be able to handle booting and updates much quicker, but we're likely still some ways away from anything approaching the 30-second bootup time and 5-10 minute OS updates that the iPhones enjoy.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Benjwri Avatar
104 months ago
And stop the requirement of it being at 50% whilst needing to be on the charger. I always just put it on the charger for a second to start the update then wear it again while it's doing the update. Have done this since the very first watch update on S0, S2 and S3, never had an issue.

Being placed on a charger should not be a requirement unless under 50%.
You realise if your watch runs out of battery while updating you could kill it right? It’s better for Apple to be safe because if they weren’t you can imagine the lawsuits if someone’s watch was killed by an update.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)