Automatic Apple Watch WiFi sync to be removed in the EU

The move to disable automatic Wi-Fi syncing is reportedly a response to the EU's Digital Markets Act

Apple is planning to remove a long-standing Wi-Fi convenience feature for Apple Watch users in the European Union.

The upcoming iOS 26.2 update will reportedly disable automatic Wi-Fi syncing between the iPhone and Apple Watch for users in the EU, according to French publication Numerama.

If it does indeed go through, the change will have a direct impact on the seamlessness of the Apple Watch experience. Currently, an iPhone automatically and securely shares its known Wi-Fi credentials with a paired Apple Watch.

This allows the watch to connect to those networks independently, maintaining a data connection for things like iMessage, Siri, and app updates even when the iPhone is out of Bluetooth range.

Following the update, this automatic sync will no longer occur. While the watch will still connect to networks when the iPhone is nearby, EU users will likely have to manually enter Wi-Fi passwords on the watch to connect to networks independently, a significantly more cumbersome process.

Why this change might arrive soon

The decision appears to be Apple’s response to the European Commission’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). The DMA’s interoperability rules require Apple to grant third-party devices, such as rival smartwatches, access to the iPhone’s Wi-Fi hardware by the end of 2025.

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Rather than open up this system, which Apple has repeatedly argued could jeopardize user privacy and data security, the company is seemingly opting to disable the feature for everyone in the region, instead.

iOS 26.2 and watchOS 26.2 are both expected to roll out in full next month, just as Apple prepares for tighter EU scrutiny in 2026. We’ll keep an eye on this one to see whether the rumored change that comes into effect.