Huawei has started rolling out a major software update for the Huawei Watch 5. The new HarmonyOS 6.1 update brings a mix of fresh looks, smarter health tracking, and better tools for runners and cyclists.
The update is launching in phases. This means a few lucky users already have it, while everyone else will see it pop up on their devices over the next few days.
Fun New Ways to Change Your Watch Face
If you are bored with your current screen, this update adds two great options to mix things up:
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Sweet Companions: This playful watch face lets you pick an animated character to live on your wrist. The character reacts with fun animations when you tap the screen, play your favorite music, wake up the display, or plug the watch into its charger.
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Dream Star: If you prefer a cleaner look, this face is all about customization. You can easily swap out the background and choose exactly which widgets and data shortcuts you want to see.
Smarter Tracking for Naps and Workouts
Huawei is also making the Watch 5 a much better health and fitness partner with three major feature upgrades:
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Nap Summary: Do you love a quick power nap? The watch can now track those short rests and give you a personalized summary of how well you slept.
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Pacing for Runners: A new running tool helps you monitor your performance in real time, making it easier to manage your speed so you do not run out of energy too quickly.
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Assistant TODAY Map: You can now see your running routes, cycling paths, and your VO2max score plotted directly on the Health Insights map right from your assistant screen.
A Massive Upgrade for Cyclists
For those who love to bike, the HarmonyOS 6.1 update turns the Watch 5 into a serious cycling computer. When you connect the watch to a physical power meter on your bike, you will get access to pro-level data. The screen will now show your virtual cadence, virtual power, hill gradients, and bike type. It even calculates your Functional Threshold Power (FTP) to help you train harder and smarter.
Smoother Performance and Under-the-Hood Fixes
Finally, Huawei spent some time cleaning up how the watch runs daily. The update improves how the watch evaluates your deep sleep at night. It also fixes the settings for automatic workout splits and interval reminders so they work more consistently. Lastly, the overall system stability got a boost, making the watch feel faster and less likely to glitch.
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