COROS has released its May 2026 feature update, and it's one of the most substantial software drops the brand has delivered in recent memory. Headlining the release is Voice Control, a hands-free way to start workouts, set alarms, check the weather, and more - all by holding the Action button and speaking. The update also includes a fully redesigned Custom Photo Sharing feature and meaningful upgrades to how strength training is tracked and edited.
Here's what's new and why it matters for runners and gym-goers alike.
Voice Control Takes Center Stage
Voice Control is the headline feature, and it's rolling out in beta across the COROS PACE 4, APEX 4, and NOMAD. The concept is straightforward: hold the Action button, say a command, and the watch handles the rest. No scrolling, no menu diving, no stopping mid-workout to fiddle with buttons.
The use cases COROS has highlighted are practical:
- Start a run - just say "start a trail run" or "start a five mile run" and the watch configures the activity.
- Set reminders and alarms - tell your watch to remind you to walk the dog at 6 PM, or set your morning alarm before bed without opening an app.
- Quick data checks - ask to check the weather or open your sleep data to see how you recovered overnight.
The feature currently works in English only, with additional language support and Timer functionality on the roadmap. If you've been waiting for a reason to actually use the Action button beyond starting activities, this might be it.
Custom Photo Sharing Gets a Major Overhaul
COROS has completely rebuilt its Custom Photo Sharing feature, shifting it from a basic stat overlay into a full creative toolkit. The goal is simple: make it easier to turn your activity data into something worth sharing on social media.
The updated system gives you two primary paths. First, you can choose from dozens of templates in the COROS library and overlay your stats directly onto activity photos for an instant, polished post. Second, you can download a transparent PNG overlay and drop it into third-party editing software - think CapCut, Premiere, or directly into Instagram and TikTok - giving you complete creative control over how your pace, distance, and elevation appear over action footage.
The transparent PNG option is the real upgrade here. It means your data overlay can go over video just as easily as over a still photo, which opens up new territory for runners and cyclists who want to tell a story rather than just post a screenshot of their watch.
Strength Training Gets Smarter
Strength mode has been a consistent area of focus for COROS over the past year, and the May update pushes that further. The changes fall into three buckets.
Better rep and weight tracking. For exercises where hand movement makes auto-detection tricky, the watch now intelligently assumes you've hit your target rep count. There's also a new 5-second delay once you hit your rep target, giving the system time to complete the data log before moving you into the rest phase.
On-watch and in-app editing. Full post-workout editing is now available in the COROS app - including the ability to manually add missed sets or adjust time durations for unstructured sessions. On the watch itself, you'll see an improved prompt after each set to edit reps and weight via touch or the dial, and those edits must happen before the rest interval begins to log correctly.
Smarter workout flow. Strength animations no longer auto-play at the start of every exercise - they've been moved to an automatic data page you can view on demand. There's also a 5-second buffer on the rest and edit screen (skipped entirely if "no rest" is configured), and warm-ups, recoveries, and cool-downs no longer display exercise animations, keeping the display focused on what's actually happening in the moment.
One of the more practical additions is live workout reordering. If the gym is crowded or you need to pivot mid-session, you can now skip remaining sets of an exercise, remove future exercises entirely, or move one into the "up next" slot. The watch automatically shifts the sequence so you keep moving without manual adjustment, and it will ask at the end if you want to go back and hit the sets you skipped.
Control Center and Distance Alerts
The update also touches a few other areas worth noting.
Control Center is now accessible with a single press of the Action button or a swipe left from the watch face. COROS has added toggle options for Daily, Do Not Disturb, and Sleep Mode, headphone settings, brightness controls (on AMOLED watches), speaker volume (APEX 4), and a "Water" mode that plays a tone to clear the speaker after exposure to liquid.
For runners, Distance Alerts have been clarified as a separate feature from Laps in standard runs. Distance Alerts notify you at your set interval (say, every half mile) without creating a lap - essentially a check-in rather than a split. This is useful if you want regular pacing feedback but don't want your post-run data chopped into many discrete laps. The structured workout behavior differs slightly: Distance Alerts work relative to workout blocks without interfering with lap logic, while Auto Lap is disabled entirely during structured sessions.
What This Means for COROS Users
The May 2026 update is a clear signal that COROS is serious about closing the feature gap with Garmin and adding the kinds of quality-of-life improvements that loyal users have been requesting. Voice Control in particular feels like a genuine step forward for hands-free training - the kind of thing that matters when you're mid-workout and your hands are sweaty or dirty.
Custom Photo Sharing appeals to the social media side of the running community, where data overlays on race photos have become a genre of their own. Making that toolkit more flexible is a smart move as the sport increasingly lives online.
The strength training improvements are the most technical, but they're meaningful for anyone who takes gym work seriously. Better tracking, easier editing, and smarter flow mean fewer frustrations and more accurate data.
If you're on a PACE 4, APEX 4, or NOMAD, the update should be available now through the COROS app. Voice Control is labeled as beta, so expect some refinement as COROS expands language support and adds Timer functionality over the coming months.