How To Tell If Your Oura Ring Needs An Update

OuraCompanies enhance their products all the time, and you usually receive a firmware and software update through your device's settings or via a companion app. The same goes for smart rings like Oura Rings, including the Oura Ring 5, which we tested in our Oura Ring 5 review: The best smart ring is still too expensive. They are updated periodically to add new features, bring system improvements, and patch bugs. For instance, an Oura app update on October 13, 2026, brought small fixes and performance tweaks, with Oura's release notes simply saying, "Small fixes, big improvements — Oura just got a little better." Another major update came in summer 2026, alongside the launch of the Oura Ring 5. It added new features like Health Radar, Live Activity Tracking, GLP-1 Insights, enhanced data privacy controls, and an easier way to locate your ring if you've lost or misplaced it.

Hence, running an update when one is available is important, not only to get new features in the companion app but also to fix any bugs you might tun into. It's relatively easy to check whether there's an update available for your ring, and it's a good idea to download and install it right away.

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Along with app updates, there may occasionally be firmware updates for the ring itself. Oura, which topped our list of every major smart ring brand ranked from worst to best, according to experts, sets its rings to receive automatic firmware updates by default for active members, whether you use an iPhone or an Android phone. If you have an Oura Ring Gen3, you need firmware version 2.9.11 or latest for this feature to work. In case you own the Oura Ring 4 or Oura Ring 5, you need firmware version 2.0.0 or later. Once it's set up, there's very little you will need to do.

Whenever a new firmware version is released, the update starts sending to your ring the next time you open the Oura app. It is important to make sure that the ring has at least 30% battery and is within Bluetooth range of your phone. Also, updates won't run while you're tracking a workout with Activity Heart Rate, using an Explore session that measures heart rate, or sleeping with the ring collecting nighttime data.

If you want to confirm that automatic firmware updates are enabled, tap the Menu icon in the top-left corner of the app's home screen (the three horizontal lines), select Settings, then Firmware, and toggle the Automatic update switch to on. This screen also shows your current firmware version.

For software updates, the process is similar for iPhone and Android. The Oura app requires an iPhone running iOS 16 or later, or an Android phone running Android 11 or later with Google Play services. On an iPhone, open the App Store, tap your profile photo in the top-right corner, select App Updates, and scroll down to see any upcoming automatic updates (if you have set up automatic updates) or updates that are available. If there's one for Oura, tap Update to start it immediately. Now, on Android, visit the Google Play store, tap your profile icon in the top-right corner, select Manage apps & device, then click on Updates available and scan the list for any pending updates. Either you can update all pending apps or search for Oura on the list and update it immediately.

Keep in mind that updates roll out gradually and don't always arrive at the same time on iPhone and Android. So, if a friend has already downloaded an update that you don't have yet, rest assured it's on the way. To make sure you're up to date, check your current firmware version using the steps noted above, and go to your phone's respective app store to look for available software updates as well. With automatic updates set in the Oura app, and enabling automatic app updates on your phone (or at least periodically checking them), you can ensure that your smart ring is always equipped with the latest features, function as intended, and receive bug fixes.