Following her return from China, "Wörth" was taken into the drydocks at the (Imperial Dockyard) in Wilhelmshaven for an overhaul that lasted from 14 to 17 August. She then joined the fleet for autumn maneuvers. In the meantime, "Wörth" and her sisters, which had been assigned to I Division before their expedition to China, had been transferred to II Division of I Squadron following their return. On 24 November, "Wörth" was decommissioned for a major reconstruction at the "Kaiserliche Werft" in Wilhelmshaven; she was the first member of her class to be modernized. During the modernization, a second conning tower was added in the aft superstructure, along with a . "Wörth" and the other ships had their boilers replaced with newer models, and also had their superstructure amidships reduced. The work lasted until December 1903.