To customize a smartwatch watch face, you change the design directly on the watch (press and hold the screen, then swipe through options) or pick and configure faces in the paired phone app. From there you can adjust colors, layouts, and the small data widgets manufacturers call complications (Apple) or tiles/widgets (Samsung and Garmin). The exact steps differ slightly by brand, but the core process—select a face, edit its style, add data shortcuts, and save—is the same across nearly every modern smartwatch.
- You can customize most faces both on the watch and in the phone app, but the app gives you more options
- Complications and widgets surface data like weather, heart rate, and calendar at a glance
- Heavy animations and always-on color faces can shorten battery life
Before you start
Make sure your watch and phone are paired, updated to the latest software, and connected over Bluetooth. Many customization options—especially downloadable faces from a store or gallery—only appear when the watch can talk to its companion app. If your devices keep dropping the connection, fix that first; our guide on a smartwatch that won’t connect to Bluetooth walks through the common causes. New to the device entirely? Start with setting up an Apple Watch for the first time before customizing.
How to customize a watch face on the watch itself
- Wake the display by raising your wrist or tapping the screen.
- Press and hold the current face for about a second until the face gallery or an “Edit” prompt appears.
- Swipe left or right to preview the faces already installed on the watch.
- Tap Edit (Apple), Customize, or the equivalent to open style controls. Swipe between editable areas—dial color, number style, and each complication slot.
- Select a complication slot and choose what it shows (weather, activity rings, heart rate, calendar, timer, and so on).
- Press the crown or tap Done/Save to apply the face.
How to customize from the phone app
The companion app is usually the faster route for deep changes because you get a larger screen and access to a wider face gallery.
- Apple Watch: Open the Watch app on iPhone, tap the Face Gallery tab, choose a face, configure its complications, and tap Add. Saved faces sync to the watch automatically.
- Samsung Galaxy Watch: Open the Galaxy Wearable app, go to Watch faces, pick or download a design, then tap Customize to set colors, background photos, and information widgets.
- Garmin: Open Garmin Connect, select your device, then Watch Faces, or download additional faces from the Connect IQ store.
Brand differences at a glance
| Platform | What faces are called | Data widgets | Add-on store |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple watchOS | Watch Faces | Complications | Face Gallery (built in) |
| Samsung Wear OS / One UI Watch | Watch faces | Widgets / information | Galaxy Store |
| Garmin | Watch faces | Data fields | Connect IQ Store |
| Fitbit | Clock faces | Stats | App gallery |
Add and rearrange complications
Complications turn a face into a mini dashboard. Common choices include weather, next calendar event, battery percentage, sunrise/sunset, a stopwatch, and health metrics. To add one, enter edit mode, tap an empty slot, and scroll to the data you want. Keep readability in mind: cramming six widgets onto a small dial makes everything harder to read. If you rely on health widgets, it helps to understand their limits—see how accurate smartwatch calorie counts really are before treating them as exact.
Customization and battery life
Highly animated faces, bright full-color dials, and always-on display can all draw more power. If you notice faster drain after switching faces, try a simpler design or a darker background, which uses less energy on OLED/AMOLED screens. Our roundups on improving smartwatch battery life and comparing battery life across smartwatches cover this in more depth.
Troubleshooting: when a watch face won’t change
- The face won’t switch: Confirm you’re pressing and holding firmly enough to trigger edit mode; a quick tap won’t open it.
- A downloaded face won’t appear: Check Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, then reopen the companion app so it can sync. Updates sometimes take a minute.
- Complications show “–” or no data: The relevant app may lack permission or a connection. Open that app on the watch once, then return to the face.
- Custom face disappeared after an update: Re-add it from the app; major software updates occasionally reset the active face.
- No editing options at all: Some downloaded or third-party faces aren’t editable—only the designer’s preset versions are available.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my own photo as a watch face?
Yes on most modern watches. Apple Watch has a Photos face, and Samsung Galaxy Watch lets you set a gallery image as the background. Garmin and Fitbit support photo or custom backgrounds on select faces. Pick a sharp, high-contrast image so the time and any complications remain legible.
Do custom watch faces cost money?
Many are free, but stores like the Galaxy Store and Garmin Connect IQ also offer paid faces from independent developers. The faces built into your watch and its official app are typically free.
Will a new watch face slow down my watch or drain the battery?
A simple static face has negligible impact. Animated, full-color, or always-on faces can use more power. If performance or battery suffers, switch to a lighter design.
Can I sync the same face across two watches?
Within one brand’s app you can often re-add the same face and settings to another paired device, but faces don’t transfer across brands—an Apple face won’t work on a Galaxy Watch.