How to Switch and Tweak Your Apple Watch Faces

If you aren't too crazy about the watch face on your Apple Watch, you can easily switch to one you prefer. Many of the device's built-in faces can be customized to give them a different color and style or equip them with specific features and complications.

Each new version of Apple's watchOS introduces new faces. In 2019, watchOS 6 added Gradient, California, Meridian, Modular Compact, Numerals Duo, Numerals Mono, and Solar Dial. In 2020, watchOS 7 adds Artist, Chronograph Pro, Count up, GMT, Memoji, Stripes, and Typograph. You can work with these faces and those from previous updates to make the watch feel more personalized.

Let's dive into the various watch faces and see how you can switch from one to another and tweak them with your own personal touch.

Update watchOS

You can change and customize your watch faces with any version of watchOS, but you need watchOS 7 or higher (and iOS 14 or higher on your iPhone) to take advantage of the newest additions and other innovations.

To make sure you have the latest watchOS version, open the Watch app on your iPhone and tap General>Software Update. If the app says your software is up to date, you're good to go. If not, your phone will download and apply the latest update to your watch.

Swipe Through Watch Faces

Maybe your current watch face is functional but not jazzy enough for your tastes. Or perhaps you just want to switch to different faces throughout the day based on where you are and what you're doing.

For instance, you may like to sport the California watch face when you're working, jump to the Infograph watch to see the temperature and other info when you're outdoors, and then segue to the Modular face at the end of the day to check your heart rate and access the Breathe app.

All you have to do is swipe left or right on your present watch face. You'll cycle through all the watch faces you've already added. Stop when you see a face you want to sport.

Download the Latest

If you're running watchOS 7 but haven't yet added the new watch faces, here's how to snag them. In the Watch app on your iPhone, tap the Face Gallery icon at the bottom of the screen. The top row shows the new faces available with the latest version of watchOS, including Artist, GMT, Memoji, and Typograph.

Tap the face you want to install and tap the Add button. When you're done, tap the My Watch icon at the bottom of the screen. Swipe to the end of the list of watch faces and you'll see the new faces you just added.

Get Watch Faces From the App Store

With watchOS 7, Apple has opened the watch face landscape to third parties, who can now create and sell their own faces. Several Apple Watch apps offer galleries of different faces that you can add. Most of these require a one-time payment or subscription, but there are a few free ones. 

To check these out, open the App Store either on your iPhone or directly on your watch. Search for "watch faces." Download and open an app that interests you, then select a specific face and add it to your watch.

Online communities have popped up where people can create, upload, and download their own customized watch faces. Communities like Facer and Watchfacely are accessible in the App Store, which allow you to find watch faces you like and add them to your watch.

Remove Unwanted Watch Faces

You may have to cycle through all the watch faces in the My Faces section to edit or change one, which can be time-consuming if you've added a lot of faces. To speed up the process, remove any faces you don't want.

Under the My Watch section of the iPhone Watch app, tap the Edit button next to My Faces. Find a watch face you wish to remove, tap the Minus sign next to it, and tap Remove.

Organize Watch Faces

You can also move the order of the faces to make your favorites more accessible. Hold down the hamburger icon next to a face you want to move, then drag it up or down in the list to change its location. Tap done when you're finished to save the changes. Now keep swiping the faces on your watch and you'll see them all in the order in which you sorted them.

Tweak the Color and Style

Perhaps you like the layout of a certain watch face but don't care for the color or style. Many watch faces let you tweak certain elements to allow for customization.

If you wish to add and tweak a face at the same time, go to the Face Gallery. Tap a watch face, such as Kaleidoscope, and you'll be able to change several details before you add it. Pick a color and style, and each change will be reflected in the preview face at the top of the screen.

When you're done, tap the Add button. Then go to the My Watch section and swipe to the right to see the new face you added with the color and style you picked.

Customize Complications

Complications are elements that can be added or modified to customize a watch face. You can add or tweak complications for date, heart rate, music, podcasts, reminders, weather, workout, and a variety of other features and apps. With watchOS 7, you can even add customizations from third-party apps.

Many faces let you add three or more complications in various spots of the screen. Changing these details comes in handy when you need certain elements not offered by your favorite watch face.

As an example, if you're at the gym and need access to the complications for heart rate and workout, you can add those to certain faces. In the Watch app, tap the face you want to tweak. Tap the location of the first complication you want to change and switch it to Heart Rate. Tap the second complication and set it to Workout.

When done, tap the My Watch link in the upper left. The watch face displays the complications you chose. Check that face on your Apple Watch and you'll see the new complications appear.

Switch It Up

You can also tweak watch faces either before or after you add them to your watch. At the My Watch section, select one of the faces. Then choose the color, style, and complications you wish to add to it.

Create Watch Faces With Photos

You can also create a watch face from your own photos. Select an entire album of photos, and each time you tap on your watch, the next photo in that album appears. In the My Watch section, tap Photos. Your Favorites album is the default, but you can change that.

With the option for Synced Album, any photo album you're already syncing with your iPhone will automatically be used for the watch face. The option for Photos lets you select a single photo or multiple photos to display. The Dynamic option uses new photos you take and those from recent memories. Select and customize your preferred option.

As an alternative, swipe down the My Watch section and tap the entry for Photos. From here, you can create a photo album that syncs to your watch. You can either mirror an existing album from your iPhone or create a custom album for your watch. You can also set a limit to the number of photos in the album at 25, 100, 250, or 500.

Share Watch Faces

You can share a watch face directly from your watch. Sharing the face with a fellow Apple Watch owner lets them add that face to their watch. To do this on your watch, press down on the watch face you want to share and then tap the Share icon. Select the contact, compose your message, and then tap Send to send your text.

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