The Pixel Watch ships with a solid set of faces, but Google Play has many more built for Wear OS. You can install them straight from the watch or from the Play Store on your phone. This guide walks through both, then shows how to apply, update, and remove faces, using Google's own help pages.
Before you start
- Your watch needs an internet connection to search and download from Play. Google notes it should be on Wi-Fi or LTE.
- You'll be signed in to the Play Store on your watch with the Google Account you used to set up the watch.
- Keep the Pixel Watch app on your phone up to date. Google recommends updating both the watch and phone so they stay in sync.
Option 1: Install from the watch
- On your Pixel Watch, press the crown.
- Tap Play Store.
- Pick a category or tap Search. You can speak your search with the microphone or type it with the keyboard.
- Select the watch face you want and tap Install.
Option 2: Install from your phone
Browsing is easier on a bigger screen.
- On your phone, open the Play Store app.
- At the top, select the Categories tab.
- Tap Watch faces and choose the face you want.
- Tap Install to download it to your watch.
Tip from Google: to install to just your phone or to a different watch, tap the Down arrow next to Install and select the device.
Apply the new face
Installing doesn't always switch your face. To use it:
On the watch:
- Touch and hold the watch face.
- Swipe left or right to browse your faces.
- Tap the new face, or tap Edit to change its colors and complications first.
In the Pixel Watch app on your phone:
- Tap Watch faces.
- Swipe to the face.
- Tap Use on watch, or Edit to customize first.
Personalize it
- Touch and hold the watch face.
- Tap Edit.
- Swipe left to scroll through the styles and complication layouts.
The options depend on the face. Some offer many color and layout choices; others very few.
Update your faces and apps
On the watch:
- Press the crown and tap Play Store.
- Open Manage apps, then tap Update All.
Wear OS Help also describes reaching My Apps by swiping down from the top of the Play Store screen, where updates are listed under "Updates Available."
Remove a face you no longer want
From the Play Store on the watch, swipe down from the top of the screen and tap My Apps. Tap the face or app, scroll to the bottom, and tap Uninstall. Google notes the exact steps can vary by device and software version.
Check your software version
Some watch faces require a minimum Wear OS version. To check yours: swipe down, tap Settings, tap System > About, then tap Versions. To update, go to Settings > System > System updates.
Troubleshooting
- The face installed but isn't in the list: make sure the install went to your watch, not only your phone (use the Down arrow on the phone listing).
- Can't download: connect the watch to Wi-Fi.
- Face options look limited: that's down to the face design; try Edit to see all of its styles.
Going further with WatchLux
WatchLux, the face app I built, is one of the faces you can install this way. You pick a design on your phone and send it to the watch, then apply it with the steps above. WatchLux has over 750 faces on both watchOS and Wear OS. All artwork is created with generative AI tools.
WatchLux is free to download and preview; subscription unlocks the full catalog and removes ads.
My team specializes in advanced generative AI art and video, and WatchLux and ScreenLux are where we apply it to the watch and the phone.
- Android and Wear OS: WatchLux on Google Play
Sean McCue, Founder, WatchLux and ScreenLux
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