Top 10 Watch Faces for Pixel & Galaxy
I've been there! Third-party watch faces for my Galaxy Watch and Pixel Watch used to drive me crazy. They were clunky, slow, and often looked pretty bad. Finding a decent one felt like searching for a needle in a haystack. On top of that, they drained my battery like crazy, wouldn't show my health data properly, and sometimes even required extra apps on my phone. Talk about annoying!
But hey, things are finally looking up! Thanks to Google and Samsung, third-party Wear OS watch faces are actually getting good. So good, in fact, that I found 10 awesome ones I can't wait to share with you.
How did third-party watch faces get better?
Hey there! Before I dive into some awesome watch faces, let's talk about how things got better for these unofficial options. Last year, Google introduced something called Watch Face Format. It's basically a pre-made design for watch face creators, and the good news is it works with Samsung's tool for building watch faces too. This makes things a breeze for developers!
Here's the deal: if you're someone who makes watch faces, using this format is a great way to ensure your creation feels just like a built-in one on any modern Wear OS watch. It won't guzzle your battery life, it will display your health stats perfectly, and you can customize it right on your watch or the Pixel Watch app (if you have one). Plus, since it's basically a tiny file, it won't take up much space. The best part? No more needing a separate app on your phone, and no more constant updates – Wear OS takes care of everything for a smooth experience.
Faces developed with Watch Face Format behave like a n
There's a trade-off with watch faces made using Watch Face Format. While they're easy for developers to create and should work across many Wear OS watches, they can look a bit same-y since they follow Google's guidelines. Finding them can be a challenge too, there's no special section in the Play Store and you mostly have to rely on the developer mentioning it.
But fear not! I've done the legwork and found 10 cool and unique watch faces built with Watch Face Format. These will work on your Pixel Watch (both generations), Galaxy Watches (from 4 to 6), OnePlus Watch 2, and any other Wear OS 4 watch.
Awf Sport xR by AmoledWatchFaces
Obsessed with the Sport XR watch face by Amoled Watch Faces right now! It totally grabbed me with its vibrant gradient colors and that cool dotted background. Even after using it for a while, I still think it looks fantastic. Plus, it comes in a bunch of different blues that perfectly match my Pixel Watch 2 band. Don't get me wrong, the green, red, and orange options are killer too.
The only thing that's locked in is the heart rate complication on the left, but that's my go-to on any watch face anyway. The good news is you can customize the top and right side stats, along with all four app shortcuts. The one drawback? The corner text is stuck, so I have to remember that App 1 is Spotify, App 2 is Google Home, Timer is Google Pay (at least I got Alarm right!).
As for the Always-on Display, you can show everything, but I prefer the clean look of just the clock."
This version uses contractions, informal language ("grabbed me," "totally"), and personal anecdotes to sound more like a human talking about their favorite watch face.
Nothing Fancy by Time Flies Watch Faces
Let's talk about my favorite watch face, even though the name is a bit misleading. It's called Nothing Fancy by Time Flies Watch Faces, but it's actually quite versatile! I love the design and how crazy customizable it is.
There are tons of options to play with: 30 color schemes, eight different hour markers, five hand styles, and even eight ways to customize the always-on display. Plus, you can add eight bits of information to the watch face itself, with four larger ones in the center and four smaller ones around the edge.
The best part? The more I use it, the more I discover new looks I can create. It's like a fun puzzle every time! The only downside is that it can be a bit buggy sometimes and doesn't always open in the Pixel Watch app. That means I have to edit everything on the watch itself, which can be annoying when you have 30 color schemes to choose from. But honestly, that's a small price to pay for such a fantastic watch face.
Pixel Watch 2 Face I by SOC Creations
Minimal Digital Watch RE02 by Recreative Watch Faces
Another watch face I really like is the Minimal Digital Watch RE02 by Recreative Watch Faces. The large numbers are fantastic for quick glances, and it manages to display a surprising amount of information without feeling cluttered.
There is a bit of a catch though - some things like the date, notifications, steps, heart rate, and battery level are pre-chosen and can't be customized. Luckily, these are all features I find useful on any watch face, so it works out for me in this case.
For the two customizable slots, I typically choose the weather and upcoming event complications. You can also show or hide two app shortcuts on the left side of the watch face. If you prefer a simpler look, the seconds counter can be turned off, and the always-on display only shows the time, date, and battery life.
Analogue Watch Face CRC082 by Creation Cue
While Creation Cue offers a bunch of feature-packed watch faces, I always come back to the simpler Analogue Watch Face CRC082. It's got this super sleek always-on display that just looks fantastic on my wrist. I especially love the subtle shadow that seamlessly blends the bright numbers into the watch's black bezel. The hands themselves aren't anything mind-blowing, but being able to customize their color is a cool touch.
One downside is that the center complications are stuck showing battery, heart rate, distance, and your next event. Thankfully, you can add four more on the sides! For me though, that gets a bit overwhelming. I usually stick to the left and right sides, keeping the top and bottom clean. In my opinion, it's the big, clear numbers that really make this watch face shine, and adding too much clutter takes away from that.
Material Stack by JH Watchfaces
SG-128 by SG WatchDesign
Wow, the SG-128 by SG WatchDesign reminds me a lot of the first design you showed me! It has the same eye-catching gradient colors and patterned background that really make it stand out. It's absolutely gorgeous!
There's a surprising amount of information displayed on the watch face, but the thin fonts and lines keep it looking sleek. Unfortunately, you can't customize most of the layout. The battery level, date, distance, steps, and heart rate are always visible. On the bright side, you do get to choose two complications for the bottom of the watch face and three app shortcuts for quick access. Plus, the always-on display is fantastic - it's clean and simple with white text on a black background.
Typograph by WatchFace-Designs
Prime Home OS 2 by Prado Design Watch Faces
Prado Design's® Prime Home OS 2 watch face is a shortcut haven for those who crave easy access to their most-used apps. While it offers a generous nine shortcuts, customization might feel limited. Six are pre-set for messages, calls, settings, heart rate, music, and calendar, leaving only three for personalization. However, you can also customize the three complications on the side and the one at the bottom for a more tailored experience.
One thing that stands out is the watch face's versatility. It ditches the dull, single-color background in favor of a variety, and with 10 different icon packs to choose from, you can completely transform the look and feel. However, the always-on display feels like a missed opportunity. Right now, it only shows the time with a blacked-out background, lacking the vibrancy of the main watch face.
Pixel Fanboy by Dobleuxyz
Calling all Pixel fanatics! The 'Pixel Fanboy' watch face by Dobleuxyz lives up to its name in the best way possible. From the fonts to the signature pill shape at the bottom, and the explosion of colors, it feels like you're staring right at your Pixel 8 Pro's home screen. Bonus points for the dark mode option, perfect for night owls.
This watch face is a sweet spot – packed with information without looking cluttered. Plus, the level of customization is amazing. Sure, the battery and date are locked in, but everything else is your playground. We're talking eight whole slots to personalize with icons, data points, and even text.
So, there you have it – 10 unique watch faces that have become my go-to options. But this is just the tip of the iceberg! I highly recommend checking out the work of these developers, and don't forget to explore the vast library of other watch faces available. The Watch Face Format is still young, but with so much potential, I can't wait to see even more amazing designs and developers joining the party!
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