The simplest way to change your watch face
You change the watch face on your Apple Watch by pressing and holding the current face on the screen, then tapping the plus sign to browse options or swiping left to reach faces you've already saved. The whole process takes about 30 seconds once you know where to look.
The watch face is what you see when you glance at your wrist — the clock display, date, and any small information boxes (called complications) you've chosen to show. Apple Watch comes with several built-in faces, and you can customize each one with different colors, fonts, and information windows before you save it.
Key Takeaways
- Press and hold the current watch face until it highlights, then tap the plus sign to add a new face or swipe left to switch between faces you've already saved.
- Each watch face can be customized with different colors, styles, and information boxes before you save it, so you can have multiple versions of the same face.
- You can also change the face from the Watch app on your iPhone by opening Settings, tapping Clock, and selecting a new face.
- Some watch faces require a specific Apple Watch model or watchOS version, so older watches may not show every option available.
Changing the face directly on your watch
Start by looking at your watch screen. Press and hold anywhere on the current watch face — the entire screen should highlight with a colored border. Don't tap; press and hold for about one second until you see the highlight appear.
Once the face is highlighted, you'll see a plus sign (+) at the bottom of the screen and dots representing each face you've saved. Tap the plus sign to see all available faces. Swipe left and right through the options until you find one you want to use, then tap it to preview how it will look on your watch.
After you tap a face to preview it, you can customize it before saving. Swipe up and down on the preview to change the color or style. Tap any information boxes (the small windows showing weather, heart rate, or other data) to change what they display. When you're happy with how it looks, tap the plus sign again to save this face as your new active watch face.
Switching between faces you've already saved
If you've already created multiple watch faces and saved them, you don't need to customize again — just swipe between them. Press and hold the current face until it highlights, then swipe left or right through the dots at the bottom. Each dot represents one saved face. Tap the face you want to use, and it becomes active when ready.
This is the fastest way to change faces if you like to switch between different styles throughout the day — for example, a straightforward clock face for work and a colorful face with more information for workouts.
Changing the face from your iPhone
You can also change your watch face using the Watch app on your iPhone, which is useful if your watch is across the room or you want to browse options on a larger screen. Open the Watch app on your iPhone, scroll down and tap Clock, then tap Edit next to the face you want to change.
From here you can customize the color, style, and information boxes the same way you would on the watch itself. Tap Save when you're done, and the change appears on your watch within a few seconds.
Understanding watch face complications
Complications are the small information windows on your watch face — they might show the weather, your next calendar event, heart rate, activity rings, or dozens of other data points. Most watch faces let you add or remove complications by tapping them during customization.
When you tap a complication while customizing, you'll see a list of what information that space can display. Scroll through the options and tap the one you want. Some complications are only available on certain watch faces, and some require apps you've installed on your iPhone. If a complication appears grayed out, it means either your watch model doesn't support it or you need to install the app that provides it.
Deleting a watch face you no longer use
If you've created faces you want to remove, press and hold the current face until it highlights. Swipe left to the face you want to delete, then swipe left again on that face's preview. A trash icon will appear — tap it to delete the face. You can't delete the face you're currently using, so switch to a different face first if that's the one you want to remove.
You can always create a new face later, so deleting one doesn't remove it permanently from your watch — you just won't see it in your rotation anymore.
Troubleshooting when faces won't change
If pressing and holding the watch face doesn't bring up the customization menu, make sure you're pressing firmly on the screen itself, not on a complication or information box. Some users accidentally tap instead of press and hold — the action needs to last about one full second.
If the menu still doesn't appear, restart your watch by holding the side button until you see the power-off slider, then slide to power off. Wait 10 seconds and press the side button again to turn it back on. After the restart, try pressing and holding the face again.
If you're trying to use a face that appears grayed out or unavailable, check that your watchOS version is current. Open the Watch app on your iPhone, go to General, then Software Update, and install any available updates. Some newer watch faces only work on the latest watchOS versions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use watch faces from other people or read new ones?
You can share watch faces with other Apple Watch users through the Watch app on iPhone — tap a face, scroll down, and tap Share. The person you send it to can tap the link to add it to their watch. You cannot read faces from outside Apple's built-in collection, but new faces are added with each watchOS update.
Why do some watch faces look different on my watch than in the preview?
Watch faces display differently depending on your Apple Watch model and screen size. Older watches like the Series 3 show fewer complications and have fewer customization options than newer models. The preview on your iPhone shows what your specific watch can display, so what you see there is what will actually appear on your wrist.
What happens to my watch face if I update watchOS?
Your current watch face and any customizations stay exactly as they are after a watchOS update. The update may add new faces or new customization options, but it won't change or delete the faces you've already set up.
Can I set different watch faces for different times of day automatically?
Apple Watch does not have a built-in feature to automatically switch faces based on time of day or location. You have to change the face manually by pressing and holding the screen. Some third-party apps claim to do this, but they require you to open the app each time, so the manual method is usually faster.