Let’s be honest. Your Apple Watch is always on your wrist, right? So why not make it feel more like you?
Customizing your Apple Watch face isn’t just about looks. It’s about adding features that make your day easier.
You can see your calendar, check the weather, or track your steps—right from your wrist. And yeah, you can make it look cool too.
In this guide, I’ll show you exactly how to change and personalize your Apple Watch face. No tech skills needed. Just follow along, and we’ll get your watch looking and working the way you want.
Why should you even customize your Apple Watch face?
Because it saves you time. One quick glance and you can check what matters most—without opening apps.
And also, let’s not forget. Your watch should match your vibe. Some faces are great for workouts. Others are perfect for work. And some? Just pure style.
So yeah, you get both function and fashion. Now let’s dive into how you can set it up.
How to change your watch face on Apple Watch
#1 Press and hold the current watch face
Start by pressing and holding your existing watch face. After a second or two, it’ll zoom out a bit. You’ll see a carousel of other watch faces you’ve used before.
#2 Swipe to pick a different face
Swipe left or right to move through saved watch faces. If you already saved some, they’ll show up here.
#3 Tap “+” to add a new face
Want something fresh? Just swipe all the way to the right and tap the big “+” icon. This lets you create a new face from scratch.
Let’s customize your Apple Watch face
Okay, now comes the fun part. Here’s where you can really make the face your own.
#1 Pick your favorite style
After you tap that “+” button, you’ll see a bunch of face styles. Scroll through and tap the one that fits your mood or needs. Want something playful? Go with “Toy Story.” Want something clean? Try “Modular” or “Infograph.”
#2 Tap “Edit” to start personalizing
Once you’ve picked a face, tap the “Edit” button. It’ll let you change everything—colors, details, and complications.
#3 Choose a color that matches your style
Swipe left or right to go to the color section. Then rotate the Digital Crown to scroll through color options. Stop when you find the one that feels right.
What are complications and why they matter
I know, “complications” sounds like a scary word. But don’t worry. It’s just Apple’s fancy word for tiny widgets on your watch face.
These little spots show info like the time of sunset, your next alarm, or how many steps you’ve taken. You can tap on them to open the app they’re linked to.
#1 Add the ones you’ll actually use
When you’re editing the watch face, swipe to the last screen called “Complications.” Here, tap each spot and choose what it shows. Maybe a weather app. Or your activity rings. Or your calendar.
Think about what you check most often. Pick those.
#2 Use the Digital Crown to scroll through options
Once you tap a complication slot, turn the Digital Crown to scroll through available apps. Stop when you find the one you want. Tap to select it.
Use your iPhone to make this even easier
You can also customize everything using your iPhone. Sometimes it’s just faster because you have a bigger screen and more control.
#1 Open the Watch app on your iPhone
Here’s how you do it:
- Open the Watch app on your iPhone.
- Tap “Face Gallery” at the bottom.
- Pick a face you like, customize the style, color, and complications.
- Then tap “Add” to set it on your Apple Watch.
This method is great if you want to create multiple faces or preview how things look before setting them.
Set different faces for different times or moods
You don’t have to stick with just one face. You can create several watch faces for different parts of your day.
Maybe one for workouts with your activity rings and timer. Another for work with your calendar and weather. And one for the weekend with just the time and a photo background.
Just swipe between them whenever you want. This is also a smart way topower up your apple watch again by making it more useful in different situations.
Want to use a photo as your watch face?
You totally can. It’s easy and looks great too.
#1 Pick a photo from your iPhone
Here’s what you need to do:
- Open the Photos app on your iPhone.
- Select the photo you want.
- Tap the Share icon, then tap “Create Watch Face.”
- Choose either “Photos” or “Kaleidoscope” style.
#2 Customize it before saving
You can still add complications and change the time position. After setting it up, tap “Add” and it’ll show up on your watch right away.
How to delete a watch face you don’t want
Don’t like a face anymore? It’s easy to get rid of it.
#1 Press and hold the watch face
Like you did when changing faces, press and hold the screen to enter edit mode.
#2 Swipe up on the face you want to remove
You’ll see a trash can icon. Tap it to delete that face. Don’t worry. You can always add it again later.
Tips to make your Apple Watch face smarter
Here are extra things you can do to get more out of your watch face:
- Use Time Travel: Scroll the crown to see upcoming events or past info on some faces.
- Set Focus Modes: Connect a different face with each Focus mode, like Work or Sleep.
- Edit faces quickly: Double tap the screen in edit mode to jump to complications faster.
The takeaway
Customizing your Apple Watch face isn’t hard. You just need to know where to tap and what each part does. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be switching styles and adding info like a pro.
We talked about how to change your watch face, add complications, use your iPhone to customize, and even how to set a photo as your background. Plus, you now know how to delete faces and set different ones depending on your day.
A lot of people think Apple Watch faces are just about design. But now you know, they’re also powerful tools to help you stay on track. You can make your watch not just smarter, but more useful for your lifestyle.
So go ahead. Try these tips today. Make that screen yours.
Got a favorite face setup? Let me know in the comments!