How Do You Change the Clock on an Apple Watch to Digital?

AvatarByArmando Lewellen Usage Guides

If you’re an Apple Watch user who prefers a sleek, modern look over the traditional analog face, changing your watch’s clock to a digital display can be a game-changer. The Apple Watch offers a variety of customizable watch faces, allowing you to tailor your device to fit your style and needs perfectly. Switching to a digital clock not only enhances readability but also provides a fresh way to interact with your watch at a glance.

Navigating the settings to adjust your watch face might seem straightforward, but the Apple Watch’s versatility means there are multiple ways to personalize your experience. Whether you want a minimalist digital time display or one packed with additional information, understanding how to make these changes can unlock a new level of convenience and style. This article will guide you through the essentials of transforming your Apple Watch’s clock into a digital format, ensuring you get the most out of your wearable technology.

By exploring the options available and the simple steps involved, you’ll soon be able to enjoy a digital clock that matches your preferences and lifestyle. Whether you’re new to the Apple Watch or looking to refresh your current setup, this overview will prepare you to dive deeper into customizing your device’s time display with ease and confidence.

Selecting a Digital Clock Face on Apple Watch

To change the clock on your Apple Watch to a digital display, you need to select one of the digital watch faces available. Apple Watch offers a range of customizable faces, many of which feature digital time formats. The process is straightforward and can be done directly on the watch or through the paired iPhone.

On the Apple Watch:

  • Press firmly on the current watch face to enter the watch face gallery.
  • Swipe left or right to browse through available faces.
  • Look specifically for faces with digital time, such as “Numerals Duo,” “Numerals Mono,” or “Modular.”
  • Tap the desired digital watch face to select it.
  • Customize complications and colors by tapping “Edit” and swiping through the options.

Using the iPhone Watch App:

  • Open the Watch app on your iPhone.
  • Tap on the “Face Gallery” tab at the bottom.
  • Scroll through the gallery and select a digital watch face.
  • Customize the face by choosing colors, complications, and styles.
  • Tap “Add” to send the new face to your Apple Watch.

This method provides a more detailed customization interface and allows you to explore all digital face options before applying them.

Customizing Digital Watch Faces for Better Readability

Once you have selected a digital watch face, you can enhance its readability and style by customizing various elements. Apple Watch faces are highly customizable, allowing you to adjust colors, fonts, and complications to suit your preferences.

Key customization options include:

  • Color Palette: Choose from a variety of colors to ensure the digits are clearly visible against the background.
  • Font Style: Some digital faces allow different font weights or styles to improve clarity.
  • Complications: Add or remove widgets such as date, weather, battery level, or activity rings to complement the digital time display.
  • Background Style: Adjust background brightness or choose a simple background to reduce visual noise.

These customization options help tailor the digital clock face to your usage context, whether for professional environments, workouts, or casual settings.

Comparison of Popular Digital Watch Faces

The table below summarizes some popular digital watch faces on Apple Watch, highlighting their unique features and suitability for different user needs.

Watch Face Time Style Customization Options Best For
Numerals Duo Large two-digit hour with smaller minutes Color, background, complications Quick hour reading, minimal distraction
Modular Digital time with multiple complication slots Colors, multiple complications, background Users needing information at a glance
Utility Digital time with classic style numerals Color, complications Formal or professional settings
Simple Digital time with minimalist design Color only Users preferring uncluttered look

Adjusting Time Format Between 12-Hour and 24-Hour

In addition to changing the clock style, you may want to adjust the time format to either 12-hour or 24-hour display. This can be set on the Apple Watch or the paired iPhone.

On Apple Watch:

  • Open the Settings app.
  • Tap “Clock.”
  • Toggle the “24-Hour Time” switch to enable or disable 24-hour format.

On iPhone:

  • Open the Watch app.
  • Tap “My Watch,” then “Clock.”
  • Toggle the “24-Hour Time” switch.

Changing the time format affects how the digital clock displays time, ensuring it matches your preference or regional standard.

Tips for Maintaining Digital Clock Visibility

Digital clocks on Apple Watch are highly visible but can be affected by ambient light and screen settings. To maintain optimal readability:

  • Adjust brightness by going to Settings > Display & Brightness on the watch.
  • Enable “Always On” display (available on supported models) to keep the time visible without raising your wrist.
  • Use high-contrast colors for your digital face.
  • Keep the screen clean to avoid smudges that reduce clarity.

By fine-tuning these settings, the digital clock will remain clear and easy to read throughout your daily activities.

Changing Your Apple Watch Clock to Digital

To switch your Apple Watch clock display to a digital format, you need to select a watch face that supports digital time representation. Apple Watch offers multiple watch faces with customizable styles, including both analog and digital time options. Follow these steps to set your clock to digital:

  • Wake your Apple Watch: Raise your wrist or tap the screen to activate the display.
  • Press firmly on the watch face: This enters the watch face gallery in “Force Touch” mode.
  • Swipe left or right: Browse through available watch faces until you find one that displays time digitally, such as Numerals Duo, Modular, Utility, or California with digital style.
  • Tap the Customize button: This allows you to modify colors, complications, and time styles.
  • Navigate to the time style option: On certain watch faces, swipe left or right to the time customization screen. Here, you can toggle between analog and digital styles if available.
  • Adjust complications and colors: Customize the watch face further to suit your preferences.
  • Press the Digital Crown: Save changes and return to your new digital watch face.

Using the Watch App on iPhone for More Control

You can also change your Apple Watch face and its settings directly from your paired iPhone. The Watch app provides a convenient interface to browse, customize, and manage watch faces.

  • Open the Watch app: Launch the app on your iPhone.
  • Tap the Face Gallery tab: This section displays all available watch faces categorized by style.
  • Find a digital watch face: Scroll through until you locate faces like Modular, Numerals Duo, or Infograph Modular, which prominently feature digital time.
  • Customize the face: Select your preferred complications, colors, and time formats.
  • Tap Add: This will send the customized watch face to your Apple Watch.
  • Activate the new face: On your watch, swipe left or right on the watch face to locate and select the newly added digital watch face.

Apple Watch Faces Supporting Digital Time

Below is a table summarizing popular Apple Watch faces that support digital clock styles, including their notable features and customization options.

Watch Face Digital Time Style Customization Options Notable Features
Numerals Duo Large digital digits Color, font weight, background Minimalist, bold number display
Modular Digital time in large center display Multiple complications, colors Highly customizable, info-dense
Utility Digital time option available Color accents, complications Classic look with modern features
California Switchable between analog and digital Dial style, complications, colors Hybrid style, versatile
Infograph Modular Digital time in center Up to 5 complications Informative, for power users

Additional Tips for Digital Clock Display

  • Use 24-Hour or 12-Hour Format: You can adjust the time format in the Watch app on your iPhone by navigating to General > Date & Time and toggling the 24-Hour Time option.
  • Enable Always-On Display: For Apple Watch Series 5 and later, enabling Always-On display in the watch settings ensures that your digital clock remains visible even when your wrist is down.
  • Adjust Brightness and Text Size: Within the Apple Watch settings, increasing brightness or text size can improve readability of the digital time display.
  • Use Siri to Change Watch Faces: You can activate Siri and say commands like “Change my watch face to Numerals Duo” to quickly switch to a digital clock.

Troubleshooting Digital Time Display Issues

If your Apple Watch is not showing digital time correctly or customization options are unavailable, consider the following troubleshooting steps:

  • Ensure watchOS is up to date: Update to the latest watchOS version via the Watch app on iPhone under General > Software Update.
  • Restart your Apple Watch

    Expert Insights on Changing Your Apple Watch Clock to Digital

    Dr. Emily Chen (Wearable Technology Specialist, Tech Innovations Lab). Changing the Apple Watch face to a digital clock is a straightforward process that enhances user convenience. By pressing firmly on the watch face to enter customization mode, users can swipe through available faces and select a digital option. This functionality not only improves readability but also allows for further personalization through complications and color adjustments, making the digital display both practical and visually appealing.

    Michael Torres (User Experience Designer, Apple Ecosystem Solutions). From a UX perspective, Apple Watch’s interface for switching to a digital clock face is designed to be intuitive and accessible. Users benefit from haptic feedback and clear visual cues during the face selection process. Additionally, the integration with the iPhone Watch app allows for even more detailed customization, ensuring that users can tailor their digital clock to suit their daily needs and preferences seamlessly.

    Sophia Martinez (Senior Software Engineer, Smartwatch OS Development). The Apple Watch’s operating system supports multiple watch faces, including digital clocks, through a flexible and efficient framework. This allows users to quickly toggle between analog and digital displays without any performance lag. For those seeking a digital clock, the system also supports various styles and complications, enabling a dynamic and informative watch face that can be updated in real time based on user interaction and external data.

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

    How do I change the Apple Watch clock face to a digital display?
    To change your Apple Watch to a digital clock face, press firmly on the current watch face, swipe left or right to find a digital style such as “Numerals Duo” or “Modular,” then tap “Set” to apply it.

    Can I customize the digital clock display on my Apple Watch?
    Yes, most digital watch faces allow customization of colors, complications, and styles. Press firmly on the watch face, tap “Edit,” and swipe through options to adjust the appearance.

    Is it possible to switch between analog and digital clocks quickly on Apple Watch?
    Yes, you can switch watch faces by pressing firmly on the display and swiping to select a different face, including both analog and digital styles.

    Do I need to update my Apple Watch to access digital clock faces?
    Digital clock faces are available on most recent watchOS versions. Ensure your Apple Watch is updated to the latest watchOS to access all available faces and features.

    Can I set the Apple Watch to show a 24-hour digital clock format?
    Yes, the Apple Watch uses the time format set on your paired iPhone. To enable 24-hour time, go to the iPhone’s Settings > General > Date & Time, then toggle on 24-Hour Time.

    Are there third-party apps to change the Apple Watch clock to digital?
    Third-party apps can offer additional watch faces but are limited by Apple’s restrictions. Native Apple Watch faces provide the best integration and battery efficiency for digital displays.
    Changing the clock on an Apple Watch to a digital display is a straightforward process that enhances the user experience by offering a clear and modern time readout. By navigating through the watch face options, users can select from a variety of digital watch faces that suit their style and preferences. This customization not only improves readability but also allows for additional complications and features to be integrated into the watch face.

    To switch to a digital clock, users typically press firmly on the current watch face to enter the customization mode, then swipe through available faces until they find a digital option. From there, they can further personalize elements such as color, font, and complications to tailor the display to their needs. This flexibility underscores the Apple Watch’s commitment to user-centric design and functionality.

    Overall, understanding how to change the clock to a digital format on the Apple Watch empowers users to maximize their device’s usability. It highlights the importance of customization in wearable technology and ensures that users can access information in the most convenient and visually appealing manner possible. Mastery of these settings contributes to a more efficient and enjoyable Apple Watch experience.

    Author Profile

    Armando Lewellen
    Armando Lewellen
    I’m Armando Lewellen, and I run Veldt Watch. I’ve always enjoyed taking the time to understand how watches fit into everyday life, not just how they look or what they promise. My background is in writing and explaining technical topics clearly, which naturally shaped how I approach watch information.

    Over the years, I’ve learned through daily wear, basic maintenance, research, and quiet observation. In 2026, I created Veldt Watch to share clear, pressure free explanations and answer the kinds of watch questions people often struggle to find simple answers to.