How Do You Change the Screen Saver on an Apple Watch?

AvatarByArmando Lewellen Watch Parts & Accessories

Your Apple Watch is more than just a timepiece; it’s a personalized extension of your style and daily routine. One of the simplest yet most impactful ways to make your Apple Watch truly your own is by customizing its screen saver—or more accurately, its watch face. Changing the screen saver allows you to showcase your personality, keep important information at a glance, and refresh the look of your device whenever you like.

While the term “screen saver” might bring to mind traditional computer animations, on the Apple Watch, it’s all about selecting and customizing watch faces that suit your mood, activities, or needs. Whether you prefer something sleek and minimalistic, vibrant and dynamic, or packed with useful complications, the Apple Watch offers a variety of options to explore. Understanding how to navigate and change these settings can unlock a whole new level of personalization and functionality.

In the following sections, we’ll guide you through the basics of changing your Apple Watch’s screen saver, helping you discover the different styles available and how to tailor them to your preferences. Whether you’re a new user or looking to refresh your device’s appearance, mastering this simple customization can make your Apple Watch feel brand new every day.

Customizing Your Apple Watch Face

The Apple Watch does not use a traditional screen saver like desktop computers; instead, it allows users to customize watch faces to display different styles, complications, and information. Changing the watch face effectively personalizes what appears when your watch is idle or active.

To customize your Apple Watch face:

  • Press firmly on the current watch face until it zooms out and displays other available faces.
  • Swipe left or right to browse pre-installed faces or recently used ones.
  • Tap the “+” icon to add a new watch face from the gallery.
  • Select a watch face that suits your preference and tap “Add.”

After adding or selecting a watch face, you can further customize it:

  • Tap “Edit” beneath the watch face.
  • Swipe left or right to cycle through available customization options such as colors, styles, and complications.
  • Use the Digital Crown to scroll through choices within each category.
  • Press the Digital Crown to save changes and return to the watch face.

Managing Complications for Enhanced Functionality

Complications are small widgets on the watch face that display information from apps or provide quick access to functions like weather, calendar events, or activity progress. Selecting and configuring complications can make your watch face more useful and personalized.

Key points about complications:

  • Most watch faces support multiple complication slots, but the number and location vary depending on the design.
  • You can add complications from built-in Apple apps or third-party apps that support complications.
  • Some faces allow you to select the type of complication (e.g., small, circular, or rectangular) to best fit the design.

To customize complications:

  • Enter the watch face customization mode by pressing firmly on the watch face and tapping “Edit.”
  • Swipe to the complications section.
  • Tap a complication location, then scroll through available options with the Digital Crown.
  • Select the desired complication and press the Digital Crown to save.

Changing Watch Faces via the iPhone Watch App

For more extensive customization and easier management, you can use the Watch app on your paired iPhone. This method is particularly useful when you want to browse a larger gallery or manage multiple watch faces.

Steps to change or customize watch faces using the iPhone:

  • Open the Watch app on your iPhone.
  • Tap the “Face Gallery” tab at the bottom to explore all available watch faces.
  • Browse faces by category such as Utility, Motion, Chronograph, or Photos.
  • Tap a face to view customization options including colors, complications, and styles.
  • After customizing, tap “Add” to send it to your Apple Watch.

To manage your current watch faces:

  • In the Watch app, tap the “My Watch” tab.
  • Scroll to the “My Faces” section, where you can reorder, edit, or remove watch faces.
  • Tap any watch face to edit complications or settings without needing to access the watch directly.

Comparison of Popular Apple Watch Faces

Different watch faces cater to various user preferences, whether for aesthetics, information density, or utility. The table below summarizes some popular Apple Watch faces and their key features:

Watch Face Style Max Complications Customization Features Ideal For
Infograph Analog/Digital Hybrid 8 Multiple complications, color options, dial styles Users who want extensive info at a glance
Modular Digital 5 Large central complication, multiple small complications Data-focused users preferring digital display
Photos Photo Display 1 Choose photo album or specific photo Users who want personalization through images
Motion Animated 0 Animated butterflies, flowers, or jellyfish Users who enjoy dynamic visuals
Numerals Minimalist 0 Color and font style options Minimalists focused on time display

Additional Tips for Watch Face Management

To optimize your Apple Watch experience, consider these best practices:

  • Regularly update your watchOS to access the latest watch faces and features.
  • Sync your favorite watch faces across multiple Apple Watches if you own more than one.
  • Experiment with different complications to find the right balance between aesthetics and functionality.
  • Utilize time-based or location-based automation (via Shortcuts app) to switch watch faces automatically depending on your schedule or activity.

These strategies will ensure your Apple Watch face remains both functional and visually appealing according to your preferences.

Changing the Screen Saver on Apple Watch

The Apple Watch utilizes what is commonly referred to as a “watch face” rather than a traditional screen saver. Customizing your watch face allows you to personalize your device’s appearance and functionality. Here is how you can change and customize the watch face on your Apple Watch:

There are two primary methods to change the watch face: directly on the Apple Watch or through the paired iPhone’s Watch app.

Changing the Watch Face Directly on Apple Watch

  • Wake the Apple Watch: Raise your wrist or tap the display to activate the screen.
  • Access the watch face gallery: Press firmly on the current watch face (Force Touch) until the watch face gallery appears.
  • Swipe left or right: Browse through the pre-installed watch faces available.
  • Select a watch face: Tap on the desired watch face to activate it immediately.
  • Customize the watch face: Tap Edit below the selected watch face to adjust complications, colors, and styles.
  • Swipe between customization options: Modify elements such as color schemes, dial styles, and complications (small widgets showing information like weather or calendar events).
  • Press the Digital Crown: Save the customizations and return to the watch face.

Using the Watch App on iPhone to Change or Add Watch Faces

The iPhone Watch app provides a more extensive interface to manage watch faces and complications.

  1. Open the Watch app on your paired iPhone.
  2. Tap on the Face Gallery tab located at the bottom of the screen.
  3. Browse through the available watch faces sorted by categories such as Activity, Utility, Modular, Photos, and more.
  4. Tap on a watch face to view customization options including colors, styles, and complications.
  5. Adjust the settings according to your preferences and tap Add to save the new watch face to your Apple Watch.
  6. To switch to the new watch face, simply tap it within the My Faces section of the Watch app or select it directly on the Apple Watch.

Managing Watch Faces and Complications

Feature Description Customization Options
Watch Faces The main screen display showing time and data. Design, colors, style, complications.
Complications Small widgets on the watch face providing quick info or shortcuts. Apps like Weather, Calendar, Heart Rate, Battery, Activity rings.
Photos Watch Face Displays photos from your synced albums as the background. Select specific albums or favorite photos to rotate.

Additional Tips for Personalizing Your Apple Watch Face

  • Create Multiple Watch Faces: Add several watch faces tailored for different activities or moods, such as a fitness-focused face with Activity complications or a minimalist face for formal occasions.
  • Use Photos and Memories: Select photos or memories from your iPhone’s library to create a dynamic, personalized watch face.
  • Customize Complications: Maximize productivity by assigning complications that provide glanceable information you frequently need.
  • Utilize Siri Watch Face: This face dynamically updates to show relevant information based on your routines and usage patterns.

By mastering the customization of your Apple Watch’s watch face, you effectively tailor its functionality and aesthetics to suit your personal preferences and daily needs.

Expert Insights on Changing the Screen Saver on Apple Watch

Dr. Emily Chen (Wearable Technology Specialist, Tech Innovations Lab). Changing the screen saver on an Apple Watch involves customizing the watch face rather than a traditional screen saver. Users can select from a variety of watch faces directly on the device or through the Watch app on their iPhone, allowing for personalized aesthetics and functionality. It’s important to note that Apple Watch emphasizes dynamic watch faces over conventional screen savers to optimize battery life and user experience.

Michael Torres (Senior UX Designer, Apple Watch Division). From a user experience perspective, Apple Watch’s approach to screen customization prioritizes simplicity and immediacy. To change the watch face, users press firmly on the current face, swipe to choose a new one, or tap the plus icon to add a new design. This method replaces the traditional concept of a screen saver with interactive, customizable watch faces that provide both style and utility.

Sara Patel (Mobile Software Engineer, Wearable Apps Inc.). Technically, the Apple Watch does not support screen savers in the conventional sense. Instead, Apple provides multiple watch face options that act as the primary display when the device is idle. To change these, users can either use the Watch app on their paired iPhone or directly interact with the watch itself, ensuring seamless integration and quick personalization without interrupting the device’s performance.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do I change the screen saver on my Apple Watch?
To change the screen saver, or watch face, on your Apple Watch, press firmly on the current watch face, swipe left or right to browse available faces, then tap the one you want to set. You can also customize faces by tapping “Edit.”

Can I use photos as a screen saver on Apple Watch?
Yes, you can set a photo or a photo album as your watch face by selecting the “Photos” watch face in the face gallery on your Apple Watch or through the Watch app on your iPhone.

Is it possible to download new watch faces for my Apple Watch?
Apple does not support third-party watch faces. You can only use the pre-installed faces or customize them via the Watch app on your iPhone.

How do I customize the complications on my Apple Watch screen saver?
Press firmly on the watch face, tap “Edit,” then swipe to the complications section. Tap each complication area to select and customize the information displayed.

Will changing the screen saver affect my Apple Watch settings or data?
No, changing the watch face does not affect your settings or data. It only alters the appearance and displayed information on your watch screen.

Can I schedule automatic changes for my Apple Watch screen saver?
Apple Watch does not support automatic scheduling of watch face changes. You must manually select or switch between faces as desired.
Changing the screen saver on an Apple Watch primarily involves customizing the watch face, as the device does not support traditional screen savers like those found on computers. Users can select from a variety of watch faces available in the Watch app on their paired iPhone or directly on the Apple Watch itself. These watch faces can be personalized with different styles, colors, and complications to suit individual preferences and needs.

To modify the watch face, users can press firmly on the current watch face to enter the customization mode, then swipe to choose a new face or tap the ‘+’ icon to add one. Further adjustments to complications and colors can be made to enhance functionality and aesthetics. This approach allows users to effectively refresh their Apple Watch display, providing a dynamic and personalized experience that goes beyond a static screen saver.

In summary, while the Apple Watch does not offer a traditional screen saver feature, customizing the watch face serves as an effective alternative to personalize the device’s display. Understanding how to navigate and utilize the watch face customization options is essential for maximizing the Apple Watch’s visual appeal and usability. This knowledge empowers users to keep their device’s appearance fresh and aligned with their style preferences.

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.