While Wear is easy to use on a basic level, it has many interesting features and options. To help you get the most out of your smartwatch, we compiled a list of the 10 best tips and tricks for Wear. Basic watch faces only show the time. However, you can get watch faces for Wear that display weather information, the number of steps you took, notes about appointments, and your heart rate. Here’s how to change the watch face: In addition to the faces that came with the smartwatch, you can download new ones from Google Play. There are also Android apps that allow you to design a watch face from scratch. Two easy ways to get new Wear apps on a watch are to download apps directly from Google Play or sideload apps from your phone. There are more complicated options, but you can get most of the apps you need through these two methods. Here’s how to use Google Play to download apps on your smartwatch: The Wear version of Google Play is streamlined to make it easier to discover new apps. Here’s what the different options are for:
Magnifying glass icon: Tap this to search for a specific app.Recommended for you: This section includes popular apps that Google thinks you will enjoy.Watch faces we love: This is the easiest way to discover new watch faces.Featured apps: This section includes highly rated Wear apps that Google chose to promote.Essentials for Wear: Some important Wear apps are included in this section. When you first get your smartwatch, check this out.Track your workout: If you want to use your smartwatch as a fitness band, you’ll need the apps in this section.Streaming audio: Smartwatches can pair with Bluetooth headphones. You can use the headphones to stream audio, such as music and podcasts. This section includes some great apps to help with that.Get it done: Apps that increase your productivity are found in this section.It’s play time: There aren’t many games available for Wear, but you’ll find most of the best ones in this section.
The other easy way to get new apps on a smartwatch is to sideload apps from your phone. Some apps, like Sleep as Android, can be installed on a watch only with this method. Here’s how to do it: If there are apps that you use regularly, pin those apps. Pinning an app on a smartwatch moves it to the top of the list permanently, so you’ll never have to scroll through the list to find it. Here’s how to pin an app on Wear: To unpin an app, tap its icon and hold your finger in place. The app returns to its original place on the list, and the star disappears. If you want to try a different keyboard, there are several free keyboards available on Google Play. You can switch back and forth between keyboards any time you like. Here’s how to change the keyboard on Wear: After you complete these easy steps, your new keyboard, or keyboards, are available. When you use an app that requires a keyboard, press and hold the keyboard icon to display a list of available keyboards. Select the one you want to use, and it will be the new default keyboard on your watch. Here are some free keyboards you can try out:
A4 Keyboard for Wear FlickKey Keyboard for Wear Smartwatch Keyboard for Wear
When you need to enter text into your smartwatch, it provides you with the option to choose an input method. When you see this choice, that’s your opportunity to use the handwriting or transcription input methods. Here’s how to use the handwriting feature in Wear: If you prefer to use your voice instead of the keyboard or handwriting system on your smartwatch: To access Google Assistant on a smartwatch: If you ask Google Assistant, “What can you do?” it provides a list of useful commands and questions to use on your smartwatch. Here are some things that Assistant can do in Wear:
Send text messages, initiate phone calls, and send messages using compatible apps like WhatsApp. Try these commands: Send a text, Call.Provide you with directions. Try these commands: Get directions, Is there traffic to work.Help with productivity. Try these commands: What is my agenda today, set a reminder, set a timer.Access fitness functionality. Try these commands: Track my run, what’s my step count, what’s my heart rate.
To see a full list of available commands, ask Google Assistant what it can do, scroll to the bottom of the list, and select See more you can do. From the main Google Assistant screen, you can also access a limited number of options by tapping the Settings icon. If you want to save battery power, this is the menu where you can turn off OK Google detection. To use Google Pay on your watch, add cards to the app on your watch. Here’s how to do that: When you visit a store, restaurant, or another establishment that supports Google Pay, you can pay with your watch. Here’s how to do it: To accomplish this, launch the Wear app on your phone and change some settings. Here’s how to do it: If you have trouble with battery life in your Android smartwatch, fully drain the battery, fully charge it, and then fully drain it again. Going through several of these full discharge cycles can improve battery life, especially if your watch had battery problems from the moment you bought it. If you want to prolong the battery life further, take advantage of these tips and tricks to minimize battery usage in Wear:
Try a different watch face: Some watch faces have more going on than others, and that extra information and activity come with a cost in terms of battery use. Switch to a basic watch face for a day, and see if that helps.Disable the always-on screen: Having the watch face visible at all times is cool, but some smartwatches can’t handle the battery drain. To turn off this feature, swipe down, tap the gear icon, tap display, then tap always-on screen.Turn off tilt-to-wake: This is a cool feature because it allows you to check your watch by flipping your wrist. But the watch can turn on when you don’t want it to, which can drain the battery. To disable tilt-to-wake, swipe down, tap the gear icon, tap gestures, then tap tilt-to-wake.Shut the screen off manually: When you’re done looking at your watch, place your palm against the watch face. The watch vibrates, and the screen shuts off.Lower the screen brightness: Set the screen brightness to the lowest level that allows you to read the watch, and adjust it up from there as needed. To adjust brightness, swipe down, and then tap the sun icon.Disable unnecessary notifications: Every time your phone pushes a notification to your watch, it uses battery power. To save power, turn off the notifications you don’t need.Uninstall unnecessary apps: If you notice a sudden power drain after installing an app, temporarily uninstall it. If that fixes the power drain, the app may do something that drains the battery. Either leave the app uninstalled, or contact the app developer for help.
If you use the Nav Music app, it’s easy to download songs to your Wear device and stream music to Bluetooth-equipped headphones without an internet connection. Leave your phone at home when you head out on a jog and listen to music.
