The best Apple Watch faces

Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority

More than likely, your watch face is the most viewed screen on your Apple Watch. Why not make it harder working? Whether you want at-a-glance stats, a favorite photo, or an adorable animation, there are plenty of looks to consider. We round up the best Apple Watch faces available.

How to change your Apple Watch face

Before we get ahead of ourselves, make sure you know how to change your Apple Watch face and add new options to your face gallery. To swap faces, swipe left or right from your current face. To add a new face, long-press on your current face and swipe through the choices previously added to your device until you get to the plus sign. Tap the icon, then use your digital crown to scroll through the available options. If you prefer to work on a larger screen, you can also add and customize watch faces from the watch app on your paired iPhone. Open the app and tap Face Gallery.

The best Apple Watch faces

Apple gets a bit of flack for not opening its devices to third-party watch face developers. Fortunately, the wearables giant offers plenty of native options to debut on your device. Every device, from the Apple Watch SE 2 to the Series 8, has access to a huge selection of customizable watch faces. Apple Watch Ultra users can even access an exclusive pick for wayfinding. No matter what model you’re sporting, find the perfect watch face to match your style.

Modular

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With six spots for complications, this choice is for anyone who wants a data-packed watch face in a well-organized format. Choose what info you want to feature, then customize the background or text color.

Infograph

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One of the most sporty-looking picks available, Infograph packs well, a ton of info. The watch face allows for up to eight complications so you can keep eyes on everything from your activity stats to your local UV index.

Activity Analog

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Apple’s infamous rings are the focal point of this pick so you can check your move, step, and stand progress at a glance. The watch face also allows for three additional complications.

Playtime

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A quirky, dynamic art piece that reacts to your taps, Playtime features funny animated numerals and the option to include confetti-like details. You can also customize the background color, though black makes the characters pop best. 

Photos

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Keep favorite vacation snaps at arm’s length with a Photos watch face. Users can add up to 24 photos which the watch face will cycle through automatically, changing photos each time you raise your wrist. The face also allows for two complications and the ability to add color filters to your album. It’s particularly striking on Apple’s beefy Ultra model.

Portraits

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To display your loved ones (including pets!) opt for the Portraits watch face. You can choose from multiple font styles and layer the time behind or in front of your subject. You can also add two additional complications and, if desired, a color filter. 

Typography

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A simple, but attractive, font-based watch face, Typography features three style options: Modern, Classic, or Rounded, with either Roman, Arabic, Arabic Indic, Devanagari, or Chinese symbols. You can use this watch face with either four or twelve numerals, though only the latter option allows for an added complication. 

Stripes

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Color-blocking is completely customizable with the Stripes watch face. Choose the number of stripes you want, hand-pick every single stripe color, and select the angle of your pattern. You can even pick between a fullscreen or circular design. Stripes also allows for four additional complications.

Metropolitan

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A classic, albeit basic watch face, Metropolitan offers plenty of color customization and four different dial designs, plus room for four additional complications. It’s a solid pick for a traditional look. 

Nike Bounce

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Branded Nike watch faces are now available to all compatible Apple Watch users thanks to watchOS 9. Nike Bounce is the company’s simplest option with numbers that react to your movement. You can customize either the color of your digits or the background color.

Nike Digital

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Nike Analog offers slightly more customization than Nike Bounce with room for three complications in addition to its permanent Nike Run Club App shortcut. Users can also choose from multiple colors and clock face styles. 

Unity

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One of the most meaningful and beautiful designs available, Unity Lights represents Afrofuturism or the “exploration of the African diaspora through science, technology, and self-empowerment.” Both watch hands emit light to illuminate the background elements as they move around the clock face. Users can choose a black or black, red, and green background and add up to four complications.

Breathe

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Inspired by Apple’s Breathe tool in the Mindfulness app, the pulsing graphic of the  Breathe watch face follows an 8.5-second rhythm to guide users to take a deep, calming breath every time they lift their wrist. The face is available in four different styles with room for three complications.

Solar Graph

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A personal favorite, this watch face is stunning in its simplicity. The watch face uses your location to create a graphic visual of the sun’s arc across the horizon. It also allows for two additional well-placed complications. 

Astronomy

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Anyone with an interest in space and celestial orbits will love the updated Astronomy watch face. With room for two complications, the design features either the earth, moon, or solar system and dynamically reacts to turning your digital crown.

World Time

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For full-time travelers or anyone working across multiple time zones, World Time displays all 24 of the globe’s time zones in a single design. It also highlights major cities as well as the sunrise and sunset wherever you are currently. The map in the center depicts which part of the world is experiencing day or night. If that isn’t enough information, users can also add four additional complications in each corner. 

Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse

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This watch face doesn’t need much introduction. Disney fans will love adding a classic character to their wrist. Choose between Mickey or Minnie and a full-color or black-and-white look. The design also allows for three complications.