Free watch faces wants me to install an app...

[silverfang77]

When I look to download a free watch face in Google Play, it always wants me to install an app first. Is this supposed to be on the phone or the watch? Are these apps legit or just to push ads to my phone and watch? Would I be better off spending a few dollars to ensure that I'm getting a legit watch face?

Thanks.

 

[B. Diddy]

Which generation of Galaxy Watch do you have? More recent versions of Wear OS no longer require a watchface app to be installed on the phone as well as the watch -- they only have to be installed on the watch. There might be some watchfaces that still require the app to be on the phone as well for specific features, but those are pretty uncommon.

Or are you saying that the watchface requires you install an unrelated app on the phone?

 

[silverfang77]

It's a Watch 6 Classic. It seems like they want me to install some app. Here's an example. This is on my phone. Why does it put this app on my phone when I just want a face on my watch?

Thanks.

 

[B. Diddy]

I moved this from the Galaxy Watch forum (for the 1st gen watch) to the Watch6 forum for more appropriate traffic.

When you select a watchface on the Play Store, there should be a little downfacing arrowhead on the right side of the Install button. That should bring up a list of devices that the app can install to. Make sure your phone is unchecked there, and only the Watch6 is checked.

 

[silverfang77]

Oh yeah. I saw the arrow. I'll double check that from now on.

 

[trucksmoveamerica#AC]

I moved this from the Galaxy Watch forum (for the 1st gen watch) to the Watch6 forum for more appropriate traffic.

When you select a watchface on the Play Store, there should be a little downfacing arrowhead on the right side of the Install button. That should bring up a list of devices that the app can install to. Make sure your phone is unchecked there, and only the Watch6 is checked.

I've tried several watch faces just now and selected the watch only for download and every one of them pops up a warning "you aren't able to save preferences while this device is unselected" the device unselected is the phone.

I've always had the understanding you need the watch app on your phone. Maybe you don't need the app on phone if you don't want to change colors, design, what you want in the face such as steps, heart rate, ECT.

 

[B. Diddy]

I've tried several watch faces just now and selected the watch only for download and every one of them pops up a warning "you aren't able to save preferences while this device is unselected" the device unselected is the phone.

I've always had the understanding you need the watch app on your phone. Maybe you don't need the app on phone if you don't want to change colors, design, what you want in the face such as steps, heart rate, ECT.

I think what that means is that you can't save the preferences of which devices to routinely install an app to from the Play Store if you uncheck the device you're currently using. This message shows up with any app that you select to install to any of your devices (not just watchfaces) if you uncheck the primary device.

For example, if you routinely want to install apps to your phone and tablet, you can bring up that Install list, check your tablet, and as long as the primary device is also checked, you'll see an option to "Save app sync preferences." If you do this, the next time you install an app, the tablet will automatically be checked. But if you uncheck the primary device, that's when you see the message "You aren't able to save preferences while this device is unselected."

Does that make sense?

I also know for sure that with newer Wear OS versions (can't remember exactly when -- maybe with 3?), you don't need to install watchface apps on the phone as well.

 

[trucksmoveamerica#AC]

I think what that means is that you can't save the preferences of which devices to routinely install an app to from the Play Store if you uncheck the device you're currently using. This message shows up with any app that you select to install to any of your devices (not just watchfaces) if you uncheck the primary device.

For example, if you routinely want to install apps to your phone and tablet, you can bring up that Install list, check your tablet, and as long as the primary device is also checked, you'll see an option to "Save app sync preferences." If you do this, the next time you install an app, the tablet will automatically be checked. But if you uncheck the primary device, that's when you see the message "You aren't able to save preferences while this device is unselected."

Does that make sense?

I also know for sure that with newer Wear OS versions (can't remember exactly when -- maybe with 3?), you don't need to install watchface apps on the phone as well.

Next time I get a watch face I'll do it on the watch only to see how it goes. Learning something today

I am guessing if you install on watch only you can make changes to the watch face only on the watch. I do like having the bigger screen on phone to do the settings.

 

[swebb]

You should be able to still customize the watch face in the Samsung Wear app but I'm not 100% certain. From what I've seen, the phone app is only there to facilitate the installation of the watch face from the play store, and can be deleted after the watch face shows on the watch.

 

[trucksmoveamerica#AC]

You should be able to still customize the watch face in the Samsung Wear app but I'm not 100% certain. From what I've seen, the phone app is only there to facilitate the installation of the watch face from the play store, and can be deleted after the watch face shows on the watch.

I'll play around with that and find out.

 

[BerryBubbles]

You should be able to still customize the watch face in the Samsung Wear app but I'm not 100% certain. From what I've seen, the phone app is only there to facilitate the installation of the watch face from the play store, and can be deleted after the watch face shows on the watch.

That's been my experience also, however, most of my watchfaces have been purchased.

Some developers do not create the companion part for the Wearable app, not sure why. It's so much easier to configure on the phone through the wearable app. (At least for me)

 

[swebb]

WearOS has certainly complicated the whole watch face process compared to Tizen. It took a while for me to adjust.

 

[BerryBubbles]

WearOS has certainly complicated the whole watch face process compared to Tizen. It took a while for me to adjust.

I agree, Tizen was quick & easy. WearOS, not so much.

I usually have to temporarily disable the Google Playstore app & use the website interface through a browser to get a watchface to install.

 

[trucksmoveamerica#AC]

WearOS has certainly complicated the whole watch face process compared to Tizen. It took a while for me to adjust.

I agree, Tizen was quick & easy. WearOS, not so much.

I usually have to temporarily disable the Google Playstore app & use the website interface through a browser to get a watchface to install.

I was thinking the same thing earlier