How To Customize An Apple Watch Face
Changing Apple Watch Face!
Apple calls them complications and depending on which Watch Face you use, there are several areas where these app shortcuts can be fitted. They provide a sneak peek to the application’s most important data, while the full software itself, is a single tap away. The info module sections are mostly small squares placed in the corners of a Face theme. Some backgrounds like Utility, Mickey Mouse or Modular also provide expanded views under the form of larger size, rectangular shaped complications.
Change The Apple Watch Face
The most basic form of customization is selecting a new background from the ten predefined ones. This is easily done by pressing firmly on the screen, while viewing the Watch Face. The selection menu is activated. Swipe left or right to browse all available themes. Tap the screen when you decide upon your next Face.
Tip: The surest way to reach Watch Face view is to press the Digital Crown until it opens up. Depending on which screen you browse, it can take up to three presses to return to the clock background. Do note, that repeated Crown actions have to be performed with a small break in between, or you risk activating the Multitasking trick, or the Accessibility shortcut.
Customize The Apple Watch Face
After you select the clock theme, it’s time to tune it up. Repeat the steps described above, but instead of taping on the Face to select it, hit Customize and enter editing mode. Tweaks are divided into categories and each group is customizable from a different slide. By default, the first editing screen is displayed. You can switch between slides by swiping left or right. The number of available editing windows, is shown at the top of the screen and is represented by an array of dots. Depending on each Watch Face, you can find up to three different feature slides. Each option is changed by turning the Digital Crown.
1. Detail Customization (Utility, Simple, Chronograph.)
It’s available with one of the three above mentioned backgrounds. It’s the first edit slide and allows you to increase or decrease the presence of Dial details. Display only a brief dial gradient or fill up your analog timescale with markings for hours and even seconds.
2. Color Edit Screen (Utility, Modular, Simple, Color, Chronograph, X-Large)
Depending on the Watch Face, you can tweak the color of some key elements. Starting with the hour hand and date inscriptions and ending up with tweaking the tone of the entire background or the digital time display. The available colors are: light red, violet, blue, bright green, yellow, orange, dark red, white.
3. Complications Window (Utility, Modular, Simple, Motion, Color, Chronograph, Mickey)
The info module edit screen is the last one available. Themes that support multiple complications require that you first tap the desired section and then turn the Digital Crown to scroll for the specific feature. The currently selected module is highlighted with a green color. The complications available to choose from are: Date, Moon Phase, Sunrise, Sunset, Weather, Stocks, Activity, Alarm, Timer, Stopwatch, Battery, World Clock (All the Added Locations).
Tip: You can disable an info module by selecting the Off item from the complications list!
How To Add A New Apple Watch Face
If the available backgrounds aren’t enough for you to choose from, you can always and a new Face. However, the new face is built on one of the 10 predefined themes. This means that you can add two Mickey Mouse Watch Faces for example and have completely different complications configured on them. One can accommodate Calendar, Date and Alarm info while at work and the second, which you can switch to in the afternoon, can display Battery, Weather and Activity complications.
Adding a new Face is done from the same background selection menu. Swipe left until you pass the last available Watch Face and see the New screen with a big “+” icon. Tap it and scroll for the desired clock theme. Tap to add it to the collection. Now, open the editing view again and tweak your latest addition accordingly.
Delete An Apple Watch Face
In case you no longer need a clock face and want to unclog the list, you can easily delete one ore more backgrounds. Force Touch while on Watch Face view and swipe to the background that you want to erase. Now, swipe up to unveil the Delete command and tap the red garbage can to confirm your selection.
Don’t feel remorseful, you can add the Watch theme back whenever you want!
Set Time Ahead Customization
There is one more special tweak left that I didn’t mention about. It’s the much welcomed feature that allows you to deliberately advance the time displayed on your Watch Face.
This trick helps many of us to remain punctual. You can tweak your watch OS device to show that’s later than it really is, so that you can start preparing faster and reach your meetings in time. The good thing is that only the display on the Watch Face is altered, while time for all other functions remains correct.
Special Apple Watch Faces
Astronomy and Solar are unique clock backgrounds that come with special features. They can’t be customized like the rest of the themes. You can only delete and add them back again.
There’s also the Motion Face, which only supports Date complication edits, or the X-Large background that only allows Color edits. For detailed reviews of each theme please read: 10 Apple Watch Faces and Their Features.
