Galaxy Watch settings and support guides

System

Keep your device current and configure core system behavior.

• Update Galaxy Watch SoftwareGalaxy Watch software updates can be checked and installed either directly on the watch or through the Galaxy Wearable app on your phone — both routes end at the same install process.

Privacy & Security

Control which apps can access your camera, microphone, and data.

• Privacy & SecurityGalaxy Watch privacy and security settings cover the on-watch screen lock, per-app data permissions synced from the phone, and Samsung's Find My Watch/Find My Mobile network for locating a lost device.

Network & Internet

Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and network connection settings.

• Bluetooth & Wi-Fi ConnectivityGalaxy Watch relies on Bluetooth for its primary connection to your phone, but can also connect to Wi-Fi networks directly — letting it fetch data, sync, and (on LTE models) even make calls when your phone isn't nearby.

Display & Sound

Screen, audio, and alert preferences.

• Display & BrightnessGalaxy Watch display brightness can run on auto-brightness (using the ambient light sensor) or a fixed manual level, and pairs with separate controls for how the screen wakes and how long it stays lit.
• Always On DisplayAlways On Display (AOD) keeps a simplified, dimmed version of your watch face visible at all times instead of the screen going fully black, so you can glance at the time without raising your wrist or tapping the screen.
• NotificationsGalaxy Watch notifications mirror your phone's notifications by default, but which apps are allowed to reach the watch — and how they're displayed — is managed per-app through the Galaxy Wearable app, not the watch's own settings.
• Sound & HapticsGalaxy Watch sound and haptic settings control the volume of ringtones and alert sounds separately from vibration strength, and include a system-wide mute plus a dedicated "good vibrations only" style silent mode.

Storage & Backup

Manage space, back up your data, and stay protected against loss.

• Backup & RestoreGalaxy Watch backs up its settings, watch faces, and app layout to your Samsung account automatically when paired, which lets a replacement or factory-reset watch restore most of its prior configuration during setup rather than starting from scratch.

Accounts & Family

Account sign-in, sync, and family/parental controls.

• Pair Galaxy Watch with Your PhoneGalaxy Watch pairs to an Android phone through the Galaxy Wearable app, which handles both the initial Bluetooth pairing and ongoing sync of notifications, health data, and watch faces.

Accessibility

Assistive features, input, and language & region settings.

• AccessibilityGalaxy Watch's accessibility settings include screen magnification, high contrast and color correction, TalkBack screen reading, and touch/interaction adjustments — all configured under Settings → Accessibility, largely independent of the paired phone's own accessibility settings.

Troubleshooting

Reset, restart, and diagnose common issues.

• Battery & Power SavingGalaxy Watch offers tiered power modes — from full performance down to a stripped-back Watch only mode — plus per-app background usage controls, giving you direct trade-offs between features and battery life.

Personalization

Themes, wallpaper, lock screen, and layout of your device.

• Watch FacesGalaxy Watch faces can be changed directly on the watch by touching and holding the screen, or browsed and customized in more depth through the Galaxy Wearable app's Watch faces tab, where you can also download additional designs.

Apps

Installed apps, optional features, and what runs on startup.

• Samsung Health & Fitness TrackingGalaxy Watch's health features run through the Samsung Health app on both the watch and phone, covering automatic workout detection, continuous heart rate monitoring, and (on supported models) body composition, ECG, and blood pressure measurement.
• Sleep TrackingGalaxy Watch automatically detects sleep and records duration, sleep stages (light, deep, REM), blood oxygen trends, and movement, then combines them into a nightly Sleep Score inside the Samsung Health app.
• Samsung Wallet & PaymentsSamsung Wallet on Galaxy Watch lets you add debit or credit cards for contactless NFC payments, plus store select transit passes and IDs where supported, all secured behind a watch lock and independent from the phone once cards are added.
• Apps Management & Galaxy StoreGalaxy Watch runs Wear OS Powered by Samsung with One UI Watch, and installs its own watch-specific apps through the Galaxy Store — separate from your phone's app store — either directly on the watch or via the Galaxy Wearable app.

Help and tools

• Troubleshooting
• FAQ & Help
• Device info & diagnostics
• Contact & feedback