Galaxy Watch · Apps
Install, update, and remove apps on your Galaxy Watch
Galaxy 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.
What you should know
- On the watch, open the Galaxy Store app to browse, install, and update watch apps directly.
- From the phone, Galaxy Wearable's Discover or Apps tab shows watch-compatible apps and lets you push installs to the watch remotely.
- To remove an app, touch and hold its icon in the App list on the watch and select Uninstall, or manage installed apps from Galaxy Wearable → Watch apps.
- Some phone apps automatically offer a companion watch app on install; check Galaxy Wearable's notification or Apps tab after installing a new phone app if you expect a watch counterpart.
Why it matters
Because the watch has its own app store entirely separate from the phone's, a lot of confusion ("why isn't my phone app on my watch?") comes down to not realizing watch apps have to be found and installed independently — this is one of the most common early-ownership sticking points.
Best practices
- Periodically uninstall watch apps you no longer use — with limited on-watch storage, an accumulation of unused apps can slow the watch down over time.
- Update watch apps through Galaxy Wearable rather than waiting on the watch's own slower Wi-Fi/Bluetooth download speeds when a fast update is needed.
- Check an app's watch-compatibility and reviews in the Galaxy Store before installing — not every listed app is actively maintained for the newest One UI Watch versions.
Common problems and fixes
- App installed on the phone doesn't show up on the watch
- Not every Android app has a Wear OS companion — check the Galaxy Store or Galaxy Wearable's Apps tab specifically; if it's not listed there, no watch version exists.
- Watch app install is stuck or very slow
- Installs transfer over Bluetooth by default and can be slow for larger apps; moving both devices onto the same Wi-Fi network, or keeping them close together, speeds this up considerably.
Tips and tricks
- Rearranging the app grid layout (grid vs. list view) is available from the app list's own settings, useful if you have many apps installed and prefer scanning a list over a grid.
Frequently asked questions
Can I install any Android app on the Galaxy Watch?
No — only apps specifically built for Wear OS/One UI Watch and published to the Galaxy Store (or Play Store's watch section) can run on the watch; regular phone APKs aren't compatible.
Related settings
- 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.
- 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.
More Apps guides for Galaxy Watch
- 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.