To get the most out of your watch, make sure everything is up to date. Only watches that run Wear OS 2 or newer can get updates.
Important: The steps below are for Wear OS and may vary based on your manufacturer, device, and software version.
Check your watch version
- If your watch screen is dim, tap it to wake up the watch.
- To open your list of apps, press the Power button.
- Tap Settings System.
- Tap About Versions.
- Your watch has an OS version and a system version. To find both pieces of info:
- OS version: Check under "Wear OS" or "Android OS." Learn how to update your watch's OS version.
- System version: Check under "System version." Learn how to update your watch's system.
Tip: The version number you find on your phone is for the Wear OS app. It's not the same as your watch’s version.
Check for updates on your watch
Watch updates are often installed overnight while your watch charges. To make sure your device gets its updates, keep your watch powered on and connected to Wi-Fi.
Sometimes, you need to update your watch through the Play Store.
Upgrade your watch to Wear 3
If your device supports it, you can upgrade to Wear 3. After the upgrade, you can't revert to a previous version of Wear. As part of the upgrade to Wear 3:
- Your device resets to factory settings:
- Data stored on your watch is erased.
- Installed apps and their data are erased.
- System settings and preferences are erased.
- Your watch is unpaired from your phone. Learn how to pair your watch with your phone.
- You'll need to uninstall the Wear OS by Google app from your paired phone.
- You'll need to install the new Wear 3 companion app. For app availability, check with your manufacturer.
Important: Availability of some apps and features may change on Wear 3. For example, Google Assistant is only supported on the Samsung Galaxy Watch4 and Samsung Galaxy Watch5. A Wear 3 device doesn't support Google Wallet and Google Maps when paired to an iOS device.
To find out if your device is supported, check with your manufacturer. Your watch also notifies you when an update is ready and should install it automatically if you have automatic updates turned on.
Download system updates
System updates are automatic. But if a Wear OS update doesn’t install on its own, you'll need to download it yourself.
Download system updates directly
- If your watch screen is dim, tap it to wake up the watch.
- To open your list of apps, press the Power button.
- Tap Settings System About.
- Scroll down and tap System updates.
If an update is available, your watch will download it.
Manage your watch's automatic updates
- Make sure your watch is connected to Wi-Fi.
- On your watch, open the Play Store .
- From the top of your screen, swipe down and tap Settings .
- Turn Auto-update apps on or off.
Tip: To keep your apps up-to-date, stay signed in to your Google Account and keep your watch powered on when you charge it.
Download Wear OS updates
To get the latest Wear OS update, download it from the Play Store app on your watch.
- If your watch screen is dim, tap it to wake up the watch.
- To open your list of apps, press the Power button.
- Tap the Play Store app .
- If necessary, follow the instructions to connect to Wi-Fi and add a Google Account.
- From the top of your screen, swipe down and tap My Apps .
- If you see "Updates available," download the one you want, or tap Update all.
If you don’t see "Updates available," then your apps are all up-to-date.
Troubleshoot updates
If you have issues with updates on your device:
- Make sure your device is connected to Wi-Fi.
- Temporarily disable Bluetooth:
- If your screen is dim, tap it to wake up the watch.
- Swipe down from the top of the screen.
- Tap Settings Connectivity Bluetooth.
- Retry the update.