Smart & Connected Life > Smart Watches & Wearables How to Add Apps to a Galaxy Watch Shop the Play Store or Galaxy Store By Yoona Wagener Yoona Wagener Writer, Commerce Editor Bowling Green State University Yoona Wagener is a tech editor and writer. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on May 21, 2022 Reviewed by Ryan Perian Reviewed by Ryan Perian Western Governors University Ryan Perian is a certified IT specialist who holds numerous IT certifications and has 12+ years' experience working in the IT industry support and management positions. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Smart Watches & Wearables Eco Tech Electric Vehicles Working From Home Headphones & Ear Buds Smart Home Smart Watches & Wearables Travel Tech Connected Car Tech iPods & MP3 Players What to Know Watch4 models: From the Galaxy Wearable app, select Store > the app to download > Install or tap the Store icon on your watch.Galaxy Watch3 and Active2: Open Galaxy Wearable > tap Galaxy Store > select an app to download > Install.Older Galaxy models: Open Galaxy Wearable > select Discover > Find More in the Galaxy Store > Watch > select the app > Install. This article explains how to add apps to a Galaxy Watch. You may access the Google Play Store or Galaxy Store from the Galaxy Wearable app, depending on your Galaxy Watch model. You can also launch the store from the app menu on a Galaxy Watch. How Do I Add Apps to My Smartwatch? Add apps to your Galaxy smartwatch using the Galaxy Wearable companion app. These instructions and screenshots apply to a Galaxy Watch Active2 but largely resemble the process on newer and older Watch models. Scroll down on the app home screen and select Galaxy Store. Choose Store if you have a Watch4 model. On older Galaxy models, select Discover > Find more in the Galaxy Store > Watch. Use the search bar or select the hamburger menu > Apps > and choose a category to browse apps. To download a particular app, tap the search result > Install or the download icon (a downward arrow). Select Accept and Download to grant the app the necessary permissions. If you prefer to use your watch, browse and install apps from the Galaxy Store or Play Store from the Apps screen on your Galaxy Watch. Tap the appropriate store icon and tap Install on the app you want to download. How to Manage Apps on a Galaxy Watch Once you’ve downloaded apps on your device, the Galaxy Wearable app offers fast customization. From the Apps tile, set your preferences on app specifics, including: Rotary or list views.Custom or newest-first arrangement.App settings, if available.Hidden apps from the Manage apps screen. You can also uninstall apps in the Wearable app by tapping Apps > Manage apps > the trash can icon > Uninstall. How Do I Get Google Apps on My Samsung Galaxy Watch? If you have a Samsung Galaxy Watch4 or Watch4 Classic, you have easy access to Google apps such as Google Maps, which comes preinstalled. Unlike prior-generation models, the Watch4 runs on Wear OS Powered by Samsung. This new ecosystem combines the Tizen OS and Wear OS operating systems. If you have a Tizen OS Galaxy Watch, you might find luck with helper apps from the Galaxy Store that allow you to use Google services. One example is G-Voice Assistant, which enables you to use Google Assistant instead of Bixby. Instead of accessing the Galaxy Store, the Watch4 operates exclusively with the Play Store. To search the Google Play store and add Google Apps, tap Store in the Galaxy Wearable app or open the Play Store directly on your watch. Some apps in the Google Play Store present the option to download directly to your phone and your watch at the same time when the two are connected. Look for a drop-down arrow on apps in the Play Store that have a Galaxy Watch counterpart. Can You Add Facebook to a Samsung Watch? While there’s no official Facebook app for Samsung Galaxy watches, you could sideload the app. If you prefer a workaround, you could enable Facebook Messenger notifications on your Galaxy Watch so you'll never miss a beat. To do so, make sure you have the latest version of both the Messenger and Galaxy Wearable apps. Tap Watch settings > Notifications. Move the toggle to the On position next to Notifications if it's disabled. Tap Apps to get notifications from > All > and move the toggle beside Messenger. How Do I Sideload Apps on My Galaxy Watch? If you’d like to sideload apps that aren’t available from the Galaxy Store or Play Store, you can enable developer mode and allow unknown app installations. Go to Settings > About Watch > Software on your Galaxy Watch. Tap Software version five times. You will see Developer mode turned on and a Developer Options section from Settings. Return to the About Watch settings and toggle debugging mode on if you haven’t already. In the Wearable app, select Watch settings > About Watch > Install unknown apps. FAQ How do I close apps on my Galaxy Watch? Press the Home button and tap the Recent apps icon (the overlapping circles). Press-and-hold the app and swipe up, or select the app and tap the Close (-) icon (depending on your model). To close all apps, tap Close all at the bottom of your Recent Apps. How do I delete apps on my Galaxy Watch? Press the Home button, tap Recent apps, then tap-and-hold the app. Tap Delete (-) in the pop-up menu, then tap Accept (✓). How do I rearrange the apps on my Galaxy Watch? Open the Galaxy Wearable app on your phone and go to the Home tab. Tap Apps > Reorder, then press-and-hold your apps to drag them to the desired location. When you're satisfied, tap Save. To display most recent apps first, tap App order > Most recent first. How do I update my Galaxy Watch? To update your Samsung Galaxy Watch, open the Galaxy Wearable app on your phone and go to the Home tab, then scroll down and tap About watch > Update watch software. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! 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