Smart & Connected Life > Smart Watches & Wearables How to Use the Apple Watch App Store Download apps right from your wrist By Rob LeFebvre Rob LeFebvre Facebook Twitter Associate Editorial Director, News UCLA California State University, Northridge Rob LeFebvre is the Associate Editorial Director, News for Lifewire. He has been a technology writer for more than 12 years with articles appearing in 148Apps, Cult of Mac, Engadget, and more. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on November 25, 2022 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 Press Digital Crown > select Apple Watch App Store icon > look through apps on Watch screen.Choose category or select Search box, Dictation, or Scribble to browse. Select apps to learn more.To download: Select Get (or the app price for paid apps). Double-press side button to install. This article explains how to access the Apple Watch App Store on watches running watchOS 6 or later. You can view and download apps right from your wrist instead of having to use the iPhone as an intermediary. Lifewire / Rob LeFebvre How to Use the Apple Watch App Store If your Apple Watch isn't already running the latest watchOS version, you'll first need to use your iPhone to update your Apple Watch system software. Raise your wrist to activate your Apple Watch and press the Digital Crown to view your apps. Select the Apple Watch App Store icon to open the App Store. Use the Digital Crown or your finger to scroll through featured apps and curated lists, or select a category to see more apps. Use the Search box to find a specific app or to search by keyword. Select Dictation to speak your search term and then select Done when you're finished. Or, select Scribble to use the Apple Watch's handwriting recognition system to search. Select Done when you've entered your search term. Choose an app you want to learn more about. You'll see its icon, a Get button (or a paid app's price), a short description, its star rating, and preview images. Scroll down to see a longer About description, developer information, and an update log. Select Ratings & Reviews, Version History, Information, Supports, or Privacy Policy for more detailed information. To download the app, select Get. For paid apps, select the price. Double-press the side button to install the app. If prompted, enter your Apple ID and password. You'll see new your newly installed Apple Watch app on the Watch's app grid or list. Select the app icon to launch it. If you search for an app you've already downloaded on any of your devices, you'll see the "download from cloud" button familiar to iOS App Store users. While it's not quite as full-featured as the App Store on the iPhone, the Apple Watch App Store makes it easy and convenient to find apps for your wearable. How to View Apple Watch Activity on a Mac or MacBook FAQ How do I remove an app from my Apple Watch? To remove an app from your Apple Watch, double-press the Digital Crown and then press and hold the app icon until it begins to wiggle. Select the X to delete and Delete App to confirm. How do I close an app on my Apple Watch? To close an app from your Apple Watch, press the Digital Crown once and scroll through the active apps list with the Digital Crown or your finger. Find the app you want to close and swipe across the icon from right to left, then select the red X to close it. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit