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 Senior News Editor 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 March 7, 2021 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 Tap the Digital Crown, then tap the Apple Watch App Store icon. Use the Digital Crown or your finger to scroll featured apps.Tap a category to see more apps. Tap the Search box, Dictation, or Scribble to search for an app. Then, tap Done.Select an app to learn more about it. To download an app, tap Get or the price. Double-click the side button to install the app. 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 click the Digital Crown to view your apps. Tap 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 tap a category to see more apps. Use the Search box to find a specific app or to search by keyword. Tap Dictation to speak your search term and then tap Done when you're finished. Or, tap Scribble to use the Apple Watch's handwriting recognition system to search. Tap Done when you've entered your search term. Tap 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. Tap Ratings & Reviews, Version History, Information, Supports, and Privacy Policy for more detailed information. To download an app, tap Get. For paid apps, tap the price. Double-click 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. Tap the app 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 Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Email Address Sign up There was an error. Please try again. You're in! Thanks for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. Thank you for signing up! Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit