Share Apple Watch faces

Learn how to share your Apple Watch face with a friend, and how to use watch faces that you receive from a friend or find online.

Two Apple Watches, one showing a text message conversation and the other showing Chronograph Pro Face

How to share a watch face from your Apple Watch

  1. Make sure that the watch face that you want to share is showing on your Apple Watch.

  2. Touch and hold the display, then tap the Share buttonNo alt supplied for Image.

    Apple Watch face showing the Share button
  3. Tap Add Contact, then select from the list of recipients. You can also use the buttons at the top of the screen to search for a contact using your voice, browse all your contacts, or type a phone number.

  4. Tap the name of the watch face, then specify for each complication whether you want to include the complication with or without data. You can also choose to exclude a complication when you share the watch face. The default is to share all complications with data, if available. Tap Done when you're finished.

  5. Tap Create Message if you want to add a note to the recipient. You can select a default message, or you can use the buttons at the top of the screen to add a message using voice dictation, Scribble, or emoji. Tap Done when you're finished.

  6. Tap Send.

To share a watch face with a friend, make sure that you both have Apple Watch Series 3 or later, or Apple Watch SE, using watchOS 7 or later.

Share a watch face from your iPhone

Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone. Select a watch face in the My Watch tab or the Face Gallery tab. Tap the Share buttonShare button, then choose how you want to share. You can send a watch face using Messages, Mail, AirDrop, or third-party apps.

iPhone Watch app showing the Share button on the watch face selection

Share a watch face online

You can also share a watch face on your website, blog, or social media accounts. Follow these steps to email the watch face to yourself, upload the watch face file, and share the link:

  1. Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone, then select the watch face that you want to share.

  2. Tap the Share buttonNo alt supplied for Image, then choose Mail.

  3. Email the watch face to yourself.

  4. Open the email message that you receive and find the attachment that ends in ".watchface" at the bottom of the message.

  5. Touch and hold the .watchface file, then tap Share.

  6. Tap Save to Files, select a location, then tap Save.

  7. Open the Files app and find the .watchface file that you saved.

  8. Touch and hold the .watchface file, then tap Share.

  9. Tap Add People.

  10. Tap Share Options, then tap "Anyone with the link" if you want anyone to be able to download the watch face.

  11. Tap the back arrow to go back. Swipe left on the sharing app icons, then tap Copy Link.

  12. Use the link that you copied to share the watch face online.

Alternatively, you can upload the .watchface file to your own web server, or create a sharing link using a third-party app.

Use a watch face that a friend shares with you

When someone shares an Apple Watch face with you, you receive a link in Messages, Mail, or another app.

On the iPhone that you use with your watch, tap the shared watch face link. When the Apple Watch app opens, tap Add to My Faces. The shared face is added to the My Faces section in the Apple Watch app, and appears on your Apple Watch when you select a watch face.

If you receive a watch face that includes a complication from a third-party app that you don't have, tap the price of the app or Get to download the app from the App Store. You can also tap Continue Without This App to get the watch face without the third-party complication.

Get shared watch faces online

You can use watch faces that others share on websites or social media.

Using your iPhone, tap the shared watch face link. An alert asks if you want to allow the download. Tap Allow to download the watch face and open it in the Apple Watch app. Then tap Add to My Faces.

If you tap a shared watch face link and you see a screen that shows the watch face name but doesn't ask if you want to download it, tap the Share buttonNo alt supplied for Image. Tap Watch to open it in the Apple Watch app, then tap Add to My Faces.

If you’re on another device

You might find a shared watch face link while using your iPad or Mac. In this case, you can tap or click the link to download the watch face file. Then use AirDrop or the Files app to send the file to your iPhone. Tap the file on your iPhone and choose to open it the Apple Watch app, then tap Add to My Faces.

Availability of certain watch faces varies by country or region and by Apple Watch model.

Information about products not manufactured by Apple, or independent websites not controlled or tested by Apple, is provided without recommendation or endorsement. Apple assumes no responsibility with regard to the selection, performance, or use of third-party websites or products. Apple makes no representations regarding third-party website accuracy or reliability. Contact the vendor for additional information.

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