The quickest way to change your Apple Watch lock screen
You can change your Apple Watch lock screen directly on the watch itself using the watch face picker, or you can make the change from your iPhone using the Watch app. The watch method is faster if you are already wearing it — swipe left or right on your current watch face, tap the plus sign, choose a new face, and swipe right to set it as your lock screen. If you prefer to browse options on a larger screen, open the Watch app on your iPhone, go to the Clock tab, and select a new face there.
The lock screen and the watch face are the same thing on Apple Watch — there is no separate lock screen image like on an iPhone. Whatever watch face you choose becomes what appears when you wake your watch or look at it throughout the day.
Key Takeaways
- You change your Apple Watch lock screen by selecting a different watch face, either on the watch itself or through the Watch app on your iPhone.
- On the watch, swipe left or right through your faces, tap the plus sign to see all available options, and swipe right on your choice to set it.
- In the Watch app on iPhone, tap the Clock tab, scroll to find a face you want, and tap it to make it your active lock screen.
- You can customize most watch faces by changing colors, complications (the small data displays), and other visual elements before setting them as your lock screen.
- If you do not see a watch face you want, check that your iPhone and Apple Watch are running the latest software versions.
Changing your lock screen on the Apple Watch itself
Start by swiping left or right on your current watch face to move through the faces you already have saved. Each swipe shows you a different face. When you reach the end, you will see a plus sign (+) — tap it to open the full gallery of available watch faces.
Scroll through the gallery by swiping up and down. Once you find a face you like, tap it to preview how it will look. The preview shows you the face in full color and lets you see any complications (small widgets showing time, weather, activity, or other data) that come with it. If you want to customize the colors or complications before setting it, tap the face again to enter edit mode. Swipe left and right to adjust colors, and tap on any complication to change what data it displays.
When you are satisfied with how the face looks, swipe right on the preview to set it as your active lock screen. The watch returns to your home screen, and your new face is now active.
Changing your lock screen from the iPhone Watch app
Open the Watch app on your iPhone and tap the Clock tab at the bottom of the screen. You will see a list of watch faces organized by type — some are built-in faces like Modular, Chronograph, or Solar, and others may be faces from apps you have installed.
Scroll down to browse all available faces. Tap any face to see a larger preview and customization options. You can change the color by tapping the color swatches, adjust which complications appear by tapping on them, and preview how the face will look with your choices. Once you are happy with the design, tap the Set as Lock Screen button at the bottom of the screen. The change syncs to your watch within a few seconds.
Customizing your watch face before setting it
Most Apple Watch faces let you change the color scheme, the font style, and which complications appear. Complications are the small data windows on your face — they might show the weather, your activity rings, the date, a timer, or dozens of other pieces of information.
On the watch itself, tap a face in edit mode (after tapping it in the gallery) and swipe left and right to cycle through color options. Tap any complication to change what it displays — a long list of options appears, and you can scroll to pick what you want to see. Some faces let you add or remove complications entirely by tapping the plus or minus icons.
In the Watch app on iPhone, the process is the same: tap a face, adjust colors using the color swatches, and tap on each complication to choose what data it shows. The iPhone interface often shows more customization options at once, so it can be easier to design a face there if you want to fine-tune multiple elements.
Watch faces that come with your Apple Watch
Your Apple Watch includes several built-in faces that are always available. Common ones include Modular (a grid layout with multiple complications), Chronograph (a traditional watch style), Infograph (similar to Modular but with more options), Solar (shows a sun dial), and Meridian (a minimal design). Newer watch models may include additional faces like Playtime, Palette, or Wayfinder.
You also have access to faces from apps installed on your watch. If you install a third-party app that offers a watch face, it appears in the Clock tab of the Watch app and in the face gallery on your watch. Some apps like Maps, Stocks, or Fitness offer their own watch faces that display live data from those apps.
Troubleshooting when you cannot find a watch face
If you are looking for a specific watch face and cannot find it, check that both your iPhone and Apple Watch are running the latest software. Watch faces are sometimes added in new versions of watchOS. On your watch, go to Settings, then General, then Software Update. On your iPhone, go to Settings, then General, then Software Update to check for iPhone updates as well.
If a watch face you previously used has disappeared, it may have been removed in a software update. Apple occasionally retires older faces and replaces them with new ones. If you want to keep using an older face, do not update your watch software, but this means you will miss security updates and new features.
If the Watch app on your iPhone is not showing faces you expect to see, try closing the app completely and reopening it. If that does not work, restart your iPhone and your Apple Watch by holding the side button until the power-off slider appears, then sliding to power off.
Switching between multiple watch faces
You can save multiple watch faces on your Apple Watch and switch between them by swiping left and right on the watch face itself. This is useful if you want different faces for different situations — a straightforward face for workouts, a detailed one for work, or a minimal one for sleep mode.
To add more faces without removing the current one, swipe to the end of your face list (past all your saved faces) and tap the plus sign. Choose a new face and swipe right to add it to your collection. You can have as many faces as you want saved at once. To remove a face you no longer use, swipe to it, swipe left, and tap the trash icon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a photo as my Apple Watch lock screen?
No, Apple Watch does not support photo-based lock screens the way iPhones do. However, you can use the Photos watch face, which displays a rotating slideshow of images from your iPhone photo library. This gives you a similar effect — your lock screen will cycle through your photos throughout the day.
Will changing my lock screen affect my notifications or alarms?
No. The watch face is purely visual and does not change how notifications, alarms, or any other watch functions work. You will still receive all the same alerts and data no matter which face you choose.
Why do some watch faces look different on my watch than in the preview?
Some faces change their appearance based on the time of day or the weather. The Solar face, for example, looks different at sunrise, noon, and sunset. The preview in the Watch app shows one moment in time, so the actual face on your wrist may look slightly different depending on when you look at it.
Can I create a custom watch face from scratch?
You cannot create a completely custom face, but you can heavily customize any built-in face by changing colors and complications. If you want a face with a specific design, check the App Store on your iPhone — some third-party apps offer watch faces with unique styles that you can install and use.
What happens to my old watch face if I set a new lock screen?
Your old watch face is not deleted — it stays in your face collection and you can swipe back to it anytime. Setting a new lock screen just makes a different face active, but all your previous faces remain saved on the watch.