Change your Fitbit watch face through the Fitbit app or on the device itself

You can swap your Fitbit watch face in two ways: directly on your watch using the side button, or through the Fitbit app on your phone. The on-device method takes 30 seconds and works offline. The app method gives you access to more watch faces, including custom designs and paid options, but requires your phone nearby. Both methods sync automatically once your watch reconnects to your phone.

The watch face you choose stays until you change it again — there is no time limit or expiration. You can switch as often as you like, and your activity data and settings remain the same no matter which face you pick.

Key Takeaways

  • Press and hold the side button on your Fitbit watch to cycle through available watch faces, then tap to select one.
  • The Fitbit app on your phone shows more watch face options than your watch displays, including paid and custom designs.
  • Watch faces sync between your device and the app automatically once your watch connects to your phone again.
  • Some watch faces use more battery than others — analog faces and those with constant animations drain faster than straightforward digital displays.
  • If a watch face stops appearing after an update, uninstall and reinstall the Fitbit app to restore it.

Change your watch face directly on the device

Press and hold the side button (the one on the right edge of your watch) for about two seconds. Your current watch face will shrink and show a left and right arrow on either side. Tap the right arrow to move forward through available faces, or the left arrow to go backward. Stop when you see the face you want.

Once you have found the face you like, tap it in the center. The watch will confirm the change with a brief animation, and your new face is now active. This method works even if your watch is not connected to your phone, and the change will sync the next time your watch connects to the Fitbit app.

Your watch typically comes with 5 to 10 pre-loaded watch faces depending on your model. If you want more options, you will need to use the Fitbit app on your phone.

Add and change watch faces through the Fitbit app

Open the Fitbit app on your phone and tap the profile icon in the bottom right corner. Select your device name from the list. Scroll down and tap "Clock Faces" or "Watch Faces" (the exact name varies by Fitbit model). You will see all available faces organized by category: Featured, My Favorites, Free, and Paid.

Tap any face to preview it on your watch. If you like it, tap the checkmark or "Set as Active" button. The app will send the face to your watch within a few seconds if your watch is nearby and connected. If your watch is not connected right now, the face will read the next time it syncs with your phone.

Some watch faces are free, and others cost between $0.99 and $2.99. You can browse and preview paid faces before buying. Once you purchase a face, it stays on your account and syncs to any new Fitbit device you pair in the future.

Understand battery impact of different watch faces

Not all watch faces drain your battery at the same rate. Digital faces with static numbers use the least power. Analog faces with moving hands use more. Faces with constant animations, weather updates, or color displays drain battery fastest — sometimes by 10 to 15 percent per day compared to a straightforward digital face.

If your Fitbit is not lasting a full day, try switching to a simpler watch face as a test. Solid-color backgrounds also use less power than gradient or photo backgrounds. Check your battery percentage in the Fitbit app under your device settings to track the difference after you switch.

Troubleshoot a missing or broken watch face

If a watch face you previously used has disappeared, or if a face you downloaded is not showing up on your device, the issue is usually a sync problem. First, make sure your watch is connected to your phone — check the Fitbit app to confirm the connection status. Then force a sync by opening the app and pulling down from the top of the screen.

If the face still does not appear after syncing, uninstall the Fitbit app completely, restart your phone, and reinstall the app from the App Store or Google Play. This clears any corrupted data without affecting your activity history or settings. Once you log back in, the watch face should reappear.

If you deleted a watch face by accident and cannot find it in the app, search for it by name in the "Clock Faces" section. If it was a paid face, you will not be charged again — your purchase is tied to your account.

Know which Fitbit models support custom and premium watch faces

Fitbit Sense, Sense 2, Versa 3, Versa 4, and Ionic support the full range of watch faces including paid and custom designs. Fitbit Charge 5 and Charge 6 support a smaller selection of faces but still offer dozens of free options. Fitbit Inspire and Inspire 3 have the most limited selection — usually 10 to 15 faces — and do not support paid faces.

You can check which faces are available for your specific model by opening the Fitbit app, going to Clock Faces, and looking at what appears. If you own an older Fitbit model and want more face options, the newer Sense and Versa lines offer significantly more variety.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a photo from my phone as a Fitbit watch face?

No, Fitbit does not support custom photo uploads as watch faces. However, some third-party watch faces include photo-style designs or patterns that mimic that look. Search the Clock Faces section for "photo" or "custom" to see what is available for your model.

Will changing my watch face erase my activity data?

No. Your steps, heart rate, sleep data, and all other activity information stay on your watch and in the app no matter how many times you change the face. The watch face is purely visual and does not affect any of your data.

Why does my watch face look different on my wrist than in the preview?

The preview in the app shows the face at full brightness on a larger screen. On your wrist, the watch face may appear dimmer or slightly different in color depending on the lighting and your watch's brightness setting. Tap the brightness icon in the Fitbit app to adjust how bright your screen is.

Do I need to pay for watch faces every time I change them?

No. Once you purchase a paid watch face, it is yours permanently. You can switch to it and away from it as many times as you want without paying again. Your purchase is tied to your Fitbit account, not to a specific watch.

What happens to my watch face if I update the Fitbit app?

Your active watch face stays the same after an app update. However, some older watch faces may be removed from the app if they are no longer supported. If your face disappears, you can choose a different one from the available options, or reinstall the app to restore it.