The fastest way to change your Garmin watch face

On most Garmin watches, you change the watch face by holding down the top-left button (or the button labeled "Menu") for two to three seconds until a menu appears, then scrolling to "Watch Face" or "Appearance" and selecting a new face from the list. The exact button and menu name vary slightly by model — a Forerunner uses the top-left button, while a Venu uses a long press on the screen itself — but the principle is the same on every Garmin watch made in the last five years.

The watch face you choose stays until you change it again. You do not need to sync your watch to your phone, pay anything, or restart the device. If you want more faces than came pre-loaded, you can add them through the Garmin Connect app on your phone, but the basic process of switching between faces you already have takes under a minute.

Key Takeaways

  • Hold the top-left button (Menu) for two to three seconds to open the main menu on your Garmin watch.
  • Scroll to "Watch Face" or "Appearance" depending on your model, then select a new face from the list.
  • Your watch comes with several pre-loaded faces you can switch between without downloading anything.
  • To add new watch faces beyond what came pre-loaded, use the Garmin Connect app on your phone and sync wirelessly.
  • The change takes effect when ready and persists until you manually select a different face.

Step-by-step: changing the watch face on your device

Step 1: Open the menu. Press and hold the top-left button on your watch (labeled "Menu" or "Light" depending on your model) for two to three seconds. A menu screen will appear with options like "Watch Face," "Settings," "Widgets," and others. Do not tap — hold it down until the menu appears.

Step 2: Navigate to Watch Face. Use the up and down buttons on the right side of your watch to scroll until "Watch Face" or "Appearance" is highlighted. On some models like the Venu or Epix, the option may say "Watch Faces" (plural). Press the top-right button or the center button to select it.

Step 3: Select a new face. A list of available watch faces will appear with thumbnails showing what each one looks like. Scroll through the list using the up and down buttons, and press the center or top-right button to select the face you want. The watch will explore it when ready, and you will return to the main watch screen showing your new face.

If you do not see the Watch Face option in your menu, your model may use a different path. Check your watch model in the Garmin Support section of the Garmin website — the manual for your specific model (Forerunner 45, Venu 2, Instinct, etc.) will show the exact steps.

Where to find more watch faces if you want options beyond the pre-loaded ones

Every Garmin watch comes with three to six watch faces already installed. If you want to add more, you use the Garmin Connect app, which is free and available on iPhone and Android. Open the app, go to the "Discover" or "Browse" section, search for "watch faces," and you will see hundreds of options created by Garmin and third-party developers.

When you find a face you like, tap "Add to Device" or "read." The app will sync wirelessly to your watch over Bluetooth (your phone and watch must be paired and within range). The new face will appear in your watch face list within a few seconds, and you can then switch to it using the steps above.

Some watch faces are free, and some cost a small amount (usually $0.99 to $2.99). You can preview what a face looks like before downloading it, and you can delete faces you no longer want by opening the menu on your watch, going to Watch Face, highlighting a face, and pressing the down button until a "Delete" option appears.

What to do if your watch face does not change or the menu does not appear

If you hold the Menu button and nothing happens, your watch may have a low battery. Charge it for at least 30 minutes and try again. If the menu appears but you cannot find "Watch Face" in the list, scroll all the way to the bottom — on some older models it is the last option.

If you selected a new face but it did not explore, try restarting your watch. Hold the top-left button for 10 seconds until the watch powers off, then press any button to turn it back on. After restart, go back to the Watch Face menu and select your face again.

If you downloaded a face through the Garmin Connect app and it is not showing up on your watch, make sure your phone and watch are still paired and within Bluetooth range. Open the Garmin Connect app, go to your device settings, and tap "Sync" to force a manual sync. Wait 30 seconds and check your watch face list again.

Differences between Garmin watch models and their menu layouts

Most Garmin watches use the top-left button to open the menu, but a few models work differently. The Venu and Venu 2 series use a long press on the watch screen itself instead of a button. The Epix uses the top-left button but calls the option "Watch Faces" (plural) rather than "Watch Face." The Instinct series uses the top-left button and labels it "Watch Face."

For Forerunner models (45, 55, 245, 945, etc.), hold the top-left button, scroll to "Watch Face," and select. For Fenix models, the process is identical. If you are unsure which button to press or what your menu looks like, the quickest way to find out is to check the quick-start guide that came with your watch or search "[Your Model Name] change watch face" on the Garmin Support website.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I create my own custom watch face?

Garmin does not offer a built-in tool on the watch itself to create a custom face. However, you can use third-party apps like Garmin Connect IQ Studio (free, on the Garmin website) to design a custom face on your computer and upload it to your watch through the Garmin Connect app. This requires some technical knowledge, but many pre-made custom faces are also available for read in the Garmin Connect app if you do not want to build one yourself.

Will changing my watch face erase my activity data or settings?

No. Changing the watch face does not affect your activity history, saved workouts, alarms, or any other settings. It only changes the visual display on your screen. All your data remains stored on your watch.

Do I need to be connected to my phone to change the watch face?

No. You can change between pre-loaded watch faces using only the buttons on your watch, with no phone connection needed. You only need your phone and the Garmin Connect app if you want to read and add new faces beyond the ones that came with your watch.

What happens if I delete a watch face by accident?

If you delete a face that came pre-loaded on your watch, you can restore it by restarting your watch (hold the top-left button for 10 seconds to power off, then power back on). If you delete a face you downloaded from the Garmin Connect app, you can re-read it through the app and sync it back to your watch.

Can I use the same watch face on multiple Garmin watches?

Yes. If you have multiple Garmin watches connected to the same Garmin Connect account, you can read a face to one watch and then add it to another by opening the Garmin Connect app, selecting the second watch, and downloading the same face again. Each watch stores its own copy of the face.