The new Samsung Galaxy Watch looks just like a real watch but packs a lot of features under the hood. It can play music, track your heart rate and steps, run games, show notifications, and tell the time. However, unlike Android’s Wear OS or Apple’s watchOS, Samsung’s Tizen OS doesn’t have many apps, to begin with. It was hard to find quality apps for Samsung Gear S3, Galaxy Watch and it still is the case with the Galaxy Watch Active. But fret not, we did the heavy lifting for you and found out some of the best Samsung Galaxy Watch apps you should try. Let’s begin.
How to Add Apps to Samsung Galaxy Watch?
Galaxy Watch apps are not available on the Google Play Store and can only be downloaded either directly through the Watch or the Galaxy Apps store. You can visit the Galaxy Apps Store on your Watch as well as the smartphone (using the Samsung Wearable app).
Best Galaxy Watch Apps
1. Facer
Facer is the best Watch Face app for Samsung Galaxy Watch, Gear S2 / S3. Setting a Watchface is easy, just install the Facer app from the link below (works on a mobile browser) and long-press the home screen to open the list of installed watch faces. This will bring up many watch faces that you can choose by swiping left or right. Once you find the one you like, tap on it to set it. Ranging from Star Trek to Garfield Navigator, you can find ’em all here.
Install Facer: Galaxy Watch (free)
2. Colorful Explosion
Colorful Explosion is a minimal Watch Face with colorful backgrounds. The particle explosion themed background blends really well with the white minute and hour hands. You can change the background by tapping the Watch Face once.
Install Colorful Explosion: Galaxy Watch (free)
3. Pujie Black
Just like WatchMaker and Facer, Pujie Black is a custom watch face maker app that allows you to set and create the most unique watch faces for your Galaxy Watch. Apart from features like watch face editor, custom presets, user-submitted library, etc., you can also add custom animations on your watch face, integrate Tasker, add calendar, import weather, and much more. However, the most interesting feature of this app is that you can have different animation styles for interactive and default state. The app is free but you’ll have to shell out $0.99 for the Android Watch.
Install Puji Black: Android, Galaxy Watch
4. Sleep as Android
Although the Galaxy Watch has native sleep tracking ability, it still lacks a few features that Sleep as Android offers. It does a pretty good job of tacking your sleep effortlessly. Sleep as Android offers smart alarms where you can set online radio, Spotify playlist, and custom songs as your alarm. You get a CAPTCHA to solve when you wake up if you’re a snooze sleeper. Making it one of the best Galaxy Watch apps is automatic snoring detection and recording feature. You listen to it in the morning and analyze the situation. You can read more about how to use the Galaxy Watch with Sleep as Android.
Install Sleep as Android: Galaxy Watch (free)
5. Camera Remote
You have to install the same app on your smartphone for this work. Once you do, you can control your smartphone camera and record videos without anyone knowing. This is different from selfie camera apps that allow you to take photos. We are talking about spying and recording videos. Turn your smartphone into a CCTV with live feeds on your wristwatch.
Install Camera Remote: Galaxy Watch ($3.99)
6. Gear voice Memo
Typing on Galaxy Watch is not very user-friendly and it would be counter-intuitive to use a traditional note-taking app. Gear Voice Memo takes advantage of the in-built mic on the Galaxy Watch and records notes for you. You can record an audio file of up to six minutes per note and transfer the recordings to the phone later on. The Text-to-Speech feature works but is not as polished as full-fledged transcription apps, so I won’t rely on it too much.
Install Gear Voice Memo: Galaxy Watch (free)
7. Spotify
The Spotify app for the Galaxy Watch makes your music streaming experience extremely fluid. You can use it either as a remote control for your Spotify mobile app or as a standalone app. The remote mode transforms your Galaxy Watch into a remote control. The standalone mode, thanks to Galaxy Watch’s internal Wi-Fi, works flawlessly and you can access all your playlists with just the tap of a button. What’s even better? You can connect a pair of Bluetooth headphones and use the Watch as a music player. Definitely worth making the best Galaxy Watch apps list.
There are, however, some features that are locked behind a subscription such as remote play on different devices, offline storage, and text controls.
Install Spotify Galaxy Watch (free)
8. Uber
You can now book rides on Uber with just your Galaxy Watch. The app works as a companion app to your smartphone. You have to authenticate your Watch once with Uber to use it to autonomously call a cab.
To do this, open the Uber app on the Galaxy Watch, set a pickup and drop location. It will prepare the route and give you the relevant info such as estimated time and the route.
Install Uber for Gear: Galaxy Watch (free)
9. Flipboard
Flipboard is a news aggregator that’s also available on the Galaxy Watch. It is specifically optimized for the Watch and offers a polished layout and a smooth interface. It doesn’t omit any data thanks to the round screen of the watch and scrolling is made easy with the rotating bezel.
Install News Briefing: Galaxy Watch (free)
10. NPR One
Started as a Radio app, NPR One has become a more personalized app with curated news stories, podcasts, and public radio. The Galaxy Watch version brings all the features to your wrist so you can discover and listen to your favorite shows with just a tap of a button.
To get the app up and running, you have to authenticate it by logging in on the NPR website using your smartphone. The app runs independently after that and you can enjoy news stories even without the phone.
Install NPR One Galaxy Watch (free)
11. Camera Remote Control
This paid app lets you take a picture or record video from your Galaxy watch using your smartphone’s camera. The watch acts as a viewfinder and remote control for your smartphone’s camera. You can set a timer, record a video, take a snapshot, zoom, and switch between the camera (front and rear). Camera Remote Control is particularly effective when you need to take a group photo and the camera is on a stand.
Install Camera Remote Control: Galaxy Watch ($2, 7 minutes free trial)
12. SmartThings
SmartThings is an IoT (Internet of Things) feature enabled by Samsung. With this app, you can control all the SmartThings devices in your House with the Galaxy Watch. You can check the status of the washing machine, set the temperature of the AC, switch on the TV, etc. It offers a seamless interface for SmartThings compatible devices in your home and you can use it to simplify your life.
Install SmartThings: Galaxy Watch (free)
13. Samsung Internet Browser
While it makes little sense to browse the internet on a watch but in case you need it, try the Samsung Internet browser. It works only if you have a Samsung Internet Browser installed on your smartphone. You can search for web pages by using the Google Voice Assistant or selecting one of the bookmarks. I wouldn’t say the experience is bad but you can’t really do much surfing on the tiny screen anyway. It is ideal if you want to quickly read up on a topic or watch a video.
Install Samsung Internet Browser: Galaxy Watch (free)
14. Stopwatch
The stopwatch is an official app from Samsung and it allows you to use it as a, well, Stopwatch. Considering the Galaxy Watch has so many features, the missing stopwatch was a surprise. You can download it from the Samsung Galaxy app store for free. It includes a basic lap timer and an elapsed time timer. You can record up to 99 elapsed times with it.
Install Stopwatch: Galaxy Watch (free)
15. Timer
Just like the Stopwatch, there is no timer app preinstalled on Galaxy Watch either. The official Timer app by Samsung is rather minimal. It shows hours, minutes, and seconds on the display and you can adjust the time by rotating the bezel. Once you start the timer, it keeps on running in the background even if you press the home button. You can pause the timer by opening the app and it will buzz when the time is up. The Timer app is free and you can get it on the Galaxy Apps Store, however, you may want custom timer apps for the Galaxy Watch.
Install Timer: Galaxy Watch (free)
16. Spirit Level Pro
The Galaxy Watch comes with a built-in accelerometer to track your movements. Spirit Level uses it as a digital leveler. The app simply collects the sensor data and maps the air bubble on the scale. You can use it to check the alignment of your DIY projects as it measures all three degrees of freedom which ensures your project is perfectly leveled.
Install Spirit Level Pro: Galaxy Watch (free)
17. Map My Run
Map My Run is a particularly useful app when you workout outdoors. You can pre-plan your routes when going for a run. It uses the built-in GPS to track duration, distance, pace, speed, and heart rate. Your data is automatically synced to the companion app on the phone, so you need not carry it everywhere. It allows you to edit your workouts, view detailed information, plot the run on the map, and create a chart. Map My Run is not only one of the best Galaxy Watch apps, but also wins points for the Android platform overall.
Install Map My Run: Galaxy Watch (free)
18. Speedometer
Speedometer for the Galaxy Watch uses the inbuilt GPS of the watch to calculate the speed. You can use it to calculate your speed while riding a bicycle, skateboard, or motorcycle. It also saves speed, duration, and distance of the journey.
Install Speedometer: Galaxy Watch (free)
19. Calculator
A calculator is the most important utility app of any smart device with a screen. The Calculator app takes care of your math problems by offering a basic calculator, you can use it to quickly calculate the tip or split the bill between friends without having to take out your phone. It is probably one of the simplest and best Galaxy Watch apps.
Install Calculator: Galaxy Watch (free)
20. PPT Controller
PPT controller lets you control a presentation with the Galaxy Watch and offers various tools to help you with the same. It connects via Bluetooth to your computer and you can start a slideshow, move forward and back, check the duration of the presentation, and control the cursor with the Watch. Additionally, you can use the bezel to control the flow of the presentation and set a time of interval for vibrational feedback.
Install PPT Controller: Galaxy Watch (free)
21. LED Scroller
LED Scroller is a simple app that displays text on your Watch like the good old LED bulletin boards. It kind of reminds me of the bands you get at concerts which sync to the theme of the party. You can simply enter a text, choose a color, and tap Start. The app displays the text on your Watch until you exit the app. You can rotate the bezels to adjust the speed and size of the text. A great ice breaker during parties or work as your digital Name tag. It is free on the Galaxy app store.
Install LED Scroller: Galaxy Watch (free)
22. Here WeGo
This app helps you navigate with your Galaxy Watch using the Watch’s GPS and Here maps. The app can store maps of nearly 100 countries on the app, and you can use it to navigate offline. Although, the fully interactive features do require an internet connection, you can still get around with ease without ever having to take out your phone. The map is optimized for the watch and you can use your voice to pick a location.
Install Here WeGo: Galaxy Watch (free)
23. Tic Tac Toe
A classic Galaxy Watch app. Tic Tac Toe is an oldschool classroom game and an easy way to kill boredom. The app brings the digital version to the Galaxy Watch. You can play in a3×3 or 5×5 grid, either against the computer or another player. The Computer Mode has three levels of difficulty and you can download it for free.
Install Tic Tac Toe: Galaxy Watch (free)
24. Monster Vampire
Monster Vampire is an arcade-style game in which you have to stop the bats from escaping by blocking their path by rotating the bezel. This ingenious use of bezels and solid graphics sold this game to me. It is free on the Galaxy app store and you can find more games like it here.
Install Monster Vampire: Galaxy Watch (free)
25. Bezel Reflex
The objective of the game is to keep the ball bouncing on the paddle. The challenging part is that the ball keeps changing colors and it gets pretty intense as the game moves forward. The game is available for free.
Install Bezel Reflex: Galaxy Watch (free)
26. Face or Cross
I can never find coins on me whenever we need one to flip. I know the app might sound like overkill but trust me, it comes in handy. It doesn’t take much space and does what a coin does, gives you a 50/50 chance. Simply rotate the bezel to flip the coin, that’s all it does and it’s free.
Install Face or Cross: Galaxy Watch (free)
27. Heart Rate Widget
The Galaxy Watch comes with a heart rate monitor preinstalled. You just need to add the widget to your home screen to monitor your pulse anytime you want. You can also set it to automatically do so at regular intervals or even continuously. The latter is more useful when you are working out or doing intense cardio.
Simply rotate the dial or bezel to the right to access the widget screen and select it from there.
28. GymRun Companion
MapMyRun will only track your runs or walks but what about gym workout and exercises? GymRun is a cool workout app that’s available on the Play Store. The GymRun Companion will connect to your smartphone and log all data back to the phone. You will never have to carry your phone around while working out now.
Install GymRun Companion: Galaxy Watch (Free)
Best Galaxy Watch Apps
Most of these apps are the best in their category and deserve a position in this list because of their usability. Camera Control offers a wireless trigger with the preview option, Here WeGo maps offer offline maps, and ppt controller lets you seamlessly connect deliver your presentations. Tells us which app do you like the best in the comments down below and while you’re at it, read our in-depth comparison of Apple Watch vs Galaxy Watch.
