My favorite thing about Samsung Galaxy Watches is the many options and customization features. It’s a stark contrast to the Pixel Watch. However, that does mean it takes a bit of effort to get everything working just right. Here’s where I start.
Turn on the screen when notifications arrive
Make notifications easily glanceable
The whole point of smartwatches is to make it easier to see stuff without pulling out your phone. A big part of that for me is taking action on notifications. Weirdly, Galaxy watches don’t turn on the screen when notifications come in. I always enable “Turn on screen when notifications received.”
When I feel my wrist vibrate, I’m going to want to see why right away. There’s no point in tapping the screen or waiting for the “raise to wake” gesture to kick in. It’s a little thing, but it makes the watch work how I want it to work. Go to Settings > Notifications > Advanced settings > Turn on screen when notifications received.
Make sure Bixby is locked away for good
Pick Google Assistant or Gemini, whatever your flavor
Bixby is not the default assistant on Galaxy Watches, but it is the default action when you long-press the home button. One of the very first things I always do is make sure Google’s assistant is in prime position.
In the past, I used Google Assistant—it still can be used on Wear OS—but I’ve been using Gemini as of late. Your Galaxy Watch will simply use whichever one you have enabled on your phone. Go to Settings > Buttons and gestures > Long press > Google Digital Assistant.
Related
12 apps for getting more out of your Galaxy Watch
These apps will make your smart watch genuinely smart.
Get notifications for new phone apps
I’d rather opt-out than opt-in
While some people may want as few notifications as possible, I worry about missing them. Wearing a smartwatch means I don’t pull out my phone as much, and I don’t want the nasty surprise of an important notification that I missed a few hours ago when I do.
By default, when you install a new app, watch notifications are not automatically enabled. In my opinion, it’s easier to turn off notifications after I’ve been annoyed by them than remember to turn on new ones. Go to Settings > Notifications > Advanced settings > Auto turn on watch notifications for new phone apps.
Change the default wallet app
And give it a shortcut while you’re at it
Samsung Wallet is better than Bixby, but it’s also not my cup of tea. There are two settings that I changed to make Google Wallet more easily accessible. First, I make sure Google Wallet is set as the default wallet app by going to Settings > Apps > Choose default apps > Wallet app > Google Wallet.
Next, to make launching Google Wallet at checkout super fast, I bind it to the Home Button double-press shortcut. By default, this gesture takes you to the most recent app. That’s not how I use smartwatches, so I’m happy to take it over for something more useful. Settings > Buttons and gestures > Double press.
Flip through notifications without touching
Pinch your fingers to dismiss notifications
Have I mentioned notifications are important to me? I also like to interact with the small screen on my Galaxy Watch as little as possible. Thankfully, there’s a perfect solution: gestures.
The “double-pinch” gesture (pinch your thumb and pointer finger twice) can be used for a variety of things depending on where you are. On the watch face, it opens the Now Bar, but if the Now Bar isn’t shown, it can cycle through notifications. And when I’m done, the “Shake” gesture takes me back Home. Find both at Settings > Buttons and gestures.
Sometimes, more options is a good thing
Ironically, my favorite thing about Galaxy Watches is what I don’t like about Galaxy phones. I find Samsung’s extra features on top of Wear OS to be genuinely useful, whereas One UI on phones feels like too much. With a few tweaks, I’ve got my Galaxy Watch working exactly how I want a smartwatch to work.
-
- Brand
-
Samsung
- Operating System
-
Wear OS
- CPU
-
Exynos W1000 (5 Core , 3nm)
- RAM
-
2GB
- Storage
-
32GB
- Dimensions
-
43.7 x 46.0 x 8.6t
Now thinner and more comfortable, the Galaxy Watch 8 adds new health-tracking features like sleep apnea detection and antioxidant readings.
-
- Brand
-
Samsung
- Operating System
-
Wear OS
- Display Size
-
1.34 inches
- CPU
-
Exynos W1000 (5 Core , 3nm)
- RAM
-
2GB
- Storage
-
64GB
The rotating bezel is back, offering satisfying control in a redesigned body. It’s a blend of old and new, though not everyone will love the Ultra-inspired look.