To change your Apple Watch wallpaper, you set a custom photo as your watch face, and there are two official ways to do it. You can use the Apple Watch app on your iPhone or the Photos app directly on the watch itself to select a personal photo as the background.
How to change Apple Watch wallpaper with your photos
Using the Apple Watch app on iPhone
- Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone.
- Tap the Face Gallery tab.
- Tap Photos, then choose a style.
- Select either Shuffle to use a library or collection, or choose Choose Photos and select up to 24 photos.
- Tap Add at the top to apply the face.
This method lets you pick multiple photos that rotate automatically, giving your watch a fresh look without repeating steps. For controlling which photos sync to your watch, go to My Watch > Photos in the Apple Watch app, where you can turn Photo Syncing on or off and select a specific album. Syncing too many photos will take up storage space on the Apple Watch.
Using the Photos app on Apple Watch
- Open the Photos app on your Apple Watch.
- Open an album such as Featured or Favorites.
- Open the photo you want to use.
- Tap the Share button.
- Tap Create Watch Face, then choose Photos.
This is the quickest way to set a single photo you already like without needing your iPhone. It is ideal when you see a picture on your wrist and want it as your wallpaper immediately. You can customize the color scheme of the Photos watch face during setup. Bonus method: from iPhone Photos app, tap Share on a photo, then Create Watch Face to set it directly.
How to switch between Apple Watch faces
- Show the current watch face on your Apple Watch.
- Touch and hold the display.
- Swipe left or right to browse through your available faces.
- Tap the face you want to use.
This gesture is the fastest way to change your wallpaper when you want a different built‑in face or another custom photo face. Unlike changing wallpapers and themes on phones, Apple Watch faces include complications and data layouts, so switching between them also changes the information you see at a glance.
How to delete a wallpaper from your Apple Watch
On the Apple Watch itself
- Touch and hold the current watch face.
- Swipe to the face you do not want.
- Swipe up on that face.
- Tap Remove.
Using the Apple Watch app on iPhone
- Tap the My Watch tab.
- Tap Edit next to My Faces.
- Tap the minus sign next to a face.
- Tap Remove.
Deleting old watch faces frees up storage on your Apple Watch and keeps your face list uncluttered, making it easier to find the wallpaper you want to use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a live photo as my Apple Watch wallpaper?
No, Apple does not support live photos as watch faces. Only still images from your photo library can be used with the Photos watch face.
Why can’t I see my custom album when choosing photos on the Apple Watch?
The album must first be synced to your watch. On your iPhone, open the Apple Watch app, go to My Watch > Photos, turn on Photo Syncing, and select the album you want to sync.
Will changing my Apple Watch wallpaper drain the battery faster?
Using a Photos watch face with multiple images set to shuffle may use slightly more battery than a static face, but the difference is minimal for most users during normal daily use.
Can I set a different wallpaper for the always‑on display versus the active display?
No, the Apple Watch uses the same watch face for both the always‑on display and when the wrist is raised. You cannot assign separate wallpapers for each state.
How many photos can I have in a shuffled watch face?
You can select up to 24 photos when creating a Photos watch face through the Apple Watch app on iPhone. The watch will rotate through them automatically.
