Whether or not you picked up a brand new Pixel Watch 3 through the current Black Friday/ Cyber Monday hullabaloo or are merely in search of suggestions and tips together with your months-old watch, I am right here to assist.
Based mostly on my time reviewing the Pixel Watch 3 and different Put on OS watches, I’ve created this Google Pixel Watch 3 newbie’s information to run by our favourite options that Google itself does not totally clarify throughout setup.
None of those options will likely be groundbreaking to anybody who’s fluent in Put on OS watch software program, however it’ll hopefully show helpful to have all of it listed out in a single place. That means you will not overlook to arrange Emergency SOS, Watch Unlock, and different useful instruments together with your new watch!
Change up your watch faces
As at all times with Put on OS, you faucet and maintain your important watch display to swap between default watch face choices. Faucet the pencil icon to alter the colours, structure, problems, and boldness of the primary clock.
By default, the Pixel Watch 3 has 13 completely different watch faces put in. Within the Pixel Watch companion app, you may see a Watch faces choice instantly below the watch icon, the place you may see extra choices (about 25 differing kinds in whole, every with completely different “flavors”). My favourite is one tied to Google Images, the place you choose as much as 30 photographs and may faucet between them by tapping the primary watch face, swapping between them at your leisure.
Sadly, the Pixel Watch 3 cannot use any watch faces with out the XML Watch Face Format (WFF) — it is a Put on OS 5 restriction — which implies you cannot add them from Facer anymore. For the few appropriate third-party choices, open the Play Retailer in your telephone, faucet Search, choose Watch apps below “Discover apps,” choose Pixel Watch 3 below “Your gadgets” on the high, and eventually faucet Watch faces. You may see XML watch faces so that you can purchase and obtain to the Pixel Watch 3.
Filter your notifications
Nothing drives me crazier than getting an infinite buzz of unimportant notifications on my wrist. One of many first issues I did with my Pixel Watch 3 was open the Pixel Watch app on my telephone, faucet Notifications below Settings, then faucet Mute notifications from telephone so I am not buzzed in two locations if I am at the moment utilizing my telephone. I additionally prefer to Mute telephone calls whereas carrying my watch, since I do know I will be buzzed on my wrist in any case.
Most significantly, I faucet Watch apps and disable any notifications from apps I do know I do not care about seeing urgently, figuring out that I can test my notification feed on my telephone later.
One factor I want Android and Put on OS provided was a strategy to disable a number of notifications from the identical supply in fast succession, like when a gaggle Telegram chat buzzes my wrist thirty instances throughout a run. So I discovered the Buzzkill Notification Supervisor app so I can set a cooldown on repeat notifications inside a sure span. It does not have a Put on OS app, however its results trickle right down to the Pixel Watch 3, and it is well worth the small value if you happen to’re equally bothered by back-to-back buzzes.
Lastly, bear in mind each evening to swipe down from the watch face and faucet the Crescent Moon icon to activate Bedtime Mode, which filters all calls and notifications apart from starred callers and alarms. By default, the Pixel Watch 3 has Auto-Bedtime mode enabled primarily based in your sleep zones and coronary heart fee, and syncs together with your Pixel telephone’s DND settings — although not different telephone manufacturers like Samsung, frustratingly. Both means, the show will nonetheless blind you if you happen to transfer your arm in a darkish room earlier than you first go to sleep, so I flip it on manually.
Dive into the settings
It is a little bit of a boring and apparent entry, however it’s nonetheless value mentioning. Swipe down from the primary watch face view, faucet the Cog icon, and spend 5 minutes working by the choices, enabling or adjusting issues as wanted. Listed here are my particular Pixel Watch 3 settings suggestions:
- Show: Change the textual content dimension if you happen to’re near-sighted; make certain Adaptive brightness is turned on; change the display timeout to 10 seconds however the Go to look at face to both 2 or 5 minutes so you do not have to navigate again to issues if you happen to’re distracted and the display turns off; and flip off always-on display if you happen to’re making an attempt to save lots of battery life.
- Sound: I go away pontificate for calls and notifications in favor of vibrations, however you’ll be able to change the quantity right here if you need each.
- Vibration: Decrease the drive of the haptics if, for instance, you need to be gently jostled awake by your alarm as a substitute of buzzed awake.
- Battery: Change Battery Saver to set off at a better or decrease proportion, relying in your priorities.
- Accessibility: Helpful options like TalkBack, coloration correction, or the choice to vibrate the present time can be found right here, for anybody with visible impairments.
- System: Except for checking for system updates and restarting or turning off the watch, this menu has a secret methodology for turning on developer mode. Faucet About > Variations after which faucet the Construct quantity seven instances.
Beneath Developer choices, you’ll be able to allow area of interest instruments like having your watch keep awake whereas charging in your desk, or to Power full GNSS measurements to enhance location accuracy throughout exercises (theoretically). As I famous in my Galaxy Watch Extremely newbie’s information, many individuals use dev choices particularly to scale back the animation time when swapping between or opening apps, so that you just see info extra rapidly.
Management your Google gadgets
Relying on what different Google gadgets you personal, the Pixel Watch 3 can act as a hub to regulate your sensible dwelling or Pixel telephone, due to some new tips added with Put on OS 5.
In case you have a Nest Digicam or Doorbell related together with your Google Residence account, you may obtain notifications in your wrist when movement is detected; tapping it is going to ship you to the dwell feed for that digicam. In any other case, you’ll be able to faucet the Digicam machine tile in Google Residence and choose a particular digicam.
When you faucet the triple-line icon beneath the feed, you’ll be able to faucet a mic icon to allow 2-way discuss and communicate to whoever’s there, or the chat icon for Fast Responses like “We’ll be proper there.” On the feed itself, you’ll be able to double-tap the show to zoom in, then swipe left or proper to pan your view.
When it comes to different Google Residence features, if in case you have an Android TV or Google TV dongle in your account, faucet and maintain any tile in your Pixel Watch, press the + button, and add the TV tile to your carousel; you could must take away a tile to make room in case your carousel is full.
If essential, choose the precise Residence and TV you need to management; for most individuals, your one Google TV machine’s controls will develop into seen by default. You can play/ pause, test how a lot time is left, skip ahead or backward on a playlist, or change the quantity. If you’ll want to choose choices on display, faucet the Distant button, which has a D-pad and choose button.
In any other case, some other Google Residence gadgets and automations like sensible gentle routines or Nest Thermostat controls are controllable in your watch; that linked information will stroll you thru constructing a Google Residence ecosystem, if you happen to’re !
Obtain offline Google Maps
Some health watches can obtain particular GPX maps and programs to comply with for exercises in areas with no sign. The Pixel Watch 3 is not a kind of watches, however Google Maps can no less than retailer offline maps for entire areas so as to seek for instructions in a pinch. It is a good suggestion to save lots of entire areas like nationwide or regional parks the place the sign is poor, and to have these offline maps in your watch in case your telephone dies.
So as to add offline maps to your Pixel Watch 3, begin on the cellular Google Maps app, seek for a particular place, faucet the top-right ellipsis, after which obtain offline map. Scroll or pinch to pick out the appropriate rectangular space, then Obtain it. It will save to your telephone.
Subsequent, make certain your Pixel Watch 3 is related to WiFi, then place it on its charger. Google auto-syncs your offline maps out of your telephone to your watch, however solely when it is charging and on-network.
Arrange Google Pockets and transit passes
By default, double-tapping the Pixel Watch 3 crown pulls up Google Pockets, together with your default card able to be tapped for contactless funds. Setting it up is comparatively easy, however including Google Pockets playing cards will require a PIN or Sample for safety causes; you must solely must enter it each time you are taking off your look ahead to charging, however if you happen to overlook your sample you may must reset the watch to manufacturing unit settings.
Double-tap the crown, then create a PIN if prompted. The app will then inform you to proceed in your synced telephone within the Watch app; assuming you have already got Google Pockets in your related account, you’ll merely must enter the CVV for the cardboard you need to use, conform to sure phrases and circumstances, and look forward to the financial institution to confirm your info. Then a double crown faucet will prime the default card for cost with out having to pick out something.
If you have not used Pockets earlier than, the app will use your telephone digicam to scan your card particulars, or else you’ll be able to enter them manually. Plus, you’ll be able to add a transit cross to Pockets if you happen to dwell close to Puget Sound (ORCA), the SF Bay Space (Clipper/BART), Toronto (PRESTO), or D.C. (SmarTrip/Metro) and need to faucet previous turnstiles together with your telephone in your pocket.
Sync your Pixel and Pixel Watch
Google gave the Watch 3 just a few Pixel-exclusive options rewarding those that purchase inside its household of gadgets. The primary is the brand new Recorder app: Anybody can document issues on their wrist, however Pixel house owners could have their recordings auto-sync to their Pixel telephones, the place they’ll copy the AI transcripts as wanted.
Maybe an important device is Name Screening, which is just obtainable to U.S.-based Pixel Watch house owners with a Pixel 6 telephone or later. In your cellular Cellphone app, faucet the top-right ellipsis > Settings > Caller ID & spam and be sure you auto-filter spam calls and make caller ID obtainable by default.
If you wish to prop your Pixel telephone to take a distant photograph, the Digicam app acts as a viewfinder to your Pixel telephone. With this view, you’ll be able to faucet the Digicam or Video icon to modify the sort, double-tap the primary view to swap between entrance and rear cameras, slide the magnification up and down, and faucet the triple-line icon to alter settings just like the Mode and Timer.
Lastly, you should utilize your Pixel Watch 3 to unlock your close by Pixel telephone with UWB, as long as you may have a watch passcode arrange — and are okay with utilizing just a little additional watch battery life. Open the cellular Watch app and faucet Watch preferences > Safety > Watch Unlock, then enter your telephone PIN and hit Verify on the following web page.
When you allow this, your telephone will unlock with any upward swipe or tapped notification on the lock display. Your watch will get a phone-unlock notification any time you do that; faucet the notification to re-lock your telephone in case another person grabbed your telephone and unlocked it close by.
Activate Emergency SOS and fall detection
The Pixel Watch app prompts you to arrange Emergency SOS and fall detection within the Watch app after setup, however I think about loads of folks dismiss the notifications of their preliminary unboxing pleasure after which overlook about it…till an emergency makes them remorse their short-sightedness.
We have now step-by-step guides on organising emergency SOS and turning on fall detection on Pixel Watches, so I will not waste house recreating these steps right here.
The principle factor is that you’ll want to select upfront which contacts will obtain an emergency alert and be sure that the Private Security watch device has entry to your location in order that emergency companies know the place to search out you. Look in your app drawer for the Private Security app, the place you’ll be able to select emergency contacts and arrange issues like Automobile Crash Detection or add your Medical Information for EMTs.
One other lesser-known characteristic you could need to attempt is Security Test, which broadcasts your location to your emergency contacts if you happen to do not test in after a sure time interval. It is a helpful preventative measure if, say, you are going for a nighttime run.
Plus, if you happen to acquired your fingers on the Pixel Watch 3 LTE, you robotically profit from Security Sign, which permits Emergency SOS, Fall Detection, and Security Test to work even when your telephone is not round and you have not added it to a provider. The default Google Fi connection will ship your disaster data the place it must go.
Use Fitbit Run Teaching to get more healthy
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Google put main emphasis on enhancing Fitbit’s working software program on the Pixel Watch 3. Utilizing your six-month free trial of Fitbit Premium, you may get day by day AI-generated run suggestions primarily based in your present health stage and coaching plan.
My how-to information for Fitbit run teaching goes into depth, however basically you’ll want to open the Coach tab within the cellular Fitbit app and faucet the banner about customized exercises. You may select whether or not you are a newbie, intermediate (repeatedly run 5Ks), or superior runner (run 10Ks, half marathons), then select a plan primarily based on whether or not you need to enhance your Endurance, Tempo, or each (Balanced).
At that time, you may be given a day by day advice like “tempo run” or “dash intervals” that you would be able to ship to your watch and comply with; the exercise could have you follow a particular coronary heart fee zone, so it is much less about hitting a particular tempo and extra about working laborious to your capability stage.
When you’d relatively select your personal exercise tempo, you’ll be able to simply create your personal customized exercises. Within the cellular Fitbit app, faucet the bottom-left + image, then construct a run after which the + signal subsequent to Intervals. You’ll be able to create a working interval primarily based on standards like distance, time, energy burned, or a “time trial” to complete X miles in Y minutes. You can even set a goal to remain inside a sure tempo or HR vary, together with your watch buzzing your wrist if you happen to stray outdoors of the goal zone.
When you’re accomplished, faucet Save and begin on watch, and it will cue up the exercise you simply made and begin connecting to GPS. If you wish to create a exercise however put it aside for later, merely exit out of the app after exporting it; it will be saved completely in your watch exercises. Merely begin a Run exercise, faucet the appropriate stack icon, then select the exercise from the record.
Construct up your Fitbit Cardio Load
Fitbit Run Teaching is nice, however it does not assist non-runners construct exercises and it requires a Premium subscription. Fitbit Cardio Load is a free metric that scores your exercise stage for any sort of exercise, in addition to non-workout actions like lifting heavy containers at work or strolling round city that also elevate your coronary heart fee.
You may get Cardio Load scores by default, showing in the primary Fitbit At present tab. However to get essentially the most out of Cardio Load, you’ll want to put on your Pixel Watch 3 for sleep monitoring for 2 weeks. It will assist the watch work out your well being and sleep baseline to generate a Every day Readiness rating, then provide you with a day by day Goal Load for the quantity of cardio load you must attempt to hit that day, primarily based in your previous exercises and health stage.
All of this to say, simply begin sleeping whereas carrying the Pixel Watch 3, and ultimately your day by day Morning Temporary will present screens just like the photograph above with a goal load rating. Your AI-generated runs will take that Goal Load into consideration, however it’s also possible to take a look at previous exercises to see how a lot load you generate from a typical run or HIIT exercise, and design your exercise accordingly.
Purchase backup watch bands
Google makes use of a proprietary watch band system, so a lot of the bands comparable with different watches will not work with it. We have now a information on the finest Pixel Watch 3 bands that’ll boost your watch’s look or provide you with a extra snug band than the default Lively band.
Sadly, we haven’t got many good third-party choices as a result of Pixel Watch gross sales aren’t as excessive as Galaxy or Apple Watches. Nonetheless, we have discovered varied rugged, woven, metal, and solo loop choices that’ll provide you with some selection and will not value as a lot as Google’s first-party bands, that are wonderful however fairly costly (particularly for leather-based or steel).
Whichever you select, just be sure you purchase the appropriate dimension; the 41mm and 45mm Pixel Watch 3 use completely different band sizes, although your Pixel Watch 2 bands will carry over to the 41mm PW3.
Unpeel your Pixel Watch 3’s layers
I did not cowl every little thing the Pixel Watch 3 can do. Fitbit Premium has different perks like Peloton exercises, meditation guides, and video teaching which will get you figuring out together with your Watch 3. You should use Tiles to take an ECG studying or comply with your Physique Responses (aka tense moments) all through the day. And I did not even convey up Google Assistant, which you name by holding down the again button above the crown.
To not point out, you must open the Play Retailer in your telephone, faucet Different gadgets within the high menu, and take a look at the “high free watch apps” to see what third-party choices will likely be useful for you. Do not simply follow Google apps!
The Pixel Watch 3 is likely one of the finest Android watches obtainable in the present day, thanks partially to its new Put on OS 5 tips. And I’ve little doubt it will get even smarter, since Google offers its watches three years of updates. Hopefully by the point Put on OS 6 arrives subsequent fall with the Pixel Watch 4, you may have mastered what your Pixel Watch 3 has to supply.
Begin exploring
If you have not purchased your Pixel Watch 3 but, relaxation assured that it is one in all our workers’s favorites. We love its new 2,000-nit, 60Hz show that is available in two sizes for the primary time, plus its surprisingly competent 2-day battery life. Google Residence tips make the Watch 3 a handy controller to your total sensible dwelling of gadgets, and Fitbit will assist you determine how a lot to work out on any given day with out overtraining.