3 Ways to Install, Sideload, and Uninstall Apps on Samsung Galaxy Watch
After moving to Wear OS, the number of apps and sources to install the apps on theGalaxy Watchhas increased. As an added benefit, now you’re able to even sideload apps on Galaxy Watch. The process of installing apps is the same on Samsung Galaxy Watch 5, Watch 5 Pro, Watch 4, and Watch 4 Classic. Most methods will not work on older Samsung Watches as they run Tizen instead of Wear OS. That being said, here’s how you can install and uninstall apps on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 4 series.
Install Apps on the Samsung Galaxy Watch
Let me start with the obvious. You can install apps directly on your Watch with the help of the Google Play Store app.
1. Install Apps From Google Play Store on Galaxy Watch
1.On the home page of the Watch, scroll up to open the app drawer. Here you should find thePlay Storeapp, tap on it to open it.
2.Upon opening, Play Store already recommends you some featured apps, trending apps, and apps that are recommended for you. Scrolling down a bit, you should also see categories such as Health, Watch Faces, Media, etc.
3.You should also find thesearch iconat the top of the page to search for the specific app to install.
4.Once you find the app, open it and tap on theInstallbutton to install it. If you unsure, you can scroll down on the same page to check screenshots and reviews of the app before installing it.
It may take a couple of minutes to download and install the app on your Galaxy Watch. Once done, you should find the app in the app drawer that you’re able to access by scrolling up on your home page.
2. Install Apps From Google Play Store on Your Phone
While it’s good that you can install apps directly from the watch itself, there is no denying the fact that it’s hard to search and navigate on such a small display. If you feel the same, you can install the apps directly from your phone too.
1.First, open thePlay Storeapp and make sure that you have logged in with the same Google account that you are using on the Watch. If not, this method will not work.
2.Now selectAppsin the bottom bar, then open theCategorytab and select theWatch appsoption to find all the apps supported by Wear OS.
3.Also you can search for the app directly on the Play Store app on your phone. In the search results, tap onThis devicedrop-down at the top of the results and select theSamsung Watchthat you want to install the app on.
4.By selecting the Samsung Watch, it will start showing results of the apps that also work on your Watch. Just select any app that you want to install from the results page.
5.On the app page, tap on thedrop-downbeside the Install button. Now if you prefer to install it only on the watch, you can deselect theThis deviceoption and select only the watch. Once done with your preference, tap on theInstallbutton to install the app on all the selected devices including your Samsung Watch.
Now you can open the app drawer on your Samsung Galaxy Watch to find the installed app at the bottom. If you don’t find the app, connecting the watch to Wi-Fi will install the app from the internet. Anyhow, there is one small downside to this method. If the app is only available on the watch and not on the phone, you cannot install that app from your phone. For such apps, you have to rely on the Watch itself.
3. Sideload Apps on the Samsung Galaxy Watch
Just like on the Android phone, now you also have the option to sideload apps and install APKs on Wear OS. APK is the file extension for Android like exe is for Windows. They don’t even have to be WearOS-specific apps, you may install any APK that is meant for Android phones directly on the Galaxy Watch. Anyhow, Galaxy watches don’t come with specs that can handle apps that are designed for phones. Nonetheless, you can install lite apps such as Google Translate, Calendar, Instagram lite, etc.
1.First download the APK file of the Watch app fromAPK Mirroron your Android phone. We will install this APK file on your Galaxy Watch by using the following steps. Also, ensure both your phone and the watch are on the same Wi-Fi network.
2.Now on your watch, swipe up and open the app drawer, here select theSettingsapp to open it.
3.In the Settings app, scroll down to the bottom and open theAbout watchoption.
4.Now scroll down and select theSoftware infoand tap on theSoftware versionoption 7 times to enable Developer options on your Galaxy Watch.
5.Once enabled, get back to the Settings main page and select theDeveloper optionsat the bottom of the page.
6.In Developer options, scroll down and enableADB Debuggingand confirm it to enable.
7.Once done, scroll down and also enableDebug over the W-iFioption. Wait for a few seconds and it will show you an IP address. Note the IP address.
8.Now open your phone and install theEasy Fire Tools appfrom the Play Store. Normally this is used to install apps on the Fire TV, but you’re able to do it for the Galaxy Watch too.
9.Open the app, tap onAgreeand tap on thehamburger menuat the top left corner. In the sidebar, tap on theSettingsoption to open app settings.
10.Then select theIP Addressoption. Here change the IP address to the IP address that you have noted from the Galaxy Watch. Once done, tap onOK.
11.Now get back to the app’s home page and tap on thePlug iconat the top right corner.
12.Now confirm the authorization on Watch by selectingOK.
13.Once done, then confirm the authorization on phone by selectingContinue.
14.Once done, the plug icon should turn green. If you like to install any app that you have already installed on your phone. Just select the app under the Installed Apps section. Then selectYesto install it on your watch.
15.To install the APK you have downloaded, select theCustom APK Filetab at the top. In the tab, tap on theSelect filebutton and select the APK file you have downloaded.
16.Once selected, tap on theInstallbutton and then tap on theYesoption in the pop-up to confirm the installation.
The process can take a couple of minutes for the file to be transferred and installed on the Watch. Up until then, do not turn off Wi-Fi, ADB Debugging, Debug over Wi-Fi, etc. Once done, you should find the app in the app drawer.
Uninstall Apps on Samsung Galaxy Watch
Just like installing, there are also multiple ways to uninstall apps on the Galaxy Watch. But the process of uninstalling is easy comparatively. Just remember that you cannot uninstall most of the system apps provided by Samsung.
1. Uninstall Apps From the App Drawer on Galaxy Watch
On the homepage of your Galaxy Watch, scroll up to open the app drawer to find installed apps. here you may long press on the app to get a pop-up menu with shortcuts. You should find theuninstalloption, tap on it. On the next page, tap onOKto uninstall the app from the Watch.
2. Uninstall Apps From Play Store App on Galaxy Watch
For the most part, you may rely on the first method to uninstall any app. But a few apps can’t be uninstalled from the app drawer like Gboard. To uninstall such apps, open thePlay Storeon your Galaxy Watch. Now scroll down to the bottom and select theManage appsoption.
On this page, you should find all the installed apps on your Watch. Just select the app that you want to install. On the app’s page, tap onUninstallbutton to uninstall the app immediately.
3. Uninstall Apps From Samsung Wearable App on Your Phone
You should have already connected your Watch to your phone with the help of the Galaxy Wearable app. Now you can use the same app to uninstall apps on your Watch directly from your phone. That way, you don’t have to uninstall apps from the small display of your watch.
1.Open theGalaxy Wearable appon your phone and select theWatch settingsoption. In the Watch settings, select the Apps option.
2.Now you should see all installed apps on your Galaxy watch. Select the app that you want to uninstall and tap on theUninstallbutton at the bottom. Now again tap onUninstalloption in the pop-up to confirm the uninstallation.
The changes take place on your watch when you connect the watch to the internet.
So, What Are the Best Apps to Install
As you may now install apps from the Play Store and also sideload your favorite Android apps onto the Galaxy Watch, you have a lot of options to choose from. We have already suggested some of thebest Wear OS apps, and all of them work great on the Galaxy Watch too. Normally many open-source apps will not be available on the Play Store, you can try theseopen-source appsby sideloading them. Most of them are lightweight which makes them perfect for the watch.
Ravi Teja KNTS
Tech writer with over 4 years of experience at TechWiser, where he has authored more than 700 articles on AI, Google apps, Chrome OS, Discord, and Android. His journey started with a passion for discussing technology and helping others in online forums, which naturally grew into a career in tech journalism. Ravi’s writing focuses on simplifying technology, making it accessible and jargon-free for readers. When he’s not breaking down the latest tech, he’s often immersed in a classic film – a true cinephile at heart.
