Whether or not you picked up a brand new Pixel Watch 3 throughout the current Black Friday/ Cyber Monday hullabaloo or are merely searching for ideas and tips along 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 way of our favourite options that Google itself would not absolutely clarify throughout setup.
None of those options shall be groundbreaking to anybody who’s fluent in Put on OS watch software program, nevertheless it’ll hopefully show helpful to have all of it listed out in a single place. That approach you will not neglect to arrange Emergency SOS, Watch Unlock, and different useful instruments along with your new watch!
Change up your watch faces
As all the time with Put on OS, you faucet and maintain your principal watch display screen 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 totally different watch faces put in. Within the Pixel Watch companion app, you will see a Watch faces choice straight underneath the watch icon, the place you will see extra choices (about 25 differing kinds in whole, every with totally different “flavors”). My favourite is one tied to Google Images, the place you decide as much as 30 pictures and might 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 possibly can’t add them from Facer anymore. For the few suitable third-party choices, open the Play Retailer in your telephone, faucet Search, choose Watch apps underneath “Discover apps,” choose Pixel Watch 3 underneath “Your gadgets” on the high, and eventually faucet Watch faces. You will 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 limitless 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 underneath Settings, then faucet Mute notifications from telephone so I am not buzzed in two locations if I am presently utilizing my telephone. I additionally wish to Mute telephone calls whereas sporting my watch, since I do know I will be buzzed on my wrist anyhow.
Most significantly, I faucet Watch apps and disable any notifications from apps I do know I do not care about seeing urgently, understanding that I can verify my notification feed on my telephone later.
One factor I want Android and Put on OS supplied was a option to disable a number of notifications from the identical supply in fast succession, like when a bunch 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 would 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 should you’re equally bothered by back-to-back buzzes.
Lastly, keep in mind each night time to swipe down from the watch face and faucet the Crescent Moon icon to activate Bedtime Mode, which filters all calls and notifications aside from starred callers and alarms. By default, the Pixel Watch 3 has Auto-Bedtime mode enabled based mostly in your sleep zones and coronary heart price, and syncs along with your Pixel telephone’s DND settings — although not different telephone manufacturers like Samsung, frustratingly. Both approach, the show will nonetheless blind you should you 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, nevertheless it’s nonetheless value mentioning. Swipe down from the primary watch face view, faucet the Cog icon, and spend 5 minutes operating by way of the choices, enabling or adjusting issues as wanted. Listed below are my particular Pixel Watch 3 settings suggestions:
- Show: Change the textual content measurement should you’re near-sighted; be certain Adaptive brightness is turned on; change the display screen timeout to 10 seconds however the Go to observe face to both 2 or 5 minutes so you do not have to navigate again to issues should you’re distracted and the display screen turns off; and flip off always-on display screen should you’re making an attempt to save lots of battery life.
- Sound: I go away hold forth for calls and notifications in favor of vibrations, however you possibly can change the amount right here in order for you each.
- Vibration: Decrease the drive of the haptics if, for instance, you wish to be gently jostled awake by your alarm as an alternative of buzzed awake.
- Battery: Change Battery Saver to set off at the next or decrease share, relying in your priorities.
- Accessibility: Helpful options like TalkBack, shade 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.
Below Developer choices, you possibly can allow area of interest instruments like having your watch keep awake whereas charging in your desk, or to Drive 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 cut back the animation time when swapping between or opening apps, so that you just see data extra shortly.
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 residence or Pixel telephone, because of some new tips added with Put on OS 5.
In case you have a Nest Digital camera or Doorbell related along with your Google Dwelling account, you will obtain notifications in your wrist when movement is detected; tapping it’s going to ship you to the reside feed for that digital camera. In any other case, you possibly can faucet the Digital camera machine tile in Google Dwelling and choose a particular digital camera.
When you faucet the triple-line icon beneath the feed, you possibly can 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 possibly can double-tap the show to zoom in, then swipe left or proper to pan your view.
When it comes to different Google Dwelling 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 needed, choose the precise Dwelling and TV you wish to management; for most individuals, your one Google TV machine’s controls will grow to be seen by default. You’ll play/ pause, verify how a lot time is left, skip ahead or backward on a playlist, or change the amount. If you might want to choose choices on display screen, faucet the Distant button, which has a D-pad and choose button.
In any other case, every other Google Dwelling gadgets and automations like sensible mild routines or Nest Thermostat controls are controllable in your watch; that linked information will stroll you thru constructing a Google Dwelling ecosystem, should you’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 at the very least retailer offline maps for entire areas with the intention 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 suitable rectangular space, then Obtain it. It’s going to save to your telephone.
Subsequent, be 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, along 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’re taking off your look ahead to charging, however should you neglect your sample you will 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 wish to use, conform to sure phrases and situations, and await the financial institution to confirm your data. 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 digital camera to scan your card particulars, or else you possibly can enter them manually. Plus, you possibly can add a transit go to Pockets should you reside close to Puget Sound (ORCA), the SF Bay Space (Clipper/BART), Toronto (PRESTO), or D.C. (SmarTrip/Metro) and wish to faucet previous turnstiles along with your telephone in your pocket.
Sync your Pixel and Pixel Watch
Google gave the Watch 3 a number of Pixel-exclusive options rewarding those that purchase inside its household of gadgets. The primary is the brand new Recorder app: Anybody can file 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 crucial device is Name Screening, which is simply accessible to U.S.-based Pixel Watch house owners with a Pixel 6 telephone or later. In your cellular Telephone app, faucet the top-right ellipsis > Settings > Caller ID & spam and be sure you auto-filter spam calls and make caller ID accessible by default.
If you wish to prop your Pixel telephone to take a distant picture, the Digital camera app acts as a viewfinder in your Pixel telephone. With this view, you possibly can faucet the Digital camera or Video icon to modify the kind, 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 use your Pixel Watch 3 to unlock your close by Pixel telephone with UWB, as long as you could have a watch passcode arrange — and are okay with utilizing slightly additional watch battery life. Open the cellular Watch app and faucet Watch preferences > Safety > Watch Unlock, then enter your telephone PIN and hit Affirm on the following web page.
When you allow this, your telephone will unlock with any upward swipe or tapped notification on the lock display screen. 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 individuals dismiss the notifications of their preliminary unboxing pleasure after which neglect about it…till an emergency makes them remorse their short-sightedness.
We now have 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 might want to select upfront which contacts will obtain an emergency alert and make it possible for the Private Security watch device has entry to your location in order that emergency providers know the place to search out you. Look in your app drawer for the Private Security app, the place you possibly can select emergency contacts and arrange issues like Automobile Crash Detection or add your Medical Data for EMTs.
One other lesser-known characteristic you could wish to attempt is Security Test, which broadcasts your location to your emergency contacts should you do not verify in after a sure time interval. It is a helpful preventative measure if, say, you are going for a nighttime run.
Plus, should you bought your arms on the Pixel Watch 3 LTE, you mechanically 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 bettering Fitbit’s operating software program on the Pixel Watch 3. Utilizing your six-month free trial of Fitbit Premium, you will get day by day AI-generated run suggestions based mostly in your present health stage and coaching plan.
My how-to information for Fitbit run teaching goes into depth, however primarily you might want to open the Coach tab within the cellular Fitbit app and faucet the banner about personalised exercises. You will select whether or not you are a newbie, intermediate (repeatedly run 5Ks), or superior runner (run 10Ks, half marathons), then select a plan based mostly on whether or not you wish to enhance your Endurance, Tempo, or each (Balanced).
At that time, you will be given a day by day advice like “tempo run” or “dash intervals” which you could ship to your watch and comply with; the exercise could have you keep on with a particular coronary heart price zone, so it is much less about hitting a particular tempo and extra about working exhausting in your means stage.
When you’d fairly select your personal exercise tempo, you possibly can 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 possibly can create a operating interval based mostly on standards like distance, time, energy burned, or a “time trial” to complete X miles in Y minutes. You may as well set a goal to remain inside a sure tempo or HR vary, along with your watch buzzing your wrist should you stray exterior of the goal zone.
When you’re executed, 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 reserve it 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 suitable stack icon, then select the exercise from the listing.
Construct up your Fitbit Cardio Load
Fitbit Run Teaching is nice, nevertheless it would 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 bins at work or strolling round city that also elevate your coronary heart price.
You will get Cardio Load scores by default, showing in the primary Fitbit As we speak tab. However to get probably the most out of Cardio Load, you might want to put on your Pixel Watch 3 for sleep monitoring for 2 weeks. This may assist the watch determine your well being and sleep baseline to generate a Day by 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, based mostly in your previous exercises and health stage.
All of this to say, simply begin sleeping whereas sporting the Pixel Watch 3, and ultimately your day by day Morning Temporary will present screens just like the picture above with a goal load rating. Your AI-generated runs will take that Goal Load into consideration, however you can too 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 now have a information on one of the best 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 do not have 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 remember to purchase the suitable measurement; the 41mm and 45mm Pixel Watch 3 use totally 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 the whole lot the Pixel Watch 3 can do. Fitbit Premium has different perks like Peloton exercises, meditation guides, and video teaching that will get you understanding along with your Watch 3. You should use Tiles to take an ECG studying or comply with your Physique Responses (aka irritating moments) all through the day. And I did not even carry 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 shall be useful for you. Do not simply keep on with Google apps!
The Pixel Watch 3 is without doubt one of the finest Android watches accessible in the present day, thanks partly to its new Put on OS 5 tips. And I’ve little doubt it will get even smarter, since Google provides its watches three years of updates. Hopefully by the point Put on OS 6 arrives subsequent fall with the Pixel Watch 4, you will 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 among 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 Dwelling tips make the Watch 3 a handy controller in your whole sensible residence of gadgets, and Fitbit will assist you determine how a lot to work out on any given day with out overtraining.
