Whether or not you picked up a brand new Pixel Watch 3 in the course of the current Black Friday/ Cyber Monday hullabaloo or are merely on the lookout for ideas 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 means of our favourite options that Google itself would not totally clarify throughout setup.
None of those options might 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 approach you will not neglect 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 predominant watch display to swap between default watch face choices. Faucet the pencil icon to vary the colours, format, problems, and boldness of the principle 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 possibility instantly below the watch icon, the place you will see extra choices (about 25 differing types in complete, every with totally different “flavors”). My favourite is one tied to Google Pictures, the place you decide as much as 30 pictures and might faucet between them by tapping the principle 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 suggests 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 prime, 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 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 wish to Mute telephone calls whereas sporting 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 verify my notification feed on my telephone later.
One factor I want Android and Put on OS supplied was a technique 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 would not have a Put on OS app, however its results trickle all the way down to the Pixel Watch 3, and it is definitely worth the small value for those who’re equally bothered by back-to-back buzzes.
Lastly, keep 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 charge, and syncs together with your Pixel telephone’s DND settings — although not different telephone manufacturers like Samsung, frustratingly. Both approach, the show will nonetheless blind you for those who transfer your arm in a darkish room earlier than you first go to sleep, so I flip it on manually.
Dive into the settings
This can be a little bit of a boring and apparent entry, however it’s nonetheless price mentioning. Swipe down from the principle watch face view, faucet the Cog icon, and spend 5 minutes operating by means of the choices, enabling or adjusting issues as wanted. Listed below are my particular Pixel Watch 3 settings suggestions:
- Show: Change the textual content dimension for those who’re near-sighted; be sure that 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 for those who’re distracted and the display turns off; and flip off always-on display for those who’re attempting to avoid wasting battery life.
- Sound: I go away hold forth for calls and notifications in favor of vibrations, however you possibly can change the quantity right here if you would like each.
- Vibration: Decrease the pressure of the haptics if, for instance, you need to be gently jostled awake by your alarm as an alternative 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, colour correction, or the choice to vibrate the present time can be found right here, for anybody with visible impairments.
- System: Other than checking for system updates and restarting or turning off the watch, this menu has a secret technique for turning on developer mode. Faucet About > Variations after which faucet the Construct quantity seven instances.
Underneath 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 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 manage your good dwelling or Pixel telephone, because of 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 will obtain notifications in your wrist when movement is detected; tapping it should ship you to the stay feed for that digicam. In any other case, you possibly can faucet the Digicam gadget tile in Google Residence and choose a particular digicam.
If you happen to 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.
By way of different Google Residence features, when 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 have to take away a tile to make room in case your carousel is full.
If vital, choose the particular Residence and TV you need to management; for most individuals, your one Google TV gadget’s controls will change into seen by default. You can play/ pause, verify how a lot time is left, skip ahead or backward on a playlist, or change the quantity. If it is advisable choose choices on display, faucet the Distant button, which has a D-pad and choose button.
In any other case, every other Google Residence gadgets and automations like good gentle routines or Nest Thermostat controls are controllable in your watch; that linked information will stroll you thru constructing a Google Residence ecosystem, for those who’re !
Obtain offline Google Maps
Some health watches can obtain particular GPX maps and programs to observe for exercises in areas with no sign. The Pixel Watch 3 is not a type of watches, however Google Maps can at the least retailer offline maps for complete areas as a way to seek for instructions in a pinch. It is a good suggestion to avoid wasting complete 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 cell Google Maps app, seek for a particular place, faucet the top-right ellipsis, after which obtain offline map. Scroll or pinch to pick the correct rectangular space, then Obtain it. It’s going to save to your telephone.
Subsequent, be sure that your Pixel Watch 3 is linked 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 need to enter it each time you’re taking off your look ahead to charging, however for those who neglect your sample you will need to reset the watch to manufacturing facility settings.
Double-tap the crown, then create a PIN if prompted. The app will then let you know to proceed in your synced telephone within the Watch app; assuming you have already got Google Pockets in your related account, you’ll merely have to enter the CVV for the cardboard you need to use, comply with sure phrases and circumstances, and look ahead 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 something.
If you have not used Pockets earlier than, the app will use your telephone digicam to scan your card particulars, or else you possibly can enter them manually. Plus, you possibly can add a transit cross to Pockets for those who stay 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 a couple of 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 instrument is Name Screening, which is just obtainable to U.S.-based Pixel Watch house owners with a Pixel 6 telephone or later. In your cell Cellphone app, faucet the top-right ellipsis > Settings > Caller ID & spam and ensure 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 possibly can faucet the Digicam or Video icon to change the kind, double-tap the principle view to swap between entrance and rear cameras, slide the magnification up and down, and faucet the triple-line icon to vary settings just like the Mode and Timer.
Lastly, you need to 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 a bit additional watch battery life. Open the cell Watch app and faucet Watch preferences > Safety > Watch Unlock, then enter your telephone PIN and hit Verify on the subsequent web page.
If you happen to 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 neglect about it…till an emergency makes them remorse their short-sightedness.
We’ve got step-by-step guides on organising emergency SOS and turning on fall detection on Pixel Watches, so I will not waste area recreating these steps right here.
The primary factor is that it is advisable select prematurely which contacts will obtain an emergency alert and make it possible for the Private Security watch instrument 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 possibly can select emergency contacts and arrange issues like Automotive Crash Detection or add your Medical Information for EMTs.
One other lesser-known function you could need to strive is Security Verify, which broadcasts your location to your emergency contacts for those who do not verify in after a sure time interval. This can be a helpful preventative measure if, say, you are going for a nighttime run.
Plus, for those who bought your palms on the Pixel Watch 3 LTE, you mechanically profit from Security Sign, which permits Emergency SOS, Fall Detection, and Security Verify to work even when your telephone is not round and you have not added it to a service. The default Google Fi connection will ship your disaster information 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 each day AI-generated run suggestions primarily based in your present health degree and coaching plan.
My how-to information for Fitbit run teaching goes into depth, however basically it is advisable open the Coach tab within the cell Fitbit app and faucet the banner about customized exercises. You will select whether or not you are a newbie, intermediate (recurrently 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 will be given a each day advice like “tempo run” or “dash intervals” that you may ship to your watch and observe; the exercise could have you keep on with a particular coronary heart charge zone, so it is much less about hitting a particular tempo and extra about working exhausting to your skill degree.
If you happen to’d slightly select your personal exercise tempo, you possibly can simply create your personal customized exercises. Within the cell Fitbit app, faucet the bottom-left + image, then construct a run after which the + signal subsequent to Intervals. You may create a operating interval primarily based 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, together with your watch buzzing your wrist for those who stray exterior of the goal zone.
When you’re carried out, 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’s going to be saved completely in your watch exercises. Merely begin a Run exercise, faucet the correct stack icon, then select the exercise from the listing.
Construct up your Fitbit Cardio Load
Fitbit Run Teaching is nice, however 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 degree for any kind of exercise, in addition to non-workout actions like lifting heavy bins at work or strolling round city that also elevate your coronary heart charge.
You will get Cardio Load scores by default, showing in the principle Fitbit At this time tab. However to get probably the most out of Cardio Load, it is advisable put on your Pixel Watch 3 for sleep monitoring for 2 weeks. It will assist the watch determine your well being and sleep baseline to generate a Each day Readiness rating, then provide you with a each day Goal Load for the quantity of cardio load you must attempt to hit that day, primarily based in your previous exercises and health degree.
All of this to say, simply begin sleeping whereas sporting the Pixel Watch 3, and ultimately your each 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 you may as well 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 many of the bands comparable with different watches will not work with it. We’ve got a information on the greatest 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 metallic).
Whichever you select, just remember to purchase the correct dimension; 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 every little thing the Pixel Watch 3 can do. Fitbit Premium has different perks like Peloton exercises, meditation guides, and video teaching that will get you understanding together with your Watch 3. You need to use Tiles to take an ECG studying or observe your Physique Responses (aka disturbing 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 prime menu, and take a look at the “prime free watch apps” to see what third-party choices might be useful for you. Do not simply keep on with Google apps!
The Pixel Watch 3 is among the greatest Android watches obtainable immediately, thanks partially to its new Put on OS 5 tips. And I’ve little question it’s going to 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 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 in all our employees’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 good dwelling of gadgets, and Fitbit will assist you determine how a lot to work out on any given day with out overtraining.
