How I Created My First Android Watch Face in Jetpack Compose
Creating my first Android watch face felt scary at the beginning, but once I understood the basics of Wear OS and Jetpack Compose, it became a fun and rewarding experience. In this article, I’ll share my step‑by‑step journey, the mistakes I made, and how you can build your own custom watch face using modern Android tools.
This article is written in a real, beginner‑friendly tone, especially for students and developers who are new to Wear OS + Jetpack Compose.
Why I Chose Jetpack Compose for Watch Face
Earlier, watch faces were created using:
- XML layouts
- Canvas drawing
- Complicated services
With Jetpack Compose, everything becomes:
- Declarative ✨
- Less boilerplate
- Easier to maintain
Compose makes UI creation feel like writing normal Kotlin code, which is perfect for modern Android development.
What I Learned First
Before starting, I made sure I understood:
- Basics of Kotlin
- Jetpack Compose fundamentals
- What Wear OS is
- Difference between mobile apps and watch apps
💡 Tip: If you already know Compose for mobile, Wear OS Compose feels very familiar.
Step 1: Setting Up the Wear OS Project
In Android Studio:
- Click New Project
- Select Wear OS
- Choose Empty Compose Activity
- Select Minimum SDK: Wear OS API 30+
Android Studio automatically configures:
- Wear‑specific dependencies
- Compose for Wear OS
Step 2: Understanding Watch Face Architecture
A watch face mainly has:
Time (hours, minutes, seconds)
Date (optional)
Background design
Complications (battery, steps, weather)
My first goal was simple:
🕒 Show time beautifully with Compose
Step 3: Designing the UI with Compose
I started with a simple circular layout:
- Black background (battery‑friendly)
- Large digital time
- Subtle date text
Key Compose concepts I used:
- Box() for center alignment
- Text() for time display
- MaterialTheme for styling
Step 4: Getting the Current Time
Instead of hardcoding time, I learned how to:
- Use LocalTime
- Update UI every second
- Use LaunchedEffect and delay()
This helped me understand state management in Compose.
Step 5: Handling Always‑On Mode (AOD)
This was new for me.
In Always‑On Display:
- Animations should stop
- Colors should be minimal
- Brightness must be low
I learned:
- How Wear OS informs the app about ambient mode
- How to switch UI based on mode
This is very important for real‑world watch faces.
Step 6: Testing on Emulator & Real Device
I tested on:
- Wear OS Emulator
- Physical smartwatch
Issues I faced:
- Text too big 😅
- UI clipped on round screen
- Seconds not updating
Testing helped me fine‑tune padding, font sizes, and alignment.
Mistakes I Made (So You Don’t)
❌ Ignoring round screen safe area
❌ Using too many colors (battery drain)
❌ Forgetting Always‑On rules
❌ Not testing on real hardware
What I Learned from My First Watch Face
This project taught me:
- Wear OS is not mobile Android
- Compose simplifies complex UI
- Battery optimization matters
- Small UI changes make big differences
Most importantly, I gained confidence 💪
What’s Next?
After my first watch face, I plan to add:
- Battery complication
- Step counter
- Custom fonts
- User‑selectable themes
Source Code
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Output:
Final Thoughts
Creating my first Android watch face using Jetpack Compose was one of the best learning experiences in my Android journey.
If you are a student, beginner, or Android developer, I strongly recommend trying this once. Even a simple watch face teaches:
- UI design
- State management
- Real‑world constraints
🚀 Start simple, learn fast, and improve step by step.