Today we are going to show you how to update a Wear OS smartwatch. Like our smartphones, our smartwatches also receive updates. Usually, they usually pop up in the form of a notification, but this notification does not always arrive when the update is available. We show you how to manually check for these Wear OS updates.
The platform has not been receiving too many new features. Everything changed with the recent alliance between Google and Samsung: Wear OS 3.0, the result of the union of this platform with Tizen, aims to become number one in the rivalry.
Wear OS updates
Given that the smartwatch connects to the phone, and that every watch with Wear OS needs to install the relevant application with that name, the updates that arrive go directly to the system (to the watch) or to the phone application (Wear OS). In addition, the smartwatch manufacturer can update the device from its app. Also, Google Play installed on the smartwatch offers its own updates. This means that any Wear OS devices receive updates through these four channels.
How to update a Wear OS smartwatch?
Normally when there’s a new update a warning pops up on the watch when there is a new update pending, but it is not always reported in time.
Therefore, it is a good idea to check manually if you have new versions:
- Go to your watch and go to settings (the cogwheel in the list of apps).
- Scroll down to “System”.
- Go to “Information”.
- Scroll down to “System Updates” and click there.
If there is an update your watch will invite you to download and install it. It is recommended that you have more than 50% battery.
Every watch with Wear OS has the Google Play store among its options. Apps can be installed from the smartwatch, it is also possible to update them.
If you want to check pending updates using Google Play, follow these steps:
- Go to the Google Play store on your watch (found in the list of apps).
- Scroll down to “My apps”.
- Click on “Update all” to have the watch download all pending changes.
By default, Google Play has the “Install apps automatically” option active (it’s inside the Google Play settings on the watch), but it doesn’t work as well as it should. It is a good idea to check manually.
You can always check the Google Play store on your phone to find out if the Wear OS app has new versions. And do the same with the app offered by your smartwatch brand.
