At Google I/O 2025, the tech giant officially introduced Wear OS 6 features, bringing a fresh Material 3 Expressive design, enhanced customization, and new developer tools. Based on Android 16, Wear OS 6 aims to create a more cohesive and dynamic smartwatch experience—especially for Pixel Watches.
Alongside the announcement, Google released the developer preview of Wear OS 6 for testing, providing a glimpse into the platform’s future. The company is aiming to create a more visually cohesive and customizable experience across smartwatches, particularly for its own Pixel Watch lineup.
A Fresh Look for Wearables
Wear OS 6 is getting a major design makeover. Google is introducing a new design reference platform that allows app tiles to adopt the default system font for visual consistency. A dynamic theming library enables apps and tiles to automatically match the watch face’s color scheme, ensuring a seamless look.
To further support the design revamp, developers will get access to updated design guidelines, including Figma files, allowing them to build apps that feel native to the new aesthetic.
Developer Tools Get a Boost
Google also launched new tools to help developers take full advantage of the redesigned platform. This includes:
- Wear Compose Material 3
- Wear ProtoLayout Libraries
These new libraries support extended color palettes, typography, and component shapes, helping create more dynamic and engaging app experiences.
Additionally, a new three-slot tile layout—with a title slot, a main content area, and a bottom slot—is being introduced to better suit circular watch displays. This design is optimized for consistency across different screen sizes.
Smarter Components for Smarter Watches
Wear OS 6 brings newly designed UI elements such as buttons, progress indicators, and scroll indicators, all tailored for circular interfaces. One standout feature is collapsing components, which can scale dynamically as users scroll through content, enhancing usability.
Watch Faces & Marketplaces
Users will gain new personalization options with support for animated transitions between ambient and interactive modes, as well as photo-based watch faces. Google is also enabling a new API for building watch face marketplaces, opening the door to more customization and monetization opportunities.
Upgrades for Wear OS 5.1 on Pixel
While Wear OS 6 is the future, Google isn’t leaving current users behind. The company announced that Wear OS 5.1 on Pixel Watches will receive the CredentialManager API, introducing passkey authentication for enhanced security. Media controls are also being improved, with options to fast-forward or rewind podcasts, plus enhanced menus for playlists, shuffle, like, and repeat.
