I have automations set up to change my watch face to an analogue face at sunset (looks better and is less distracting at home/out at dinner) and then back again an hour before sunrise as well as different faces attached to different focuses.

I’m just wondering how other people choose to automate their watch face changes?

  • mattcain1980@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    11 months ago

    I use focus mode for that. I run media for my church so at a specific timeframe on Wednesday and Sundays my watch switches to a modular duo face with reminders that I need.

  • kandaq@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    11 months ago

    I’m still using S4 but soon to get S9. My plan is to automate AOD by geofence. Eg, AOD should only be enabled when I’m away from home. Maybe I’ll pair that with a matching watch face.

  • squadfi@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    11 months ago

    I use automation for turning lights on off music and white noise for sleep and battery life. Focus of change my iphone and watch background/ face , pages widget etc

  • paulypies@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    11 months ago

    I do. I don’t change my watch face all that much and my Series 5 was showing some burn-in within 2 years. I changed it up and have made two versions of the world time watch face that inverts the brighter elements with darker ones. One for daytime and the other for night time. It also switches the complications around. No idea if it’ll work but here’s hoping.

    I let my partner know to be wary of it as she uses the same basic photo watch face, so she set up different faces for each day of the week which she seems really happy with. She has various themed albums of nice designs and the clock element changes position each day.

  • debhanr@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    11 months ago

    At bedtime, I use automations to pick a random watch face from my collection, it’s just fun to be able to use them all and to be surprised with which one pops up. If I’m not in the mood for it I can swap manually, but that’s rare. I found the automation instructions here: https://www.reddit.com/r/AppleWatch/s/6QNc4ScVB9

  • 7heblackwolf@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    11 months ago

    Mind to share your formula? I don’t use shortcuts, but I want to try this. Thanks in advance

    • catpirates@alien.topOPBEnglish
      1·
      11 months ago

      I’m assuming you mean for the sunset watch face?

      go to automations

      time of day (sunset, daily, run immediately)

      new blank automation

      add set watch face, set to an analogue face you like

      add set silent mode, make it turn on

      hit done

      then again, automations

      time of day (2 hours before sunrise, daily, run immediately)

      new blank automation

      add set watch face, select your day time face

      add set silent mode, turn silent mode off

    • wwhite74@alien.topBEnglish
      0·
      11 months ago

      Go into the shortcuts app on the phone, create an automation, in the actions section search for watch, and one of the options is change face.

      You can also do things with like cinema mode, set waterlock, or turn always on display on/off

      Since it’s automation, you can trigger by time, place, a certain app is launched on phone, a certain wifi is joined, a focus mode is set and a few others.

      Actually just looked, don’t see the watch item when making an automation, but it is in shortcuts, so you’ll need to make a shortcut that controls the watch, and then call that shortcut with an automation. It used to be available in automations, I have some made that way that still work, so it might be a bug and come back at some point.

      • sammy-a123@alien.topBEnglish
        1·
        11 months ago

        Thank you, managed to do it. I haven’t ever opened the shortcut app so this will keep me entertained for a while.

    • YEETMANdaMAN@alien.topBEnglish
      0·
      11 months ago

      Another method I use that is much more relevant to me is focus mode watch faces. If you don’t already use focus mode it’s just slightly intimidating, but super worth it. Lets me display only the specific apps I need when I’m doing things like work or school, working out etc… makes more sense to set watch face this way than by time of day

      • catpirates@alien.topOPBEnglish
        1·
        11 months ago

        focuses are fine, I use them too for work, gym and sleep but the sunset/sunrise can’t be attached to a focus and I don’t like the icon there when I am home/doing my weekend errands.

  • mehgcap@alien.topBEnglish
    0·
    11 months ago

    I would love to, but I can’t come up with good triggers. I almost never use my watch screen while in bed, so tying to a sleep focus doesn’t help. I can use a face while at home and one when I leave (I work from home), but I leave for various reasons. A face with complications for traveling is different from a face I might want at the store or when visiting someone. I have to give it more thought. Or rather, I have to just set something up, then tweak it until I’m happy with it.

    • catpirates@alien.topOPBEnglish
      1·
      11 months ago

      new automation

      daily at sunset

      then new blank automation

      then search watch for what you want