While all eyes might be on the shiny new Pixel Watch 4, Google hasn’t forgotten about its earlier smartwatches. Owners of the Pixel Watch 2 and Pixel Watch 3 are getting a nice surprise: the Wear OS 6 update is now ready to download. It’s time to give your Google watch a fresh coat of paint.
The biggest change in Wear OS 6, which builds on Android 16, is a new design style called Material 3 Expressive. This means that Pixel Watch models from 2023 and 2024 will now look more modern. Wear OS 6 brings a refreshed look, made especially for smartwatches with round screens. You’ll notice this new style clearly in how the software moves and how buttons are laid out.
Google has been slowly updating its main apps to this Material 3 Expressive design for a while. Now, with Wear OS 6, this new look comes to the whole system. You will see it in your notification area, quick settings, and when you unlock your screen. The Wear OS 6 update also adds Dynamic Themes to the Pixel Watch 2 and 3. Your watch will check the main colors of your watch face and use those colors throughout the system.
Google has rolled out the Wear OS 6 update for all versions of the Pixel Watch 2 and 3. This means the new software is available whether you have a Wi-Fi and Bluetooth model or one with cellular connectivity. If you want to check for the update yourself, just go to Settings, then System, and finally System Updates on your watch.
Keep in mind that these kinds of updates often take a few hours, or even days, to reach every compatible device. So, if your Pixel Watch 2 or 3 says it’s already updated but you don’t see the new software version, a little patience might be needed.
There’s a simple trick if you’re eager to get the latest software right away. You can manually force your Google smartwatch to update. Just tap the message “Your watch is up to date” several times. This easy action should prompt your watch to download the newest software version.
Google has also shared official images of Wear OS 6 running on the Pixel Watch 2, 3, and 4. The list of devices shows that the original Pixel Watch hasn’t received this new software update yet. We don’t know when it will be released for that model. This particular update is expected to be the last one for the first-generation Pixel Watch.