Why Can’t You Create Custom Apple Watch Faces?

AI-created, human-reviewed.

One of the most discussed—and debated—topics among Apple Watch owners is why Apple still does not allow fully custom watch faces. On a recent episode of MacBreak Weekly, Leo Laporte, Alex Lindsay, Andy Ihnatko, and Jason Snell tackled this question head-on, analyzing Apple’s approach, offering possible reasons behind this restriction, and discussing what changes users might expect in the future.

What’s the Deal with Apple Watch Face Customization?

Despite the Apple Watch’s status as one of the world's most popular smartwatches, users are limited to the official Apple-designed faces, with only some options for basic tweaks like color, complications, and layout. The MacBreak Weekly hosts highlighted how, nearly 10 years after launch, Apple still doesn’t provide an official API for developers to create truly custom, third-party watch faces.

Most Apple Watch users can only swap between the faces Apple includes with each watchOS release—no uploading custom graphics, no third-party designs, and no replicas of luxury analog designs.

Why Is Apple Restricting Watch Face Customization?

The panel delved into several possible reasons for this limitation:

• Battery and Performance Concerns: Alex Lindsay and Jason Snell noted Apple’s cautious approach to battery life and smooth operation. Poorly optimized third-party faces could drain battery, degrade performance, or deliver a bad user experience.
• Brand and Visual Control: Andy Ihnatko pointed out Apple’s strong sense of design ethos and desire to control the look and feel of the Apple Watch. Allowing third-party faces would mean surrendering a key part of Apple's brand identity.
• Legal and Licensing Issues: The group discussed how Apple could be exposed to trademark and intellectual property issues if developers made imitations of famous luxury watches, causing legal headaches.
• Platform Maturity: Another angle, mentioned by Jason Snell, is that Apple may have simply chosen not to prioritize this feature amid bigger goals for the Watch's health, fitness, and ecosystem functions.

User Demand vs. Apple's Priorities

Despite heavy demand from the community, Apple continues to hold the line. Andy Ihnatko and Alex Lindsay both expressed personal frustration, wishing for the flexibility seen on competing platforms such as Google's Wear OS or the original Pebble smartwatch. Jason Snell highlighted that Apple could technically build a safe, controlled way for custom faces—such as through curated APIs and App Store approval—should they choose to prioritize it.

The hosts agreed that customization is about more than utility: for many, a watch is an extension of personality and style. In the analog world, watch collectors have countless options. On Apple Watch, those options are tightly limited.

What Could Change in the Future?

• Apple's Growing Audience: As Jason Snell observed, Apple has now sold watches to millions—including many who care about customization, style, and fashion. This could someday push Apple to reconsider its stance and create more varied models or new ways to personalize the Watch.
• Platform Expansion: The panel noted that as Apple Watch potentially diversifies with new models (for example, round faces or fitness bands), Apple might loosen control and allow more third-party input to compete with rivals and serve new user segments.
• Technical and Legal Advancements: If Apple solves battery and performance concerns and clarifies legal boundaries on copyright, a custom face API could realistically appear in a future watchOS release.
• Developer Innovation Is Ready: As the MacBreak Weekly hosts mentioned, capable developers have already proven they can design clever, battery-friendly faces on other platforms—removing a technical roadblock if Apple does create an API.

Key Takeaways

• Apple continues to restrict custom watch faces, despite a decade of user requests.
• The reasons are multifaceted: performance, branding, and legal issues are all factors.
• Demand for customization remains strong—especially among tech-savvy and style-conscious users.
• Competing platforms do allow custom faces, showing it can be done safely with the right guidelines.
• There's hope: Apple has expanded customization options on iPhone, and could eventually do so on Apple Watch if the company's priorities shift.

What Should Apple Watch Users Do Now?

• Personalize your Apple Watch face using the available options—exploring complications, colors, and layouts.
• Provide Apple with feedback using their official feedback channels to show there's continued demand for more flexibility.
• Keep tabs on watchOS updates and developer announcements—any changes to face customization will likely be big news.

The Bottom Line

Apple's reluctance to support true third-party watch faces stems from a mixture of technical, strategic, and legal concerns and an enduring desire to control the device experience. But as the MacBreak Weekly hosts argued, there remains pent-up demand for more individuality, so the issue isn't going away.