Automatic measurements with your Samsung watch
If your Samsung watch runs Wear OS, it can record your HRV data automatically. We called this feature Health Monitoring. Just wear your watch throughout the day and check Welltory for your measurement results — they should appear in your feed several times a day.
To enable automatic measurements, you only need to upgrade Welltory to the 4.3.0 version or later on both your phone and watch. After updating the app, you can see the Samsung Watch section in Menu. If you can see the green checkmark near the Health Monitoring text, your watch is successfully connected, and the Health Monitoring feature is on.
You can adjust the monitoring frequency in the Samsung watch section of Menu. This option sets the minimum time between two consecutive automatic measurements that can be taken with your watch, not the exact times at which measurements are taken. Please note that your Samsung watch automatically measures your HRV only when you are calm and relaxed. It doesn’t take a measurement while you’re asleep, moving, or working out.
If you want to take a measurement with your Samsung watch running WearOS right here, right now, open Welltory on your watch, make sure your watch fits snugly on top of your wrist, and try not to move. Keep silent, and don’t aim to control your breath consciously. Press the red button on your watch — a measurement will start.
When you’re done, open Welltory and check out your feed to see the results.
Connecting your Samsung watch
Sync your Samsung watch to your phone and make sure your watch is shown to be connected in the Galaxy Wearable app.
In Welltory, go to Menu → Settings → Measurement device.
Find the Samsung watch section — it will be shown as Searching. Tap Install Welltory on my watch. After that, allow Welltory to find, connect to, and determine the relative position of nearby devices.
Select your Samsung watch model.
If your Samsung watch runs Wear OS (Samsung Galaxy Watch4, Samsung Galaxy Watch5), the app page on Google Play will open. Download and install Welltory on your Samsung watch.
If your Samsung watch runs Tizen OS (Samsung Galaxy Watch1, Samsung Galaxy Watch2, Samsung Galaxy Watch3, Samsung Gear), the app page on Samsung Store will open. Download and install Welltory on your Samsung watch.
If your Samsung watch runs Wear OS (Samsung Galaxy Watch4, Samsung Galaxy Watch5), open Welltory on your Samsung watch and allow Welltory to access your physical activity and sensor data about your vital signs.
Skip this step if your Samsung watch runs Tizen OS.
Return to Welltory on your phone. Go to Menu → Settings → Measurement device and tap your Samsung watch model under the Samsung Watch section. If you can see the green checkmark, the device is connected. Now, you can take measurements with your Samsung watch.
Taking a measurement
Make sure that your watch is charged, connected to your phone, and enabled as a measurement device in Welltory Settings.
Go to your feed and tap the red button at the bottom of the screen to start a measurement.
It may take a couple of seconds for the measurement to start. You’ll see the measurement progress on the phone screen and on the watch face. As with any other HRV measurement, try to not move or talk until the measurement is complete, just relax and breathe naturally.
You’ll see your measurement results in your feed. Also, if you have a Samsung Watch model running Wear OS and Welltory 4.6.5 or newer, you can see your heart rate variability insights from the latest measurement on your watch.
I try to connect my Samsung watch but only see searching in Settings. What should I do?
Make sure that the watch is charged and connected via Galaxy Wearable and the airplane mode is off on your watch and phone.
Why do I get an error message when I try to start a measurement?
The watch may have been disconnected from the phone, or you may have interrupted the measurement with a sudden movement. If that’s not the case, make sure you’ve allowed Welltory to access Activity and Body sensors in Settings → Apps → Welltory → Permissions. After giving the necessary permissions, try to manually launch the Welltory companion app on your watch and take another measurement.
What if I want to take a measurement while my Samsung watch charges?
If we can’t find your Samsung watch connected when you start a measurement, we’ll propose you to use your camera for taking a measurement.
Alternatively, you can manually switch to camera measurements via Menu → Settings → Measurement device. Once your Samsung watch is charged, be sure to reselect it in Settings.
How to Connect Samsung Galaxy Watch to Your iPhone
Unlike Apple Watches, which pair with only iPhones, most Samsung smartwatches work with iOS and Android phones. You can even set up and use some Samsung watch models without a phone.
This tutorial will show you how to connect a Samsung Galaxy Watch to your iPhone. But first, let’s walk you through Galaxy Watch models compatible with iOS devices.
Samsung Galaxy Watch iOS Compatibility
Samsung Galaxy Watches are compatible with specific iPhone models via the Samsung Galaxy Watch iOS app.
- Galaxy Watch
- Galaxy Watch Active and Galaxy Watch Active2
- Galaxy Watch3
- Gear Live
- Gear S2
- Gear Fit 2
- Gear S3
- Gear Sport
- Gear Fit2 Pro
The following watch models aren’t supported or compatible with the Galaxy Watch app on iOS devices:
- Samsung Galaxy Watch5 and Watch5 Pro
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Classic
- Samsung Gear 1
- Samsung Gear 2
- Samsung Gear S
Use the Samsung Galaxy Watch (Gear S) App
The Samsung Galaxy Watch (Gear S) app lets you manage your watch’s applications, notifications, watch faces, etc., from your iPhone. The app is compatible with iPhone 5 (and newer models) running iOS 9.0 or higher versions. iPad and iPod touch aren’t supported.
According to Samsung, Galaxy Watches might not work correctly on iPhone 6S and 6S running iOS 10 or later due to firmware issues. We recommend updating your iPhone’s software to the latest version before connecting your Galaxy watch.
Connect your iPhone to a Wi-Fi network, head to Settings General Software Update, and tap Download and Install.
Also, turn on your iPhone’s Bluetooth in the Control Center or Settings app ( Settings Bluetooth ).
Follow the steps below to set up and connect your Samsung Galaxy Watch to your iPhone.
- If you’re connecting a new Galaxy Watch, turn it on, wait for it to load the welcome screen, and proceed to step #3.
If your watch is connected to a different phone, head to Settings General and tap Connect to new phone.
Alternatively, head to Settings Connections Bluetooth and tap Connect to new phone at the bottom of the page.
Connecting your Galaxy Watch to a new phone factory resets and wipes everything on the watch.
Tap the Backup data button to back up your watch’s data to Samsung Cloud before connecting it to a new device. Otherwise, tap Continue to wipe your Galaxy Watch and prepare it for pairing to your iPhone.
The factory reset operation takes about 5-10 minutes. Proceed to step #3 when your watch restarts and displays the welcome screen.
- Open the Samsung Galaxy Watch (Gear S) app and tap Start The Journey.
- Select your watch model on the list of devices and tap Scan for nearby devices to continue.
- Select your Galaxy Watch on the list of detected/nearby devices.
- Tap Pair on the “Bluetooth Pairing Request” screen and wait for the app to link the Galaxy Watch to your iPhone.
You’ll get a prompt to activate your carrier’s service if you have an LTE watch model. The app will also request permission to send notifications and access your iPhone’s calendar and contacts. Afterward, sign in to your Samsung account to restore any backup data to your Galaxy Watch.
Connecting your Galaxy Watch via the Samsung Galaxy Watch app only routes text messages and app notifications to your iPhone. You must run a second pairing round (via the iOS Bluetooth settings menu) to receive phone calls on your Galaxy Watch.
Connect Galaxy Watch to iPhone via Bluetooth Settings
Follow the steps below to connect your Galaxy Watch to your iPhone for a phone call handover.
- Open the Settings app on your Galaxy Watch, tap Connections. and select Bluetooth. Toggle on Bluetooth and ensure your Galaxy Watch is visible.
- Next, open your iPhone’s Settings app, select Bluetooth. and toggle on Bluetooth.
- Scroll down to the “Other Devices” section, select your Galaxy Watch, and tap Pair on the pop-up.
When both devices pair successfully, you should see a “Connected” status message next to your Galaxy Watch. Your iPhone will now route incoming phone calls to your Galaxy Watch, and you can pick up calls directly on the watch.
Samsung Galaxy Watch iPhone: Available Features
Samsung Galaxy Watches sync various data with your iPhone via the Galaxy Watch (Gear S) app. Many features in the Galaxy Wearable app on Android devices are also available in the iOS app. You can customize watch faces, use Bixby, and track your watch using Find My Watch. Heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, workout detection, and other health-related features should be hassle-free.
There are limitations you should know about, though. For instance, you can’t send text messages or reply to third-party app notifications from your Galaxy Watch. Also, Samsung Pay won’t work because you aren’t using a Samsung phone.
Reboot your iPhone and Galaxy Watch if you encounter any issues connecting both devices. Contact Samsung Support if the problem persists.
How to Install Apps on Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 (Install Third Party Apps)
You can install apps that are not available in wearOS play store. Check the method to install third party apps on Galaxy Watch 5.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 runs on wearOS 3 which means there are endless apps that users can try on their Galaxy Watch 5. The Watch has inbuilt Play Store which allows one to install apps. But not all the apps you want to use are available on Play Store, so you also have the option of installing third party apps.
Here you will know how to install apps from the play store and how to install third party apps on Samsung Galaxy Watch 5.
Galaxy Watch 5 is the latest smartwatch from Samsung which is quite popular thanks to its predecessor Galaxy Watch 4. Recently there is a Galaxy Watch 5 competitor in town which is the Google Pixel Watch.
When I was looking for a way to get new Pixel Watch watchfaces on my Galaxy Watch 5, I had to sideload the APK as it is currently not available in Play Store. So I thought why not share the guide with you? Using this guide you can install apps from Play Store on Galaxy Watch 5 and even install apps on Galaxy Watch 5 that are not on Play Store.
Let’s start the guide with the method to download apps from Play Store.
How to Install Apps on Samsung Galaxy Watch 5
If you have Galaxy Watch 5, then you have access to the Play Store considering you have logged in with your Google account during the setup or later. Also, you can follow this guide for other wearOS 3 watches. Here are two methods followed by a tip.
- Swipe up from the main watch face screen which will bring up the apps page.
- Now look for the Play Store icon and tap it.
- This will open the Play Store. Look for the app you want to install or search for it.
- Tap the app and then tap the Install button.
- Wait for the installation. You can access the new apps from the App Drawer.
If your Watch is connected to your phone, you can use this method.
- Open Play Store on your Phone which is connected to your Galaxy Watch 5.
- Now search for the app you want to install on your Watch.
- Tap the app icon and then tap the down arrow next to the Install button.
- Make sure that Watch is ticked, you can untick the phone option if you want to install the app only on your watch.
- Then tap Install. Wait for some time and you will find the new app on the App Drawer.
Tip: Make sure to connect your Watch via Wi-Fi direct to install the app on your Watch faster.
How to Install Third Party Apps on Galaxy Watch 5
The apps on Play Store are limited. However, there are a bunch of apps for wearOS and not available on the Play Store. So to install these apps you need to sideload their APK file. So whenever any developer ports an app you can use this method to install third party apps immediately. The process is quite easy. Let’s start.
Enable Developer Options on Galaxy Watch 5
Developer Options is a hidden set of settings that also includes some advanced settings. And to install third party apps you need to enable them.
- Open Settings on your Watch from App Drawer or Quick Settings.
- Scroll down to the last and select About Watch.
- Look for Software Information and Open it.
- Now tap the Software version until it says Developer mode turned on.
Enable Wi-Fi debugging on Galaxy Watch 5
The next step is to enable ADB and Wi-Fi debugging which allows the connection between the PC and the Watch.
- Go to Settings on your phone.
- Scroll down to the last and you will now see a new option ‘Developer Options’.
- Open Developer options and enable ADB Debugging.
- Make sure your PC and Galaxy Watch 5 are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
- Now enable Debug over Wi-Fi in developer options and it will show the IP address.
- Note down the IP address which you will need in the next step.
Install Third Party Apps on Galaxy Watch 5
Now the remaining steps will be done on the PC. Download the APK file of the app you want to install on your Watch.
- Download Android sdk tool on your PC and extract it.
- Copy the APK file of the app into the platform tools folder you extracted in the last step.
- If the name of APK file is big you can rename it for example abc.APK.
- Now open the CMD from the platform tools folder location where APK file is stored. You can enter replace the file location address with cmd and press enter.
- Enter the below command on Command Window and tap Allow if you see a prompt on your Watch.
- adb connect ‘IP Address’ (eg. adb connect 192.168.1.1:2050)
- Once the watch is connected to the PC over Wi-Fi enter the below command to install third party app.
- adb.s IP address install filename.APK (eg. adb.s 192.168.1.1:2050 install abc.APK)
- It will take some time to install the app to Galaxy Watch 5 over Wi-Fi. So wait for the success message.
- Now you can access the new app or watchface on your Galaxy Watch 5.
- To disconnect the adb connection enter the below command.
- adb disconnect
Once the need for adb debugging is completed, make sure to turn off the adb debugging in developer options to save battery life.
Install Third Party apps on Galaxy Watch 5 without PC
In case you don’t have a PC with you to perform the given method, you can use your phone to install third party apps on Galaxy Watch 5 using Wi-Fi debugging.
To do that enable developer options, and then enable adb debugging and Debug over Wi-Fi. Install apps like Bugjaeger Mobile ADB on your phone and connect it using the IP address and port mentioned in the Debug over Wi-Fi section. Port is the four-digit number after : in IP address.
Once connected tap on the icon and choose the APK file that you want to install to your watch. It will show installing status. After installing the APK, you can use the app on your Galaxy Watch 5.
So this was the complete guide on how to install third party apps on Galaxy Watch 5 and how to install apps from Play store. In case you have any queries, let us know in the comment section.
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How to use Google Wallet with your Galaxy Watch 5
The Galaxy Watch 5 is a great smartwatch for your Android device, and since it runs Wear OS, it works well with some of Google’s most important apps. One of those is Google Wallet – formerly known as Google Pay. This guide will take you through installing and setting up easy access to Google Wallet on your Galaxy Watch 5.
By default, you can already use virtual cards for touchless payments on your Galaxy Watch 5 with Samsung Pay. In essence, it does the same thing as Google Wallet – previously known as Google Pay. Unfortunately, Samsung Pay hasn’t always hit the mark for us, and you might have found you have the same experience.
Google Wallet, on the other hand, works surprisingly well on the Samsung-made Galaxy Watch 5. Before the Watch 5, the Galaxy Watch 4 – also with Wear OS – made a good home for Google Pay/Wallet, too. With these devices, you can easily set a home key shortcut, allowing you to access your virtual cards with a quick tap.
How to install Google Wallet on your Galaxy Watch 5
In order to even use Google Wallet on your Galaxy Watch 5, you need to have the app installed. The app doesn’t come preinstalled, though getting it on your device is pretty easy and can be done right from the Watch 5 itself. Here’s how:
- Swipe up from the bottom of your watch face to access the app drawer on your Galaxy Watch 5.
- Scroll down until you see the Google Play store icon. Tap it.
- Tap on the search icon, enter Google Wallet and hit search.
- Google Pay should be listed among the top results. Tap on it, and then tap Install.
From there, Google Wallet will install on your Galaxy Watch 5. It should only take a few seconds since the app is very small.
How to add cards to Google Pay on the Galaxy Watch 5
Once Google Wallet is installed, you’ll need to add your cards. You can choose only a select few or all of the ones you have on your phone already; it’s completely up to you. Do note that you will need to have already added cards to Google Wallet on your phone. The Watch 5 app won’t let you add cards from the wearable.
- Open Google Wallet on your Galaxy Watch 5 by swiping up from the watch face and looking for the Google Wallet icon.
- Tip: If you just downloaded Google Wallet, it’ll be at the bottom of the app drawer.
- After opening it, you’ll be redirected to create a screen lock. This is required to use Google Wallet.
- In the app, you’ll see Google Wallet’s plus icon for adding cards. Tap the icon and open your phone.
- On your phone, a list of available cards will pop up on your screen. Choose the first one by hitting the small plus icon on the right.
- You’ll need to enter your CVC and go through the remaining prompts for adding the card.
Note that you can add as many cards as you have added to Google Wallet on your phone.
Create an easy-to-access shortcut for Google Wallet
Google Wallet wouldn’t be one of our recommended Galaxy Watch 5 apps if you could only access it through the app drawer. The reason we love it is that Samsung lets you change what the Home key does, making it extremely easy to access Google Wallet at a moment’s notice. With a couple of quick taps, you can use your virtual cards at any touchless payment reader.
- Head into settings by swiping down on your Galaxy Watch 4’s watch face and hitting the settings cog.
- Scroll down until you see Advanced features. Tap it.
- Scroll down, and tap Customize keys.
- Tap on Double press under the “Home key” section.
- Scroll down, and tap Google Wallet.
That’s it! Once the Home key shortcut is set up, you’ll have instant access to Google Wallet and all of your cards in the app. Once you double-tap the Home key, the Google Wallet app will open with the default card. Swiping over will reveal more. Whichever one is front and center will be the one you pay with when holding your wrist close to the card reader.
Overall, Google Wallet feels right at home on the Galaxy Watch 5. It opens quickly, runs smoothly, and most importantly, lets you pay for things without taking a single card out.
on Galaxy Watch 5:
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