Alternative Apple Watch Faces

Weird clocks that run on any device with a modern web browser.

These are 17 functional, animated, third-party analog and digital watch face apps designed to run in the Apple Watch’s built-in WebKit browser. Once started, they can continue running without an Internet connection. If you wish, they can appear automatically when you raise your wrist or tap the screen. Each includes multiple colors, styles, and options, such as a high-speed Demo mode.

To access all of these faces on your Watch at once, send the Install link to yourself as an email or text message, then view that page on your Watch. You can also use these timepieces on an old phone or iPad/tablet as a desk or wall clock.

These watch faces are experimental. They are offered as-is, intended only for entertainment, and may have bugs. I wanted to explore unusual graphic designs, artistic effects, and alternative methods of communicating time. Some of these faces show the time in ways that are not obvious until you know how to read them, but they are simple once explained.

Some of these are also available in Playtime: my collection of 50 alarm clocks for the Playdate handheld game console.

— Morgan Adams
— AdamsImmersive.com — Mastodon

Analog Watch Faces

Chapter Arc

A single-hand watch face that always focuses on the current one-hour arc of the chapter ring (the ring of markings on a clock). The only hand is the “hour hand,” but it is not needed to tell the hour—it is used to indicate the minutes. This example: 2:26.

To help you quickly learn to read the various included arc styles, A Zoom mode shows the arc in the context of the entire 12-hour face, and a Step mode lets you test how any time looks.

Includes 11 different arc styles and 9 colors. Try It

I wanted to experiment with things a physical analog watch cannot do—such as a “progress bar,” which can be even easier to read than a traditional hand. Other styles use a dot or a short line instead of a full hand.

Hour numbers are optional, since the angle of the arc itself indicates the hour: any two adjacent 30° arcs are visually very distinct.

The white dot is the second hand in this style.

Most styles are divided into 5-minute segments. This one also marks every minute (and has a small white second hand).

All styles have marks for the quarter-hours, but some don‘t use all the in-between 5-minute marks. This style shows only the nearest 5-minute mark—the colored dot. (When the nearest 5-minute mark is an exact quarter, there is no colored dot.) You can always know at a glance what the nearest 5-minute mark is.

This style reduces the markings even further—and has no hand at all, telling time to the nearest 5 minutes. The only quarter markings shown are the ones that bracket the current time.

A single 5-minute dot is also added—indicating the nearest 5-minute mark. When the nearest 5-minute mark is an exact quarter, there is no added dot. This example: 5:25.

Phi

The large circle is the dial itself, with a circular hour “hand” inside the dial, and the minute “hand” outside the dial. The dial is off center so the circles can be larger (sized by the golden ratio, φ).

To make it easier to read the time despite the lack of visible indices, both hands snap to the nearest exact 5-minute or hour mark. This avoids any ambiguity of the hands being halfway between two marks. This example: quarter past one (hands on :15 and 1:, even if the exact time is 1:14 for example).

This snapping makes this is a low-state face, but a full analog mode is also included, as well as a mode that snaps to the current hour rather than the nearest hour mark. Includes 18 color themes. Try It

By default, the hour hand snaps to the mark that the time is nearest “to” or “past,” changing between half-past and twenty-five-to. This example: twenty-five to six (hands on :35 and 6:).

An optional second hand dot can be shown inside the minute circle, ticking once a second (when snapping is enabled). This example: quarter to nine and :27 seconds.

Some color themes have a background circle enclosing the face. This example: twenty to seven.

This example: ten to three and :03 seconds.

This example: twenty past ten and :50 seconds.

This example: four o’clock.

Sector

A progress ring replaces the minute hand and snaps to the current minute, with a “pie chart” hour hand that is always snapped to the nearest hour. This example: twenty-three to four.

Includes 8 color themes, both circular and full-screen shapes, and a mode that snaps to the current hour rather than the nearest hour. Try It

This example: fourteen to seven.

This example: twenty-five past ten.

Thylacine

A more traditional analog face, constructed from isosceles triangles. The hour hand is shorter on the inner end as well as the outer end, and the hour indices are extra long.

Most of the included styles have a small mark (at :03 here) that serves as a sweep second hand.

Includes 25 color themes, 9 full-screen styles, and 9 round styles. Try It

Some styles have complications for day and date, and some also display digital hours and minutes.

Digital Watch Faces

Labyrinth

Large numerals overlap in a maze-like pattern. The color-filled areas are random and only decorative; the dividing lines are what define the numbers. This example: 12:58.

Optionally, the filled areas can blink to a new random color as much as every second.

A “Digits” control lets you display either hours or minutes alone. See All Digits

Includes 38 color themes. Try It

The entire background square is the hour, “6” in this example.

The minute numbers are “21” in this example. The short extra lines are optional, to make 1, 4, and 7 occupy the full square.

Some themes render the minutes in a contrasting color for readabilty. This example: 3:14.

Other themes use complex multi-colored fills. This example: 7:09.

Without color fills, the hour number is even more abstract. This example: 12:47.

A mix of filled and unfilled areas, and the option to turn the entire face 90° clockwise, can make the time into a visual puzzle. This example: 4:53.

Intersect

This digital face displays a large two-color minutes number, plus the hour parity: even or odd. In practice, that’s usually enough for your internal time sense to tell you the exact hour.

If the digits are highlighted in the brighter color (leaving the darker color for the overlapping areas) then the hour is odd, as in this example: 1:52. (Your internal time sense can tell you that it’s not 11:52, nor 3:52.) The display would look the same for any “ODD:52” time.

Includes 8 digit styles and 9 color themes. Try It

This style omits the contrasting overlap color, for a more abstract design. The digits are again highlighted in the bright (odd hour) color in this example: ODD:47.

A more legible variation with separate digit colors. If the first digit has the brighter color, the hour is even. If the second digit is brighter, the hour is odd, as in this example: ODD:36.

An even more easily readable style, with no overlap. The highlighted first digit indicates an even hour in this example: EVEN:28.

This monochrome style adds a dot when the hour is odd. (Other included styles use a minus sign for odd hours, or append a 0 or 1.) This example: ODD:19.

This style creates a visual puzzle by displaying only the overlapping areas. The darker (even hour) color of the chosen theme is used in this example: EVEN:04.

Verbose

Designed to help people facing cognitive impairment, this face makes the time extra clear using natural language: “midnight,” “very early,” “early morning,” “morning,” “late morning,” “noon,” “midday,” “afternoon,” “early evening,” “evening,” and “late night.”

(Also available in a desk clock version for a phone or tablet in horizontal orientation.)

Includes 8 colors. Try It

Designed for legibility and clarity, this face always displays the day of the week and the full date, fully spelled out.

Low-State Watch Faces

A conventional digital watch or clock communicates 1,440 different states: 2 meridiem periods (AM/PM) × 12 hours × 60 minutes. A 12-hour analog watch shows 720 states (and many more—or infinite—with a second hand).

I wanted to try communicating the time using the fewest states possible. I have concluded that 24 states are sufficient to be useful for most everyday timekeeping purposes. (Or even fewer when approximate time is acceptable.)

Most of these “low-state” faces reduce the hours information from 24 states to 2 by conveying only the hour parity: even or odd. Example: at 10:30 AM, these faces will only tell you that the hour is even. But your internal time sense can easily tell you that it’s not 8:30 AM, nor 12:30 PM.

Minutes information is reduced from 60 states to 12 by quantizing time to the nearest 5 minutes. (Informally, analog time is often quantized the same way: “quarter past,” “ten to.”) I have chosen not to indicate the “last-passed” 5-minute mark, but rather the nearest one. So at :44 minutes, these faces indicate “about :45“ rather than “some time after :40.”

Approximating the minutes in this way still tells useful time—but it means that these low-state faces can be up to 2.5 minutes ahead or behind at any given moment. The average error magnitude is half that—75 seconds—which is only 45 seconds worse than a perfectly-set digital watch or clock. Digital watches run behind 100% of the time. The time they display has always already passed, as much as 60 seconds previously (for watches without seconds) and their average error is half that: 30 seconds.

As an alternative to hour parity, some of these faces (and Phi above) have the option to display 12 hour-states and provide the exact hour. 12 states for hours and 12 for minutes makes 144 states total—still 1/10 as many states as a typical digital watch. And an optional AM/PM indicator on some faces provides full 24-hour time with only 288 states.

(For the half-minute between 2.5 and 3 minutes past a 5-minute mark, these low-state faces may appear to be rounding incorrectly when compared with a digital watch. At 12:02:35, for example, a digital watch without seconds shows 12:02, making the nearest 5-minute mark seem to be 12:00. But digital watches are always behind. These low-state faces correctly round up to 12:05, which is the actual nearest mark.)

Wheel

A low-state interpretation of a traditional analog watch. One of 12 segments is highlighted in a contrasting color to show the nearest 5-minute mark.

The center dot indicates the parity of the hour that the time is nearest “to” or “past,” changing between half-past and twenty-five-to. When the dot is highlighted in the contrasting color, the nearest hour is odd. Otherwise, the nearest hour is even. This example: “about” ten past nine. The display would look the same for any “ten past odd” time.

Includes 12 color themes; optional “triad” modes that highlight exact quarter-hours; both circular and full-screen shapes; and a mode that indicates the current hour rather than the nearest hour. Try It

The “Triad” option emphasizes when the time is closest to an exact quarter by highlighting three elements in a row. The “highlight” color is black in this example: quarter to “odd.”

The ”Triad Y” option indicates exact quarters by highlighting two added elements in a “Y.” The element that matters is the orthogonal one, at :00, :15, :30, or :45. This example: half past “even.”

Beast

9 pieces combine into 24 different imaginary beasts, becoming increasingly elaborate as each hour progresses. The tail (2 variations) tells the hour, the body (4 variations) tells the quarter-hour, and the head (3 variations) counts the minutes after the quarter.

Even-parity hours show a beast with a fish tail (2 points, aimed downward); odd hours use a devil tail (1 point, aimed upward).

Includes 9 colors. Try It

The body indicates the current quarter-hour: snake (no limbs) for :00; dodo bird (2 limbs) for :15; a lion (4 limbs) with frilled spine for :30; and winged Pegasus (6 limbs) for :45. This example: EVEN:45.

Lastly, the head adds 5 or 10 minutes if needed: a crow (no horns, aimed downward) adds nothing to the current quarter; a ram (2 horns, aimed straight) adds :05; and a deer (many horns, aimed upward) adds :10. This example: ODD:25 (10 minutes past 1:15).

Cardinal

A face that tells easily-readable time with only 5 “lights.” The 4 outer lights take the place of an analog minute hand.

The center element, taking the place of an hour hand, lights up for odd hours. (By default, this face indicates the hour that the time is nearest “to” or “past,” changing between half-past and twenty-five-to.)

Minutes are read to the nearest 5. When there is only a single minute light, that puts the “minute hand” on an exact quarter-hour: This example: quarter past “odd.”

When there are 2 or 3 minute lights in a row, look at the first light (counting clockwise). For 2 lights, add another 5 minutes past that quarter. For 3 lights, add 10 minutes.

Includes 32 different styles, 16 colors, 10 optional numeral sets, and optional blinking seconds. Try It

Some styles have small 5-minute marks (that never light up) to help visualize the minutes.

The number of minute lights tells you which mark to read within the lit range: 2 lights means to read the second mark. 3 lights means the third mark. This example: ten past “odd” (:10 is the third mark in the lit range, :00–:30).

The current time is always at the one-third point within the lit range. This example: five past “odd” (one third of the lit range, :00–:15).

One way to quickly find the one-third point: it’s the first 5-minute mark before the middle of the lit minute range. This example: twenty-five to “even” (:35 is the mark before the middle of the lit range, :30–:45).

Another way to read the minutes: 2 lights means “5 minutes after the first light,” while 3 lights means “5 minutes before the second light.” This example: five to “odd” (5 minutes before the second light which is at :00).

The large, easily-distinguished shapes of certain styles may make Cardinal useful for vision impairment.

You could also memorize the 2- and 3-dot patterns: there are only 4 of each.

The 4 corner squares in this style do nothing. This example: twent-five past “even.”

Some styles use 8 lights instead of 5. The inner 4 lights tell the exact hour, in the same way the minutes work. This example: twenty to three.

(Compare to digital watches, which need at least 28 lights/elements, and binary watches, with 10 to 20 lights.)

8 marks that light up for hours and minutes. Most styles have optional hour or minute numerals that can be displayed for reference in white or the chosen color. This example: five past ten.

8 lights. This example: ten to nine.

8 “lights”/shapes: 4 inner triangles for the hour, 4 outer trapezoids for the minutes. Both black and white are used (alternately) to indicate “lit.” The colored background square shows wherever a shape is “unlit.” This example: twenty past one.

This 9-light style uses 8 numbered lights with the hours in the corners. The optional 9th light indicates PM, for full 24-hour time. (This works best with the face set to show the current hour, instead of the nearest hour to/past.) This example: 2:30 AM. (Hour 2 is the hour before the middle of the lit hour range, 12:–6:).

Twenty-Four

This is a low-state digital face, showing the numbers 0 to 23 for the 24 possible states.

If a number from 0 to 11 is displayed, multiply it by 5 to get the minutes to the nearest 5. This example: EVEN:30 (6 × 5).

If the number is 12 or greater, subtract 12 first. This indicates that the hour is odd.

Includes 9 digit styles and 9 color themes. Try It

Some styles use minute numbers from 00 to 11, and indicate an odd hour using a “decimal point,” a minus sign, or an appended third digit: 0 for even hours, 1 for odd. This example: ODD:45 (09 × 5).

Other styles use two minute digits 00 to 11 with color changes (similar to Intersect above) that indicate odd hours using a brighter color (either for both digits or for the second digit). This example: EVEN:10 (02 × 5).

5-Bit

The minimum number of “lights” or binary bits able to display 24 distinct states is 5. All the variations of this face have 5 indicators with 5 different values, which are added together when lit. The central indicator is the hour parity (lit when even). The other 4 convey the minutes.

The left pair of minute bits tells the current quarter-hour. The upper bit means :30 and the lower bit means :15. Both added together is :45, and both off means :00.

The right pair adds either :10 (upper) or :05 (lower) past the quarter. Both off means an exact quarter-hour. One way to read the bits is simply to add them all together: :30 + :15 + :05 = 12:50 in this example. (The hour bit lit means any even-numbered hour.)

Just remember that the top 2 lights are :30 and :10, and the bottom 2 are half that. Quick Reference

Certain styles may be useful for vision impairment: 5 lights are easier to distinguish than numerals.

Includes 17 different styles and 9 colors. Try It

5 bits is actually enough data for 32 states, but the last two bits (:10 and :05) are never lit together. This example: 3:25 (or any odd hour).

An optional “Cave Mode” (sometimes with added labels as seen here) is an experiment to make use of the remaining 8 states. It provides precise-to-the-minute 24-hour time at 8 moments during the day. Just what you need deep underground!

In all styles, enabling “Cave Mode” turns on the last two bits (right side) for 1 minute at 12:00, 3:00, 6:00, and 9:00.

The two quarter bits (left side) now indicate the hours quarter, 6:00 or 3:00 (hours past 12:00 AM). Both together add up to 9:00; both off means midnight: “zero past” 12:00 AM. The parity bit lights up for PM time (adding 12 hours past 12:00 AM). This example: EVEN:00 PM.

Some styles have a row of 5 indicators, ordered from largest to smallest. (The parity bit is first: it can be read as adding :60 past the default assumption of an “even” hour.) This example: ODD:10.

5 bits arranged as a vertical column. (The labels on the right are for the optional “Cave Mode.”) This example: EVEN:50.

Four dark-colored quadrants change to bright colors to tell the minutes. The dividing cross itself is the central parity bit—it turns from black to white for odd hours. This example: ODD:05 (only the bottom-right box is lit).

Colored clouds blend together from the corners and center. This example: EVEN:50 (top-left, bottom-left, and bottom-right bits are on).

Not a real barcode. Ignore the very thin lines (they never change). Extra-wide lines are “on” indicators. Medium lines (bordered by black gaps) are “off.” This example: EVEN:40. (Off, on, off, on, off.)

A standard 7-segment display, but not used to show digits. Ignore the top and bottom elements: they are always lit. The remaining 5 bits are read as usual, with hour parity in the center. This example: ODD:30.

Four fixed “hands” light up as needed for the minutes. The hour parity “hand” lights up on the left for 9:00 or any other odd hour. This example: EVEN:40 (:10 + :30).

Numbered minute coins and a large coin (the god of eternity) for hour parity. Coin values are proportionate to their size. This example: ODD:55.

Matrix

This face uses the fewest possible elements—one single dot—to convey the 24 time-states. The dot’s size and position on a simple 4 × 2 grid vary to tell the time.

The dot’s vertical position is the hour parity: high for even, low for odd.

The horizontal position is the current minute quarter, progressing from left to right. At far left, the dot indicates :00. In the center, the quarter is :30. Left or right of center means :15 or :45.

The dot has 3 distinct sizes, adding :05 or :10 past the quarter when needed. The smallest size is used for exact quarters. A double-sized dot adds :05, and a triple-sized dot adds :10, as in this example: EVEN:40 (:10 past :30).

Includes 12 different styles and 9 colors. Try It

Styles with stripes added for artistic effect can also help you judge the 3 dot sizes: smaller than the horizontal stripe (add :00), exactly equal (add :05), or larger than the stripe (add :10). This example: ODD:00, using the smallest size dot.

Some styles uses only a single dot size, so they require 2 dots. The first dot is the minute quarter, and a second dot appears touching it to add :05, or spaced away from it to add :10 as in this example: EVEN:10.

The timeline from left to right is 60 minutes long, and each dot is sized to equal 5 minutes.

This style’s random extra dots can be ignored. This example: ODD:45.

All the non-white dots can be ignored—only the white ones are relevant. This example: EVEN:35.

Square boxes instead of round dots. This example: ODD:25.

This style makes the implied 4 × 2 matrix of positions visible, with time displayed as a single white box that extends wider when needed to add :05 or :10 past the quarter. This example: EVEN:55.

Heliodor

This face uses 12 “lights” to indicate time with only a few elements, while still being read just like a traditional analog timepiece. The inner lights are the “hour hand,” and the outer lights are the “minute hand,” which snaps to the nearest exact 5-minute mark. By default, the hour snaps to the mark that the time is nearest “to” or “past,” changing between half-past and twenty-five-to.

Because each “hand” has only 6 lights instead of 12, sometimes two adjacent lights are needed: in that case, read the time in the center of the two lit positions. This example: five past six.

Includes 16 different styles, each with 7 numeral choices, 16 colors, multiple color modes, and optional day and date complications. Try It

A single light always points to an even hour or a 10-minute mark. A pair of lights points to an odd hour or a 5-minute mark.

The included styles have a variety of optional hour and minute indicators. This example: quarter past noon.

The default 12-hour setting uses 12 lights for 144 total states. The included 24-hour setting adds a 13th light in the center for ”PM,” as in this example: twenty to one PM.

This example: twenty-five past ten PM.

In addition to 12- and 24-hour settings, a Parity setting uses only 7 lights and 24 states, with the center light showing the hour parity: lit when the nearest hour is odd. This example: twenty past “odd.”

Ternion

An extreme low-state face with only 3 “lights” for only 8 total states. The 2 outer lights are the “minute hand,” indicating approximate time to the nearest quarter-hour mark. One light points to quarter-past, the other to quarter-to.

The center light is the hour—indicating the parity of the hour the time is nearest “to” or “past.” It is lit when the nearest hour is odd. This example: approximately quarter to “odd.”

Optionally, the lights can blink once at every 5-minute mark. Other options include settings to always indicate the current hour parity instead of the hour “to”/“past,” and to always indicate the current quarter-hour instead of the nearest.

Includes 13 different styles and 120 color combinations. Try It

If the quarter-past and quarter-to lights are both lit, the time is halfway between them: half-past. This example: approximately half past “even.”

If neither minute light is lit, the time is approximately on the hour. This example: an “odd” hour and no minutes.

This example: approximately quarter to “even.”

Optional complications display the day and date. This example: approximately quarter past “even.”

Tetrad

An extreme low-state face with only 4 “lights” and only 12 total states. The 3 outer lights are the “minute hand,” indicating time to the nearest 10-minute mark.

The center light is the hour—indicating the parity of the hour the time is nearest “to” or “past.” It is lit when the nearest hour is odd.

One minute light alone always points to ten-past, ten-to, or half-past. This example: ten past “even.”

Options include blinking the lights once at every 5-minute mark, and a setting to always indicate the current hour parity instead of the hour “to”/“past.”

Includes 18 different styles and 120 color combinations. Try It

Two minute lights always point between them—to twenty-past, twenty-to, or right on the hour. This example: twenty to “even.”

The large, easily-distinguished shapes of certain styles may make Tetrad useful for vision impairment.

A “variable precision” option increases accuracy to the nearest 5-minute mark for the useful times of :00 and :30, while making use of unused light combinations to indicate :15 and :45 (at the usual accuracy of ± 5 minutes). All minute lights off means :15, all on means :45. One light on the left or right now means five-to/past. Two lights means twenty-five-to/past. This example: five to “odd.”

Optional complications display the day and date. This example: half past “odd.”

This example: ten to “even.”

Some styles position the hour light at the top. This example: twenty past “odd.”

Hebdomad

An extreme low-state face with only 7 “lights” and 24 total states. The 6 outer lights are the “minute hand,” indicating time to the nearest 5-minute mark.

The center light is the hour—indicating the parity of the hour the time is nearest “to” or “past.” It is lit when the nearest hour is odd.

One minute light alone always points to a 10-minute mark. This example: twenty to “odd.”

Includes 15 different styles and 120 color combinations. Try It

Two minute lights always point between them—to a minute ending in 5. This example: five past “even.”

Options include complications for the day and date, blinking the lights every minute, and a choice of indicating the current hour parity vs. the hour “to”/“past.” This example: quarter past “odd.”

Tips

Each of these faces is a tiny web page, because web pages are officially supported on Apple Watch. You start by sending a link to yourself in Messages or Mail, and receiving the link on your Watch. As a result, there are some quirks and disadvantages compared with Apple’s own watch faces: the top bar (with “Close” button) cannot currently be hidden, there are no complications other than those custom-built into certain faces, and the customization UI can be a little awkward. With a Watch display set to “Always On,” these faces blur and display a digital clock whenever the screen is dimmed. These faces have primarily been tested with watchOS 6 and the 44mm Apple Watch. Full native support for third-party watch faces would be even better—you can request that feature from Apple.

The instruction “Scroll Down to Start” that appears at first is necessary to hide the Watch browser’s URL bar. You can then tap the face to bring up options and colors. Tap the face again to dismiss the options when you’re done. (If you accidentally scroll the watch face or reveal the URL bar again, just swipe up a little then tap the face or “Start” button to automatically reset the view.)

The faces’ built-in instructions suggest setting “Wake Screen” to “Show Last App Always.” This is optional, but allows the custom face to be shown instead of Apple’s face when you wake your Watch’s screen.

You must choose whether to launch the face within Messages or Mail, since those are the only apps currently able to receive a web link and display it. I prefer using Messages, because using Mail causes your iPhone to check for new email when you view the Watch. You may not wish to check for email that often.

You can dismiss or respond to incoming messages directly in the alert without losing your custom watch face web view. But if you enter the actual Messages or Mail app on the Watch and view a different thread, to get back to the web-based watch face you will need to return to the thread where you sent yourself the link. After time passes, that old thread may no longer be shown on the Watch—in which case, you can use your iPhone to copy and paste the same link to yourself again.

To return to Apple’s watch face, simply click the Digital Crown. (Covering the Watch screen—even when it is already off—may also revert to the Apple face.) You may wish to add a complication for Messages (or Mail) to the Apple face, so you can tap it to quickly return to the custom face. Or, put the app in your Favorites in the side-button Dock (managed from the Watch app on the iPhone).

These faces can also be used as desk or wall clocks, using an old iPad or iPhone in vertical orientation. You can minimize distracting browser controls by using Dark Mode or Private Browsing. (Very old browsers may not work.)