Garmin’s built-in watch faces are functional, but the Connect IQ Store is where your watch really gets its personality. There are thousands of faces to choose from, from data-packed dashboards to clean analog dials. This guide covers the best Garmin watch faces, mostly free, plus how to install and customize them.
Which Garmin watches support custom watch faces?
Most current Garmin watches support Connect IQ, including the Forerunner, Fenix, Epix, Venu, Vivoactive, Instinct 2 and newer, and Enduro series. Some older or simpler models, such as the first Instinct and the Lily, don’t. Not every face works on every watch, so check that your model is listed on a face’s store page before you install it.
How to install a Garmin watch face
- Install the Connect IQ Store app on your phone. It’s separate from the Garmin Connect app.
- Select your watch, open the watch faces section and search or browse.
- Tap Download or Install. The face syncs to your watch the next time it connects.
- On the watch, hold the Up button, choose Watch Face, scroll to the new face and select Apply. Choose Customize instead to change data fields and colors.
On two-button watches such as the Lily, hold the bottom button to open the menu. Newer models like the Forerunner 265 and 965 also let you change faces from the Garmin Connect app.
The best Garmin watch faces
1. Crystal: best all-round face
Crystal is one of the most popular faces on Connect IQ, and for good reason. It has three data fields, three indicators, two meters and a move bar, with a dozen color schemes and battery-saving options. In short, it’s one of the best Garmin watch faces to start with, and it’s free with an optional donation.
2. Infocal (RStudio): best Fenix-style face
Infocal looks like a premium Fenix face, with data arranged around the edge of the dial. In addition, RStudio makes Infograph, a minimal analog face, if you want something cleaner. Both are free.
3. Data Lover: best for weather and history
Data Lover shows time, date, weather, battery, heart rate, sunrise and sunset, plus a step history graph. It’s free with an optional donation.
4. NoFrills: best simple digital face
A large digital time with a step-goal gauge and customizable data fields. As the name says, it focuses on readability rather than decoration. Best of all, it’s free.
5. Simple TDB: best for time, date and battery at a glance
Simple TDB keeps the focus on time, date and weather, with battery, steps, heart rate and sunrise or sunset in smaller fields. Free.
6. Summit Watch Face V2: best analog face
A clean analog dial with an optional digital or 24-hour time and three adjustable complications. It looks especially good with a leather or metal band. Free.
7. Rails: best for round screens
Rails is built for round displays, with two curved gauges along the edges, six themes and three fonts. It’s free with an optional unlock.
8. Horizon: best for deep customization
Horizon offers bars, graphs, moon phase data and detailed theming. However, weather needs an API key, so it suits people who like to tinker. It’s free, with a paid unlock for extra features.
9. Colourboard (Lignite): best premium face
Colourboard lets you customize colors and data fields and shows phone notification indicators. It also supports always-on display. Unlike most faces here, it’s paid, sold individually or in a bundle.
10. Face It: best personal face
Face It is built into the Connect IQ app. On watches with a color screen, you can turn any photo into a watch face, then adjust colors and data. For the best result, use simple images with clear contrast.
Quick comparison
| Watch face | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Crystal | All-round use | Free |
| Infocal | Fenix-style look | Free |
| Data Lover | Weather and step history | Free |
| NoFrills | Readability | Free |
| Simple TDB | Time, date, battery | Free |
| Summit V2 | Analog style | Free |
| Rails | Round screens | Free, optional unlock |
| Horizon | Tinkering | Free, paid unlock |
| Colourboard | Premium design | Paid |
| Face It | Your own photo | Free |
Prices and features are set by each developer and can change. Therefore, check the store listing before you buy any of these best Garmin watch faces.
Tips for choosing the best Garmin watch face
- Watch the battery. Faces with second hands, weather or always-on display drain the battery faster, which matters most on AMOLED models like the Epix and Venu.
- Use data fields you actually check. More fields isn’t better if you can’t read them mid-run.
- Keep a backup face. Third-party faces occasionally break after a firmware update. A built-in Garmin face is a reliable fallback.
- Match the face to your band. Bright, data-heavy faces suit a silicone sport band, while analog faces look sharper with leather, nylon or metal.
FAQ
Are Garmin watch faces free?
Most are. For example, many developers ask for an optional donation, while some charge for premium faces or unlock extra features.
Why isn’t a watch face showing up on my Garmin?
Your watch may not be supported, or it hasn’t synced yet. Open Garmin Connect to force a sync, then check the Watch Face menu again.
Can I make my own Garmin watch face?
Yes. Use Face It in the Connect IQ app to create one from a photo on color-screen watches.
Finish the look with the right band
A new watch face changes how your Garmin looks on the inside, while the band changes everything else. So once you’ve chosen from the best Garmin watch faces above, browse our Garmin bands to match, with shipping to the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
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