Skip to Content

Apple Watch Hacked to Display Custom Watch Faces

by

Apple doesn't allow developers to create custom watch faces for the Apple Watch, preferring to maintain control over the general look of the device, but that hasn't stopped iOS developer Hamza Sood from tinkering with the Apple Watch and getting a custom watch face uploaded onto the device.

In a tweet posted this afternoon, Sood shared a video of a custom animated watch face with multiple color options.


The watch face source code that was used to create the custom watch face has been made available on GitHub and will require watchOS 2. Earlier this summer, Sood also joined several other developers in efforts to hack watchOS 2 to run truly native apps like Canabalt and a Flappy Bird clone.

customwatchface
It is not clear if Apple has plans to allow third-party developers to create watch faces for the Apple Watch in the future, but it's possible that as watchOS and the Apple Watch mature, Apple will be less restrictive. For now, hacks like Sood's are the only way to get custom watch faces on the device.

Popular Stories

Apple Event Logo

Apple Released Seven New Products Today

Wednesday March 11, 2026 7:05 am PDT by
Starting today, the seven new Apple products that were announced last week are available at Apple Stores and beginning to arrive to customers. The colorful MacBook Neo and all of the other new products are on display at most Apple Store locations around the world starting today. Apple Stores have inventory of the new products for both walk-in customers and Apple Store pickup, but...
Read Full Article • 22 comments
ios 26 4 yellow

Everything New in iOS 26.4 Beta 4

Monday March 9, 2026 3:50 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to test the iOS 26.4 beta, and the latest update is now available for developers and public beta testers. As testing goes on, there are fewer new features in each beta, but today’s release adds new emoji characters and a few other changes. New Emoji Apple added new emoji characters, including trombone, treasure chest, distorted face, hairy creature, fight cloud, orca,...
Read Full Article • 71 comments
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

Apple Planning 'MacBook Ultra' With Touchscreen and Higher Price

Sunday March 8, 2026 8:05 am PDT by
Apple is planning to launch an all-new "MacBook Ultra" model this year, featuring an OLED display, touchscreen, and a higher price point, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. Gurman revealed the information in his latest "Power On" newsletter. While Apple has been widely expected to launch new M6-series MacBook Pro models with OLED displays, touchscreen functionality, and a new, thinner design...
Read Full Article • 488 comments

Top Rated Comments

magicschoolbus Avatar
magicschoolbus
138 months ago
Why they did not launch this with customizable watch faces you could download from app store for a fee is beyond me.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
X
xlost6
138 months ago


Finally! Now that watch OS2 is about to release!
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
keysofanxiety Avatar
keysofanxiety
138 months ago
…which firmly confirms why you shouldn't, at least if that's the picture you choose.

@AngerDanger, you know what to do :D
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Pakaku Avatar
Pakaku
138 months ago
I'm really not sure Apple would ever let developer install watch faces without some severe, severe curation on their part - keeping the Apple Watch Apple Watch-like and all.
I wonder how long Apple can keep up the facade that this is a luxurious jewelry piece that requires pristine curation. Yes, it's good to keep a quality standard, but come on.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rogifan Avatar
Rogifan
138 months ago
Maybe Apple launched the Watch six months too soon. The fact that they announced it in September 2014 and launching it 7 months later probably means they decided not to wait any more to reveal it — maybe because of the competition?

We know Apple takes its time — look at the App Store on Apple TV —, but maybe for the Watch they felt they couldn't wait any more to reveal it.

The real Apple Watch experience will be with watchOS 2 — The actual logic of running the app on the iPhone is probably a compromise Apple came up with to be able to launch the device in Spring 2015 rather than the end of the year.
As an Watch owner I can say 3rd party watch faces are not on the top of my list for things I want. Native apps, 3rd party complications, 3rd party access to hardware, podcast support are all things I care more about than third party watch faces. Maybe some people want a skeuomorphic Rolex face on their watch. I don't.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sniffies Avatar
sniffies
138 months ago
Would be cool to run FCP on the watch.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments