Smartwatches and smartphones are a great pairing when they’re well integrated. The best example is the iPhone and Apple Watch, which have tight integration for notifications, fitness tracking, and more. Many Android manufacturers have tried to replicate this integration since the release of Wear OS. There are many great Wear OS smartwatches, such as the Google Pixel Watch line and Samsung Galaxy Watch.
While you can use an Apple Watch on Android, a Wear OS smartwatch integrates better with your Android smartphone. Using Wear OS with an Android phone also means you can use a watch and phone from different manufacturers. This article shows how to use a Samsung Galaxy Watch, such as the Galaxy Watch 6, with a Google Pixel smartphone.
What features do you miss out on?
Using a Wear OS device with any Android smartphone works well. Still, you’ll miss out on some features if you don’t use a Samsung phone. You’ll receive notifications and answer texts, but services, such as Samsung Wallet, don’t work with Pixel smartphones. This isn’t a huge deal, as you can use Google Wallet.
A Galaxy Watch paired with a Pixel phone cannot see ECG or blood pressure data, even though the sensors are there. Pixel smartphone users also can’t control their camera from their Galaxy Watch, sync Do Not Disturb or Bedtime Mode with their phone, or make and receive calls from their watch if it’s an LTE version unless it’s connected by Bluetooth.
These aren’t essential features, but you can add some of these features
through workarounds
.
How to pair your Pixel phone to your Galaxy Watch
To pair your Galaxy Watch to your Pixel phone, use the Galaxy Wearable app. If you have already set up your watch, back it up before switching the phone it’s connected to.
- Make sure your Galaxy Watch is charged and turned on.
- Navigate to Settings on your watch.
- Select the Connect to new phone option.
- If prompted, back up your watch data.
- Review the message that pops up and select Continue or the checkmark.
- Download the Galaxy Wearable app from the Google Play Store.
- Launch the app and tap Start.
- Tap Galaxy Watch. If the option doesn’t appear, tap Scan again.
- Provide the app with the necessary permissions.
- On the Devices spotted nearby screen, tap the Galaxy Watch option.
- A code appears on your phone and your Galaxy Watch. If they match, tap Confirm on your phone and tap the checkmark on your watch.
- Tap Okay and select Install to allow the app to download and install the Gear PlugIn and the Samsung Accessory Service. These services are necessary to integrate the two devices.
- Review the terms and conditions and privacy notices and agree to them.
There are a few items you may be prompted to do before moving forward:
- To give location and Gear PlugIn access, tap Allow.
- To link the PlugIn with your watch, tap OK.
- Sign in to your Samsung account. You can create one or continue without an account.
- You may be prompted to restore your watch from a backup. Tap Skip for now and tap OK to set up your watch as new. Otherwise, tap Check for backup > Next. Then, select the backup you’d like to restore and tap Restore.
- If you have an LTE watch, select whether to use a previous plan or a new plan.
After answering all the prompts, tap Next to get started. Your Galaxy Watch is now paired to your Pixel phone.
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Watch out for this pairing
While a Samsung Galaxy Watch works best with a Samsung smartphone, many of the features are available with other Android smartphones. Pairing a Google Pixel phone with a Galaxy Watch allows you to view notifications, respond to texts, and more. The pairing process is a bit complicated, but after you complete it, you’re set. If you have a Galaxy Watch 6, use it to its fullest potential with these tips and tricks.
