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Design for watches ​

Watches have special design considerations and interaction patterns

Overview · Foundations · Styles · Layout

Design for watches

Resources ​

TypeResource
DesignAbout M3 Expressive
DesignM3 Expressive on Wear OS
DesignFigma Design Kits for Wear OS
ImplementationAndroid Developers: Wear OS
ImplementationJetpack Compose for Wear OS

New in GM3 Expressive ​

Design expressive layouts for watches with harmonious shape, animation, color, and typography treatments. All examples shown here are based on Material for Wear OS. More on M3 Expressive on Wear OS

Designed for round screens ​

A new shape system with edge-hugging containers and buttons creates variety and visual balance on round screens.

More on shape system for Wear OS

Watch screenshots using rounded buttons, progress bars, and page indicators.

Controls for smartwatches can adapt to the form factor

Expressive motion & springs ​

A new physics-based system makes interactions and transitions feel more alive, fluid, and natural.

More on M3 motion physics

Use motion to make interactions intuitive

Shape morphing ​

With shape morphing, controls respond to show interaction. Containers change corner radius.

More on M3 shape morphing

Selected buttons change shape to show interaction

Rich color ​

Dynamic color and deep tonal palettes are applied in a system of color roles to create depth and variety.

More on color for Wear OS

A media player on a smartwatch displaying a song title, artist, and playback controls.

The color system includes three main colors and specific color roles to create depth and variety

New type roles ​

Along with an updated and optimized type scale, new styles serve specific use cases for watches:

  • Arc text for curved titles
  • Numeral text for bigger, stylized text

More on typography for Wear OS

3 smartwatch screens showing a fitness tracker, a timer, and a calendar notification using Roboto Flex.

The baseline type scale is optimized for round screens to keep text legible in a compact space

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