Android Wear OS Design Principles

Android Wear OS design principles focus on creating glanceable, standalone wearable experiences that help people complete critical tasks quickly while staying present and productive.

  1. Design for critical tasks

    Focus on one or two tasks rather than a full app experience, prioritising essential functionality that users need to accomplish quickly on their wrist.

  2. Optimize for the wrist

    Help people complete tasks on the watch within seconds to avoid ergonomic discomfort or arm fatigue, designing for quick interactions that respect wearable form factors.

  3. Better together

    Consider which actions are appropriate for each device, using watches for quick frequent tasks while mobile devices handle prolonged and complex interactions.

  4. Always relevant

    Keep content on the watch face relevant to the user by updating app content based on their context such as time, place and current activity.

  5. Works offline

    Design for slow connections and offline use cases such as exercising and commuting, ensuring functionality remains available without constant connectivity.

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