Wear OS 5 Update - KWCH

With wear OS 5, Google will enforce the use of the new Watch face format. Does this mean that KWCH will no longer work on watches that run wear OS 5 and is it foreseeable whether there will be a solution for this?

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I’m on WearOS 5 and KWCH is currently working fine for me.

How did you install KWEAR? I’m trying to install with Gemini and it shows as successful but I can’t locate the app anywhere. It used to be in the Download section of the watch faces list but doesn’t appear on my my new Galaxy Watch 7 with wear OS 5.
I’ve done this many time with my old watch 6.

Hey Ace Can you please tell us how you got KWEAR working on you Galaxy Watch 7 os 5 Please and Thanks !!

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I just found out some info:
Until @frank /Kustom can get approval & figure how to work with the new WFF format Any NEW watch that comes with Wear OS 5 (and later) will have to comply with this new Google/Samsung decision.
Our old watches/Kustom watchfaces will still work with Kwear/Kwch even though they have Wear OS 5 Installed. CRAP!
Tom’s Guide Article

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Not working on Galaxy Watch 7…

…and it won’t work on any new watch that comes with Wear OS 5 pre-installed until @frank and Team can come up with a solution where KWCH/Kwear can work with the new Watch Face Format (WFF, designed by Google and Samsung).
Sadly, we all waited for years to get the KWCH/Kwear functionalities. It will still work on other watches that upgrade to Wear OS 5 but we don’t know if it will only be for months, a year or how long.

Another article explaining.

WFF Info

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KWCH will still work in devices that do not come with Wear OS 5 out of the box, so if you upgrade then it will work but according to Google this might change Q1 2025, I really hope however they will change their mind.

The Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch 7 Ultra currently do not support installing custom watchfaces they only allow installing WFF watchfaces. This restriction is specific to Galaxy Watch 7 devices, i am not sure if sideloading might work but unfortunately this device currently will NOT work with KWCH or any other watchface on the store that is based on the watchface format.

Hi,
I’ve tried 2 methods on my new Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 with Wear OS 5 to install Kwear.

  1. Tried to Sideload Kwear (version 0.01b418415) with KWCH ver. 3.75b410013 (installed first on my Z Fold 6 via the Play Store). I’m using GeminiMan software to sideload. Kwear install shows as Successful. I can even go into the “Select Watch Package to Pull” in GeminiMan app and the org.kustom.watchface" Located at: data/app shows up. More proof that it got added to my watch. At the top of this kustom item it states "


    Unknown Name, the watch WearOS manager is required…"
    What I’ve always done in the past with my Galaxy Watch6 Classic is to go into the add watch face section, scroll down to the bottom where my “downloaded” apps/watch faces appeared and Kwear app would show up so I could Tap on it to complete the installation & set permissions. Kwear no longer shows up anywhere on my watch 7 that I can find…

  2. Next, I cleared cache/data and uninstalled the KWCH app on my phone and deleted the watchfaces sub-folder from the main Kustom folder.
    I went into the Play Store, download/installed KWCH (ver. 3.75b410013), opened KWCH, created a simple watch face (time) tapped the send to watch icon, Selected my new Watch 7.
    Watch opens to the KWCH Kustom Watchface Creator with an error message stating "This app isn’t compatible with your device anymore. Contact the developers for more info.

See attached image…

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Can this be fixed for the new Galaxy Watches?
From what I’ve read, even watches that only upgraded to WearOS 5 might not even work later on. Time frame unknown.

There is nothing I (or any other custom watchface like watchmaker or facer) can do about this, this needs to be fixed by the vendor allowing custom watchface application to be installed. This should not apply to older models @Ace is running kwch on Wear OS 5 just fine (Galaxy 5), this applies only to watches that comes with Wear OS 5 as default

The guys at Facer have a good thread about this

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Thanks for the update. Disappointing for us users of any new WearOS watches. Maybe we need to start a lot of complaining to Google and Samsung…

I really hope Google won’t let so many apps die just like this, I mean it would be ok to have the user accept some warning when installing extra watchfaces like “this might use more battery” but I can’t really understand this approach.

If you can make some noise

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I’m trying to find the best place to complain. Samsung did collaborate with Google on this…
Any ideas where I should rant to Google?

I guess the only way is to complain in their official channels so opening an issue here:

Off course with Facer and the others we are also complaining and seeing if Google can provide a solution.

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