9 Exciting Features and Tips of Samsung One UI 5 Watch Update

Samsung has released One UI 5 for its Galaxy Watch series, bringing some great improvements and handy new features.

This major update is now rolling out for the Galaxy Watch 4, Galaxy Watch 5, and Galaxy Watch 6 series.

In this guide, we'll walk you through some of the most useful capabilities you can take advantage of with the latest One UI 5 update.

Check Connected Device Batteries with the New Widget

One UI 5 offers a super-convenient new battery widget that gives you at-a-glance status for your Galaxy ecosystem gadgets.

Swipe to this widget and immediately see current battery levels for your watch, phone, earbuds and more – all without needing to go into separate apps.

To switch this on, open the Galaxy Wearable phone app and enable the Battery tile under Connected Devices.

Once enabled, swipe left on your watch home screens to access it.

Control Your Watch Entirely Through Gestures

An awesome addition in One UI 5 is the introduction of Universal Gestures that allow you to navigate your watch interface completely without touch.

Assign actions like tap, back, select, and so on to various hand motions. For example, make a fist to confirm a selection.

Turn this on by going to Settings > Accessibility > Interaction and Dexterity > Universal Gestures on your watch.

Take your time learning each gesture through the built-in tutorial.

Organize Apps by Grouping Into Folders

Tidy up your Galaxy Watch app list by bundling related apps together into folders.

Simply long-press an icon, then drag and drop it onto another to automatically create a folder containing both.

Customize by giving your folder a descriptive name and picking a color.

Run Multiple Countdown Timers At Once

The updated Timer app lets you run up to 20 simultaneous countdown timers – super handy when you’re juggling tasks in the kitchen or workspace.

Swipe to the new Timer quick access tile, where you'll find three predefined timers ready to start.

Tap the + icon to create additional custom timers.

Display Photo Albums and Stories As Dynamic Watch Faces

One UI 5 brings new customization options for watch faces, including the ability to use local photo albums and stories as animated backdrops.

Pick an album and your watch will randomly cycle through images each time the screen wakes.

Enable this from the Galaxy Wearable phone app's Watch Face section by selecting the Photos style.

Tap Customize, then Background and choose a recent album or story to pull pictures from.

Instantly Switch to Voice Typing Mid-Text

Speed up replying to messages by seamlessly switching between typing and dictating text.

If you're using the default Samsung keyboard, long press the Home key to toggle voice input – allowing you to verbalize your responses.

Remember this only works with the Samsung keyboard set as default, and when the Home button is configured to summon Bixby.

Build Custom Exercises Missing From Samsung Health

Don't see your specific workout type listed in Samsung Health? One UI 5 finally allows you to create customized exercises tailored to your needs.

Open the app on your paired phone, select More under the Exercise tab, then tap the + button.

Name your exercise, choose what metrics to record like GPS route, and save it to start tracking.

Hide Connection Status Icons

Many users aren't fans of the connectivity icons that pop up when your watch loses its paired phone connection.

If you find them annoying, use the One UI 5 toggle for hiding these status indicators after 2 seconds.

Access this in the Galaxy Wearable app under Watch Settings > Advanced Features > Status Indicators. Choose the new Hide after 2 seconds option.

Seamlessly Transfer Your Watch to a New Phone

Switching to a new phone no longer means resetting your watch. One UI 5 introduces the ability to pair your Galaxy Watch with another handset without losing your data, apps and preferences.

As long as your new phone uses the same Google account, it will transfer over after following the on-screen confirmation prompts. This is clearly in alignment with and an extension of the Samsung's seamless device integration.

Conclusion

Keep an eye out for even more handy features rolling out in future One UI 5 updates.

Check back regularly for our in-depth guides covering all the latest Galaxy watch tips and tricks for customization, health tracking, messaging, and more.