iPhone not changing Apple Watch photo face

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iPhone not changing Apple Watch photo face

I want to change the photos in my Apple Watch face. I have to do this using the watch app on my iPhone. I’ve tried deleting the face and creating new ones and just changing the pictures in it. Nothing changes it on the watch. I’ve turned off Bluetooth and reconnected. I’ve done the resync of data. I’ve even unpaired and repaired them together. If I create a face on my watch it shows in the app but if I make any changes to anything in the app my watch doesn’t reflect. What else can I try at this point?

Posted on Dec 6, 2023 7:05 PM

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Answer 1

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Ingo2711

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Dec 7, 2023 12:19 PM in response to Baseballgirlie

Are those photos saved on your iPhone or part of iCloud Photos and you have the option turned on to optimise the used space for photos on your iPhone, so that only previews are part of your photo library?

I have created a special album just for my Photo Watch face, where all photos are stored locally. I'm not using the iCloud Photo option.

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Answer 2

Dec 8, 2023 12:17 AM in response to Baseballgirlie

If the photos do not have the little could icon next to them, they are locally saved on your iPhone:

Download iCloud photos and videos - Apple Support

Since the Watch App can't install any watch faces on your watch, have you been able to do that in the past?

Which Apple watch do you use?

Which watchOS and iOS Version?

Do you have more than one Apple Watch listen in the WatchApp?

Can you change any other settings on your watch, using the WatchApp on the phone? For example the AppView, which should reflect immediately on your watch.

Did you try to reinstall the WatchApp on your iPhone?

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Answer 3

Dec 9, 2023 2:45 AM in response to Baseballgirlie

Since it worked in the past, this could be software related, and you will have to wait until Apple releases the new official iOS / watchOS versions in the near future.

One more thing to try:

Did you try to unpair your Apple Watch and set it up again after that as a new device, instead to using the latest backup?

Unpair and erase your Apple Watch - Apple Support

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Answer 4

Dec 7, 2023 1:28 AM in response to Baseballgirlie

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are enabled on the Apple Watch and the iPhone?

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Answer 5

Dec 7, 2023 12:42 PM in response to Ingo2711

They are on iCloud.

How do I make that album only locally stored?

it doesn’t appear to just be photo faces that’s the issue. If I add a different watch face from my phone that’s non photo it still doesn’t show on my watch as existing.

I just want the photos one which then is not able to be customized enough from just the watch, of course.

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Answer 6

Dec 8, 2023 7:14 PM in response to Ingo2711

Yes it worked fine in the past. I’ve had this face on it for probably 8-10 months now.

I have an SE watch.

It’s on 10.1.1 and my IPhone 14 Pro Max is on 17.1.2.

Only one watch linked to it. It does change app views immediately when I try that.

I unpaired and deleted the app and put it all back and it changed to a watch face from my phone when I tested it so I changed the photos on it again to the new ones I want and it won’t work anymore. So it started to work but never made it there and then won’t respond to face changes from my phone at all again.

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Answer 7

Dec 7, 2023 11:41 AM in response to Ingo2711

Yes. I’ve even turned them both off and both back on to reset those connections and that doesn’t help

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iPhone not changing Apple Watch photo face

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