The Galaxy Watch is a powerful wearable device, and to truly unlock its potential, it's essential to install the right apps. While Samsung's Galaxy Watches come with a few pre-installed apps, there are many more that can enhance your experience, improve productivity, and make your life easier. Here's a curated list of 11 essential Galaxy Watch apps that you should consider installing in 2026, along with my personal commentary and analysis.
Strava
Strava is a must-have app for any Android watch owner, and its integration with Galaxy Watches is particularly impressive. With a 60-day free trial offered by Samsung for the Galaxy Watch 9 series and Ultra 2, you can take full advantage of this fitness tracking app. Strava uses your watch's sensors to record activities like cycling, running, and gym workouts, providing clean and easy-to-read stats. What's more, it syncs all your activities to your Strava feed, allowing you to share your progress with friends. The Wear OS version also supports Beacon, a feature that enables live location sharing and emergency text messaging.
AllTrails
AllTrails is a game-changer for hikers, offering navigation and stats right on your wrist. You can search for nearby trails, view your stats, and follow a map to stay on track. The app even allows you to pause, resume, or end your hike, and a green completion ring shows your progress. While offline maps are available, they require a subscription. However, the Wear OS version is not a health tracker; it's primarily for navigation. The Apple Watch version, unfortunately, lacks the ability to display heart rate and pace.
Spotify
Spotify is a music lover's best friend on the Galaxy Watch. With a recent design update, album artwork and playback controls look better, and a discovery section lets you explore your library or search for new music. Spotify Premium users can download songs and podcasts for offline listening, which is incredibly useful during workouts or when your phone is out of reach. The 'Like' feature lets you add new songs to your library, and Spotify Connect seamlessly switches between your watch, phone, and laptop.
Google Keep
Google Keep is a productivity app that becomes even more powerful when paired with the Wear OS version on your Galaxy Watch. Notes sync automatically with your phone, and you can add new ones from the watch app. Voice-to-text input is a game-changer for quick note-taking, especially when you're on the move. Adding a Google Keep tile to your watch face provides instant access, allowing you to create notes or lists without digging through the app list. The Wear OS app received a cleaner layout and larger buttons in 2025, making it even more user-friendly.
Shazam
Shazam's Wear OS app received a major update in 2024, making it a reliable standalone app. It uses your watch's microphone to identify songs, even when offline, and syncs the details to your phone or other devices. This is incredibly useful when you're out and about without your phone, ensuring you can still identify that catchy tune playing around you.
Smart Caddie
Designed for golfers, Smart Caddie offers satellite and aerial mapping of over 40,000 courses worldwide, providing accurate distance estimates. It also handles course targeting, shot tracking, and scorecard input, allowing you to log a full round without constantly pulling out your phone. The app includes watch face themes for personalization, making it a decent substitute for a handheld rangefinder for intermediate golfers.
Audible
Audible lets you listen to audiobooks without your phone, which is a game-changer for commuters or those who want to save mobile data. The Wear OS version allows you to select and download titles for offline playback, and all controls are handled on the wrist. However, keep in mind that listening to audiobooks directly from your Galaxy Watch can drain the battery faster, so it's best suited for shorter sessions.
Wear Casts
Wear Casts is an independent podcast player designed for Wear OS, offering a seamless listening experience on your Galaxy Watch. You can browse, download, and stream episodes, create playlists, and receive notifications for new releases. The app treats your watch as the primary device, making it ideal for those who can't carry their phone everywhere. However, like Audible, it can impact battery life when used extensively.
Citymapper
Citymapper is a public transport app that makes commuting easier, especially in busy cities. The Wear OS version provides live transit directions and step-by-step guidance on your Galaxy Watch, showing bus stop locations, arrival times, and when to get off. It works for various transport modes and syncs directions from your phone. However, availability is limited to major metropolitan areas and select urban regions.
Todoist
Todoist is a productivity app with a simple menu for adding tasks or viewing your inbox, upcoming tasks, and labels. It incorporates natural language processing, allowing you to set specific times for tasks like 'Dinner at 3 p.m.' and receive reminders. The day progress tile shows your completed tasks, and Wear OS complications provide a progress bar or day summary. While the Android and desktop apps offer more features, Todoist is still a great addition to your Galaxy Watch.
SmartThings
SmartThings is Samsung's smart home platform, allowing you to control various devices like lights, TVs, and air conditioners from your Galaxy Watch. The app focuses on quick control rather than setup, letting you view device status, turn them on/off, and run scenes with a few taps. Supported controls include adjusting TV volume, changing light brightness, and setting air conditioner temperature.
In conclusion, these 11 apps cover a wide range of functionalities, from fitness tracking and navigation to media control and productivity. By installing these apps, you can truly maximize the potential of your Galaxy Watch, making your life easier and more efficient in 2026 and beyond.
