Pixel, Galaxy Watch models bugged with watch face issue: What happened

Reportedly, a Wear OS 6 and 6.1 bug is affecting third-party watch faces on Pixel Watch and Galaxy Watch models, causing display overlap issues that make them harder to read

A recent software issue is reportedly affecting smartwatch users running the latest versions of Wear OS. According to an Android Authority report, a bug in Wear OS 6 and 6.1 is causing problems with third-party watch faces on Pixel Watch and Galaxy Watch models, making some watch faces harder to read and impacting basic usability.

 

According to the report, the issue appears after installing Wear OS 6.1 on Pixel Watch devices or Wear OS 6-based One UI 8 Watch on Galaxy Watch models. Users have reportedly shared on Google and Samsung forums that third-party watch faces are not switching correctly between the always-on display (AOD) and the full watch face.

 

 

As reported, when the watch is unlocked, parts of the dimmed AOD layout do not disappear completely. Instead, faded elements remain on the screen and overlap with the normal watch face, making text and other details harder to read. 

 

The report also pointed out that the bug does not appear immediately. Users said it usually starts after a third-party watch face has been in use for some time. Once the issue begins, it can continue until the watch face is changed. Both Google and Samsung are said to be aware of the problem, and a related case has reportedly been listed on Google’s IssueTracker since October.

 

The issue reportedly only affects watch faces downloaded from third-party sources. Watch faces that come pre-installed on the device do not show this behaviour. The problem appears to be linked to changes in Wear OS 6 that affect how the watch switches between AOD mode and the full watch face. 

 

For now, switching from one third-party watch face to another can fix the issue temporarily. However, users have shared that the problem often returns after some time. There is currently no permanent fix, and Google is likely working on an update to address the issue.