New Pixel Watch update brings “Always-On” screen option

Wear OS 5.1 is here for the Pixel Watch, and it includes a cool new feature for developers called “Force Global Always-On Display (AOD).” Most apps on Wear OS still don’t work with the always-on screen, but this update changes things a bit.

Since Wear OS 3, only a few apps—like Google Maps for directions, Keep for notes, and Spotify for music—stay active when the screen is always on. For most other apps, when you lower your wrist, the screen blurs and just shows the time. Now, with Wear OS 5.1, this new developer option keeps your last app screen visible even when your wrist is down. The display dims and the text looks chunkier, but it stays usable—similar to how your watch face works.

For example, if you’re using the Stopwatch, it keeps counting instead of switching to a blurry clock. This is different from the usual setup, where the screen hides the app. To turn this on, go to Settings > System > About > Versions, and tap “Build number” a few times. After entering your PIN, you’ll see “Developer options” at the bottom of the Settings menu. Scroll to the end, and you’ll find “Force Global AOD Experience.” This works on the Pixel Watch 2 and likely the Pixel Watch 3, too.

There’s a catch—leaving this on might drain your battery faster, so think about that before using it. It’s not clear if this will ever be a regular feature for everyone. A smarter fix would be for app makers to update their apps to support always-on screens. Google could lead the way by fixing their own apps first.
This update makes the Pixel Watch more fun to use, but it’s up to you if the battery trade-off is worth it!