How To Change Watch Faces On Garmin Vivoactive 5 | Tap Steps

You can switch Garmin vívoactive 5 watch faces in a few taps on the watch, then edit layout, colors, and data fields to fit your daily use.

If you just got a Garmin vívoactive 5, changing the watch face is one of the best first tweaks. You see that screen all day, so the right layout can make the watch easier to read.

You can change the face right on the watch. You do not need your phone for built-in options. You can also edit many faces, create a custom one, and add extra faces from Garmin’s Connect IQ store.

This article walks through switching preloaded faces, editing what shows on screen, adding new ones, and fixing common issues.

Changing Garmin Vivoactive 5 Watch Faces On The Watch

For most people, this is the fastest route. Start from your current watch face screen. Press and hold the lower button to open the menu, then tap Watch Face. Swipe right or left to move through the available faces. Tap the one you want, and the watch sets it as active.

Garmin’s vívoactive 5 manual lists the same basic path in its watch face settings section, which is handy if you want the official step list while you follow along on your wrist. You can check Garmin’s vívoactive 5 watch face instructions for the exact menu wording.

What You Need Before You Start

You only need the watch and a charged battery. If the touchscreen is wet or your fingers are damp, dry the screen first. Missed taps are common when the display has moisture on it.

Start on the watch face screen before holding the button. If you start from a widget or app, the menu can look different.

Step-By-Step Tap Sequence

1. Wake the watch and return to the current watch face.
2. Press and hold the lower button.
3. Tap Watch Face.
4. Swipe left or right through the available faces.
5. Tap a face to apply it.

That is the whole switch process for built-in faces. If all you wanted was a new look, you can stop there. If you want better readability, data on the face, or color changes, keep going.

How To Change Watch Faces On Garmin Vivoactive 5 With Better Readability

A watch face changes what you can read at a glance. A runner may want steps, battery, and heart rate. A workday setup may favor date, calendar, and weather.

Pick your face based on the moment you use the watch most. Bright AMOLED screens can show a lot, yet tiny text gets annoying if you check the watch while walking, driving, or lifting. Bigger numbers and fewer fields often win in real use.

Pick A Face By Use Case

Use a simple digital face if you want quick time checks. Use a data-heavy face if you like seeing progress all day. Use an analog face when you want a classic look and only a few stats.

Try each one for a full day. A face that looks nice in the menu can feel crowded later.

Editing A Watch Face You Already Like

Many preloaded faces can be edited. Go to the same watch face menu, swipe to a face, then tap the edit icon when it appears. You can change style parts such as colors, markers, and data fields on supported faces. Some faces do not allow edits, so the edit icon may be absent.

When the watch shows a white border around a field, that border marks a spot you can change. Tap the field, scroll through the options, and choose what you want shown there.

Creating A Custom Face Instead Of Editing One

The vívoactive 5 also lets you build a custom face from templates. In the watch face menu, swipe until you reach the plus icon, then choose a face type. You can select a background, dial style, markers, accent color, and data fields. When you press the upper button to save, the watch sets that new face as active.

Use this path if stock layouts feel close but not right.

Watch Face Options Compared Before You Commit

Use this table to pick a route before you start tapping around menus.

Option	What It Gives You	Best Time To Use It
Switch Preloaded Face	Fast visual change with no setup work	You want a fresh look in under a minute
Edit Preloaded Face	Adjust colors, markers, and some data fields	You like the base style but want cleaner info
Create Custom Face	Choose layout pieces and field content from scratch	Stock faces feel close but not right
Connect IQ Face	More styles and layouts from Garmin’s app store	You want designs beyond what ships on the watch
Minimal Digital Layout	Large time readout and less clutter	You check time while moving or in dim rooms
Data-Rich Layout	More stats on one screen	You track progress and battery all day
Analog Layout	Classic style with fewer visual blocks	You want a dressier everyday look
Saved Rotation Habit	Switching between two favorite faces by routine	You use one face for workouts and one for work

Adding More Watch Faces From Garmin Connect IQ

If you want more than the built-in set, use Garmin’s Connect IQ store. It includes watch faces, apps, and widgets for compatible devices. You browse on your phone, install a face, then sync it to the watch.

Garmin lists watch faces and other downloads on its official store page. The Connect IQ Store is the official source for these downloads.

How To Install A Connect IQ Watch Face

1. Open the Connect IQ Store app on your phone.
2. Sign in with your Garmin account if asked.
3. Find a watch face that supports the vívoactive 5.
4. Tap install or download.
5. Sync the watch in Garmin Connect if the face does not appear right away.
6. On the watch, open the Watch Face menu and select the new face.

Some Connect IQ faces have their own settings page in the phone app. Check app settings if the face looks wrong at first.

Built-In Vs Connect IQ Faces

Built-in faces are usually easier on battery. Connect IQ faces can offer more layouts and data, yet some need extra setup. Try one at a time so you can spot changes in battery use or screen clarity.

Common Problems When The Watch Face Will Not Change

Most failures come from small things: the tap did not register, the watch was on the wrong screen, or the face was not saved.

You Tap A Face And It Jumps Back To The Old One

Tap the center of the face preview, not the edge of the screen. Then pause for a second. If nothing changes, leave the menu and re-open it once. A quick restart also clears menu glitches.

If the issue happens with a Connect IQ face, sync the watch again and check that the install finished. Partial installs can show the face name without a working file behind it.

Edit Icon Is Missing

That face may not support editing. Swipe to another face and look again. Garmin includes both editable and fixed designs, so this is normal behavior.

Custom Face Looks Different After Save

This usually happens when a field is left on a default value you did not mean to keep. Open the edit screen again and move through each field one by one. The white border helps you spot each editable area.

Touchscreen Feels Unresponsive In The Menu

Dry the screen, remove gloves, and slow your swipe speed. Fast swipes can skip past faces and make it feel like the menu is lagging. If the watch is busy syncing, wait for sync to finish, then try again.

Quick Troubleshooting Checks For Faster Fixes

Run this checklist before resetting anything.

Problem	What To Try	What Usually Happens Next
New face does not appear	Sync watch and reopen Watch Face menu	Installed face shows up after sync completes
Tap does not apply face	Tap center of preview and pause	Watch returns to face screen with new design active
Edit option missing	Try a different face	Editable faces show the edit icon
Menu feels stuck	Restart watch, then retry	Menu input returns to normal
Connect IQ face fails after install	Resync and check phone app settings	Face loads or shows required setup options

Best Setup Habits After You Change The Face

Once you get a face you like, spend two more minutes tuning it.

Choose Data Fields You Actually Check

If you never read a field, replace it. Battery, date, steps, and heart rate are common picks. Weather and calendar are useful too, though the best set depends on what you glance at during your day.

Fewer fields can make the screen easier to read. A packed face may look smart in a still image and feel messy on your wrist.

Test Brightness And Color Contrast

Pick a color that keeps the time readable indoors and outdoors. Dark backgrounds with clean contrast often work well on AMOLED screens.

Keep One Backup Face

Save one simple face you trust, then keep your custom or Connect IQ face as your main setup. If a new face acts up after an update or sync issue, you can switch back in seconds and move on with your day.

What To Do If You Still Cannot Change The Face

If none of the steps above works, restart the watch and phone, then sync again. Check for watch software updates in Garmin Connect. Next, try a built-in face first, then test a Connect IQ face.

If the menu path looks different, Garmin may have changed labels in a software update. The official pages help you match the current wording on your model and region.

Once the process clicks, changing watch faces on the Garmin vívoactive 5 becomes a short routine. Start with a preloaded face, tune the fields you read most, then add Connect IQ faces when you want a fresh style or a different data layout.