You can use any Galaxy Watch with your iPhone

An Apple Watch is usually the wearable device people pair with their iPhone, but Samsung’s Galaxy Watches can also be used with Apple phones. Both wearables offer similar features and functionality, but there are certain categories in which one or the other comes out on top. If you like the design or exclusive features of the Galaxy Watch but love the slimness of your iPhone, you’re in luck.

If you have an older Galaxy Watch model, the process is very simple. Simply use Samsung’s Galaxy Watch app from the iOS App Store to connect your devices. The app lists all compatible models with step-by-step instructions for setting everything up.

If you have a newer Galaxy Watch, things get a little more complicated. Samsung changed the operating system of the Galaxy Watch line to Wear OS a few years ago, which removed official iOS support. Fortunately, there are third-party apps like Merge that can handle pairing instead.

To connect an old Galaxy Watch to your iPhone, download and open the Galaxy Watch app from the App Store. This is a setup service created by Samsung itself, so it’s not a hacky solution like the Apple Watch pairing workarounds for Android phones.

The Galaxy Watch app works for older models, including the Galaxy Watch 3, Galaxy Watch Active, and Galaxy Watch Active 2. Open the app, select your watch model, and follow the on-screen instructions to set everything up. This will even help you troubleshoot if your watch isn’t detected by your phone at first.

If you own a Gear S2, Gear S3, Gear Sport, Gear Live, Gear Fit 2, or Gear Fit 2 Pro, you can’t pair it natively to your iPhone with the Galaxy Watch app. These devices only support Bluetooth connection. You can pair them by following the standard iOS Bluetooth connection steps; just like pairing a Bluetooth speaker.

If you have another model of Samsung Galaxy Watch, you will need to use an app called Merge to connect the device to an iPhone. This is a third-party app that isn’t officially supported by Samsung, but it can connect all major Wear OS watches to an iPhone without much hassle.

To set up your watch with Merge, first download the Merge app on your iPhone. Next, install the Merge app on your Galaxy Watch. Once the app is installed on both devices, open Merge and follow the instructions on both screens. The app will ask for permissions on your phone, then the rest of the installation process will happen on the watch.

There’s one big problem, though: merging requires a subscription. All its fancy features like notifications, phone calls, music playback control, and fitness syncing will cost you $4 per month, or $36 per year for the basic plan. There’s even a “pro” subscription with a few extra features for $6 per month or $60 per year. There is a 14-day free trial period, but you will have to pay once the period is up.