SIDELOAD LIBRARY
COMPATIBLE WITH GALAXY WATCH 5
APKMIRROR
Note: Considering taking down the GDrive links soon. They served their purpose and have been getting complaints about broken GDrive links. The apkmirror links are available here as well as the version numbers to do your own search for the APK if needed. Also, since Galaxy Watch 5 uses the same architecture and framework, everything here will be just as applicable.
Google Assistant GO v2.8 (ApkMirror):
OFFICIAL GOOGLE ASSISTANT NOW AVAILABLE FOR GALAXY WATCH
Google GO v1.7 (ApkMirror): Best way to use this is as a portal to quickly perform Google Searches and open links in your default browser. It can display quick search results without having to open any links (Weather, Dictionary, Tracking, Etc). It's essentially a stripped down version of the Google App. Newer versions will open links using a Chromium style browser which will crash on your watch unless you also have the Chrome browser app installed (listed below). Older versions will launch links in your default browser app.
Google Chrome for GW4 (XDA)(Google Drive): This version of Chrome is listed in the XDA Google Assistant for GW4 Mega-Thread. It works well Sideloaded but I'm not sure if it's just an older version or also modded to not crash on GW4. This is my go-to personally.
Messenger Lite v18 (ApkMirror): Fully functional Facebook Messenger. If you use Facebook Messenger regularly, this app is a mandatory must have on watch!
Facebook Messenger (Wear OS) (ApkMirror): This is the official Facebook Messenger Wear OS plugin that comes preloaded on some brands that use Wear OS (Not Samsung). It's extremely lightweight and offers a very nice interface designed for watches when you tap "Open App" from a received Messenger notification. It's a convenience that you can install and then forget... It's difficult to explain but I use this and the Messenger Lite app listed above since this is only a plugin that operates as a system app with limited functionality but it's the best at what it does.
Facebook Lite v49 (ApkMirror): This version works exceptionally well. No bottom bar blocking screen and includes dark mode. It even has it's native Messenger interface that looks amazing and gives you the option to load Messenger Lite or stay in the app. You don't even need Messenger Lite if you have this app and don't mind a couple extra taps to get there. Includes Marketplace, News Feed, profile editing, and all the other features you care about without the ones you don't.
YouTube Go v1.22.54 (ApkMirror): Found a YouTube app that's 100% functional and looks AMAZING! The version I posted works excellent compared to others I tried. It's almost like it was designed for round screens. Also verified that it has no problem playing videos.
Google News v5.5 (ApkMirror): Compared to what's available on the Play Store, this app has no competition. The display isn't perfect but you'll have no problems accessing all content within the app. Several versions don't work but I posted and included a version of Google News that verified does work.
Google Translator (Google Drive): This is the old Translator app that used to come installed on Google Wear OS watches. It works perfectly. Very hard to find.
Google Home v2.7.21.2 (ApkMirror):
UPDATE: Official Google Home app now available on Wear OS Play store in "Pre-Install" as of 10/6/22. Stable should be out soon.
Google Files Go v1.0.19 (ApkMirror): Excellent file manager for your watch that includes an app manager, automatic junk removal, and cache cleaning. You will have to lower your DPI to dismiss the initial dialog upon installing the app. Newer versions work too with more features at the expense of performance and visibility.
Wear Mail (Watch) (Phone): This is an older standalone/companion email client designed for Wear OS that's available on the mobile Play Store but not Wear OS Play Store. It's the best email client available Wear OS and includes syncing to Gmail and several others. It can do all the basic email functions you'd expect for an email app including sending emails from watch UI.
Working Wear Apps By Appfour
Cloud Access Disabled For All Apps Below
Wear Messages
Wear Photos
Wear Videos
Wear Calendar
Wear Documents
Gallery Go (ApkMirror): Lite version of Google photos for easy offline management and editing of your photos and videos. This does not sync photos between your devices. Only download if you store photos on your watch. Note: Wear Photos works better and is located within the Sideload library!
Spotify MOL (Google Drive): A modded Spotify Lite version. I've tried several modded Spotify apps and this is the best one I've found. It can play anything from your Spotify premium account directly from your watch as a standalone. You don't need your mobile device at all.
GW4 Remap (Download): This app is new to the scene by XDA user BigBoot93 and packs a huge punch that I think ya'll are gonna want. With the release of this app, we can now Remap the Bixby and/or Samsung Pay shortcuts to Google Assistant Go or Google Pay respectively. That's right! How it works is when you long press the hardware button, the app of your choice will override the built in app and launch over it. For the Bixby shortcut, it's highly recommended you change your settings to open the power menu instead of Bixby when long pressed. Then configure the app to launch Google Assistant whenever the Power Menu is shown. It's the best option for overriding Bixby hardware. This should help until Google releases an official version of GA for Wear OS 3.0. Update: Ultimate Alexa was just added to the list of configurable apps. Big Font
Source: GitHub | XDA
Recommended By: puredp1 - Thanks!
Discord v40.8 (ApkMirror): Works good enough to use on watch but it isn't ideal for round screens given it's layout. This is fully functional if you're patient enough to mess with it.
Instagram Lite v200+ (ApkMirror): Old versions crash. It doesn't look the greatest but it's fully functional. The problem is that the bottom status bar covers 20-25% of the display with blank white space for some absurd reason. Unless you use Instagram often there's no reason to bother with this.
User Recommendations: Google Voice and Google Hangouts (Have not tried personally so I don't know).
NOTE: You can lower your font size to optimum viewing by using the following ADB command: adb shell settings put system font_scale 0.80
---Can replace 0.80 with any number. Normal size font uses 1.00.
Apps Used For Side Loading
Bugjaeger (Link): My personal favorite. Good for any ADB related action that you could possibly need for side loading including bundled installation. Do not prefix commands with "adb".
Easy Fire Tools (Link): Basically the same thing as Bugjaeger with a multitude of other features that could be considered useful or useless depending on the user.
Wear Installer (Link): Good app for quickly extracting the companion Wear OS apk from the mobile companion APK since several outdated apps aren't included in the Wear OS Play Store. Can save the APK or install directly on your watch. No command input functions however.
--
Using ADB Commands To Sideload--
Change DPIadb wm density xxx
Display Current DPIadb wm density
Reset DPIadb wm density reset
Install Appadb -e install <filename.apk>
Uninstall Appadb pm uninstall -k --user 0 <package_name>
Customize Font Sizeadb shell settings put system font_scale x.xx
OLD vs NEW
The Best place to download various versions of ANY apk is ApkMirror. Some APK versions have multiple variants available. Only armeabi-v7a "Arch" types work on Galaxy Watches. The reason newer versions of apk's developed for mobile phones don't work is because most newer versions use armabi-v8a arch types for compatibility with newer models. However, Galaxy Watch 4 doesn't support v8a. For DPI, use nodpi for best results. Super old versions of an APK have a high likelihood of no longer working with any device due to outdated files, authentication, or security protocols. Test it on your phone first. Just bounce around the hundreds of available versions available for most major apps until you find one that works. Newer versions have more features (which may or may not work), but older versions have a more fluid and visible interface on watches. If you're trying to use an app that uses WebViews or Chrome Custom Tabs, it will crash on watches unless you install the chrome browser app I listed above which gives your watch the ability to use Chrome Custom Tabs.
DISCLAIMER
I did not create or develop any of the application content within this thread, nor am I in association with any of the developers that did. There is absolutely no monetary compensation for myself regarding anything in this post. My intent was to create a free public library of available content for Galaxy Watch 4 because I knew it would be useful. Everything here has been tested by myself by searching high and low for the best apps I could find and testing each one extensively on my own GW4. I experimented with various versions of each apk to confirm the best compatibility. I'm simply putting together a library of what I confirmed works good enough to sideload. If you know any other apps that aren't included in this list, please share below!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Please check the comments of this thread before asking a question. A lot of FAQ are available within thread already so please help reduce bloat so other members can find the content they need.
