Design principles
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Design media experiences on Wear OS by applying core principles that prioritize
user control and efficiency.
Consistent and predictable
Verify that users don't need to relearn interaction basics from one media UI to
another so that users can control media across different contexts.
Align UI patterns and avoid creating new UIs for common interactions.
Glanceable and critical
Help users complete tasks quickly by elevating critical controls and showing
correct status.
Display critical controls and content in a clear information hierarchy so that
users can control media browsing and playback on their watch.
Reflect the dynamic status, such as the current device volume or the connected
output device.
Quick and consistent
Verify that users can quickly control media on the wrist.
Avoid hidden gestures or interaction patterns that require onboarding and
spatial memory capacity. Provide visual affordances inline that clearly guide
users to additional functionality.
Verify user journeys that involve system and app UI integrate seamlessly to
avoid duplicative screens for users to navigate between surfaces across
contexts.
Common design patterns
The following sections describe common design patterns for media experiences on
Wear OS.
Use the overflow button to provide consistent navigation and more
functionalities.
Don't
Rely on hidden gestures that require users to memorize the navigation.
Do
Provide visible overflow button to guide users to access additional
functionality.
Consistent access to media options
Provide consistent access to functionality across media surfaces and contexts.
Don't
Inconsistent patterns for media controls across media surfaces and contexts
cause user confusion and cognitive load.
Do
Provide consistent patterns across media surfaces and contexts.
Volume control
Use the key volume control interaction such as tap affordance, volume bar, and
hardware controls to make sure critical volume tasks can be done.
Don't
It's confusing when users can't control volume with the hardware.
Do
Let users control the volume with the hardware crown.
Output device
Use an icon that clearly shows users which device they're using to listen to
media playback.
Don't
Icon doesn't reflect where will the sound come from and where to control volume
Do
Reflect the output device status with the indication of volume controls
Extend across devices
Consider cross-device consistency and use existing patterns for more predictable
and consistent user experience.
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Last updated 2025-07-02 UTC.
[[["Easy to understand","easyToUnderstand","thumb-up"],["Solved my problem","solvedMyProblem","thumb-up"],["Other","otherUp","thumb-up"]],[["Missing the information I need","missingTheInformationINeed","thumb-down"],["Too complicated / too many steps","tooComplicatedTooManySteps","thumb-down"],["Out of date","outOfDate","thumb-down"],["Samples / code issue","samplesCodeIssue","thumb-down"],["Other","otherDown","thumb-down"]],["Last updated 2025-07-02 UTC."],[],[],null,["# Design principles\n\nDesign media experiences on Wear OS by applying core principles that prioritize\nuser control and efficiency.\n\nConsistent and predictable\n--------------------------\n\nVerify that users don't need to relearn interaction basics from one media UI to another so that users can control media across different contexts.\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\nAlign UI patterns and avoid creating new UIs for common interactions.\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\nGlanceable and critical\n-----------------------\n\nHelp users complete tasks quickly by elevating critical controls and showing correct status.\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\nDisplay critical controls and content in a clear information hierarchy so that\nusers can control media browsing and playback on their watch.\n\nReflect the dynamic status, such as the current device volume or the connected\noutput device.\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\n### Quick and consistent\n\nVerify that users can quickly control media on the wrist.\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\nAvoid hidden gestures or interaction patterns that require onboarding and\nspatial memory capacity. Provide visual affordances inline that clearly guide\nusers to additional functionality.\n\nVerify user journeys that involve system and app UI integrate seamlessly to\navoid duplicative screens for users to navigate between surfaces across\ncontexts.\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\nCommon design patterns\n----------------------\n\nThe following sections describe common design patterns for media experiences on\nWear OS.\n\n### Overflow button\n\nUse the overflow button to provide consistent navigation and more\nfunctionalities. \n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\n**Don't**\n\nRely on hidden gestures that require users to memorize the navigation.\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\n**Do**\n\nProvide visible overflow button to guide users to access additional\nfunctionality.\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\n### Consistent access to media options\n\nProvide consistent access to functionality across media surfaces and contexts. \n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\n**Don't**\n\nInconsistent patterns for media controls across media surfaces and contexts\ncause user confusion and cognitive load.\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\n**Do**\n\nProvide consistent patterns across media surfaces and contexts.\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\n### Volume control\n\nUse the key volume control interaction such as tap affordance, volume bar, and\nhardware controls to make sure critical volume tasks can be done. \n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\n**Don't**\n\nIt's confusing when users can't control volume with the hardware.\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\n**Do**\n\nLet users control the volume with the hardware crown.\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\n### Output device\n\nUse an icon that clearly shows users which device they're using to listen to\nmedia playback. \n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\n**Don't**\n\nIcon doesn't reflect where will the sound come from and where to control volume\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\n**Do**\n\nReflect the output device status with the indication of volume controls\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\nExtend across devices\n---------------------\n\nConsider cross-device consistency and use existing patterns for more predictable\nand consistent user experience."]]
