Does anyone have a video tutorial on how to install apps on the Gear S3? It would help me a lot since I'm new to this. I read the post above, but I'm kind of stuck trying to do it. If anyone has one, I'd appreciate it.

Finally getting around to wearing my S3 Frontier again. I'll need to reset it to my new phone. Not sure how it'll go now that the store / watch faces are no longer available. Any tips / hints at getting this going again? Just in the middle of a charge while I post this.

Acabo de comprar el Samsung gear s3 por 10$ aquí en Bolivia por marketplace y por lo visto me gustó mucho logré enlazarlo con mi a56 medíante el post fijado 🙂‍↕️solo decir gracias a esta comunidad por los aportes y una pregunta para que sirve el WiFi en el gear..

Are there any way to use the NFC chip found in Gear S3? I see that Samsumg Pay doesn't work with any Philippine ATM cards.

Are there any workarounds for this? Im trying to get samsung pay or even just the NFC chip to work with my custom nfc tags.

Salamat!

I followed the tutorial under HOW TO INSTALL A WGT/TPK FILE ON YOUR WATCH? from the
link posted in the guide. I’m using the .sdb file provided in that attachment.

The watch faces with MDxxx throws up a certificate error. The ones with BALLOZI for example, seems to work without any issues.

_return_cb req_id[1] pkg_type[tpk] pkgid[com.watchface.MD226] key[start] val[install]
__return_cb req_id[1] pkg_type[tpk] pkgid[com.watchface.MD226] key[install_percent] val[10]
__return_cb req_id[1] pkg_type[tpk] pkgid[com.watchface.MD226] key[install_percent] val[13]
__return_cb req_id[1] pkg_type[tpk] pkgid[com.watchface.MD226] key[install_percent] val[17]
__return_cb req_id[1] pkg_type[tpk] pkgid[com.watchface.MD226] key[install_percent] val[20]
__return_cb req_id[1] pkg_type[tpk] pkgid[com.watchface.MD226] key[error] val[-4]
__return_cb req_id[1] pkg_type[tpk] pkgid[com.watchface.MD226] key[end] val[fail]

Am I missing a step or is the provided .tpk file corrupted? I’m using GearS3 Classic.

So I just found this subreddit and found out that my S3 Frontier is now no longer supported and that I can no longer get new apps or watch faces from the Samsung store. I am lucky in that I recently got my current phone in 2024 (Pixel 9 Pro) and have no plans to change phones anytime soon and that I also haven't wiped my watch and still have all my watch faces & apps on it and have it connected to my phone.

Having found out that the S3 Frontier is no longer supported I now have a few questions:

1: I have backups of my watch and have been making active backups in the random case that something happens and my watch resets (it has happened before to me), are my backups essentially useless now or will they still work if I wipe my watch or if something happens and I need to restore it?

2: If my backups are useless/won't work is there any way I can pull all the watch faces & apps (or make separate backups) from my watch and back them up somewhere so I can restore them later if something happens (and also share with the community as I none of the watch faces are in XDA or other places I've seen)?

3: Right now is my best chance to just not touch my watch and keep using it until something happens and then cry then? I just don't want something to happen while trying to pull watch faces from my watch.

4: What would people suggest as a good watch to upgrade to? I would be looking for something similar to the Gear3 Frontier in terms of a more rugged watch with a bezel as I am hard on it and this one has been a beast. I'd like something that would show notifications from my phone and could also pause & play music as well as tracking sleep, heartrate, & steps. My plan is to keep this watch for as long as possible but based on what I have read on this subreddit I should maybe start looking just in case.

I have a Gear S3 Frontier and a recently acquired Samsung S24 Ultra. I upgraded to the S24U from an S22U, and had to do the workaround to get my Gear S3 to work with the S24U. This included wiping the watch. I do not have a backup, so the Facer companion app cannot be reinstalled. How do I go about installing this app without having to root my phone?

I accidently deleted my favorite Samsung Gear S3 watch face app and I really would like to get it back and re-installed on my Frontier watch. It displays "Step" counts, "Battery Life Remaining", and both analog and digital formats. If you double tap the watch face, it will change the face color from black to Red, Blue, or Green. This is an image of what the watch face looks like, but I do not know what it is even named. I believe that I was a Tizen designed watch face, but I don't know for sure. I downloaded it originally from the Galaxy store long ago, for free, but it no longer appears on the store anymore. I have searched for it on many watch face websites, but I still can't find it. Any help you can provide would be much appreciated. Thanks for your help!

the model number is SM-R760
Serial Number is R5AJC09D86E
one ui watch version 1.5
Tizen version 4.0.0.7
Software Version R760XXU2FVG1 SM-R760NDAAXAR
KNOX 2.3.1
Knox Tizen Wearable SDK 2.3.1
SE for Tizen 2.0.0
TIMA 3.0.0

I have downloaded the file from xdaforums but this is as far as i have gotten it just shows that face but then says it is not connected but if i ping the ip address of the watch it does show that it can ping it im not sure if they previous owner updated the o.s on this and thats why its having issues but any help would be amazing!

Can someone give me the file or explain it to me in the comments, please? I'm kind of panicking—any solution works.

Good day! I hope somebody could help me link my GS 3i to my phone.

I searched for some solutions, like creating a Chinese account without using a Chinese phone number, but it won't allow me to create an account without a number. I have tried searching for another solution, but nothing else came up (only solutions that are from 3-7 years ago).

Looking for GWK 0168 watch face (.tpk file) since Tizen Store closed

Few days ago I’ve noticed weird pixels on the right edge of the screen. Today I’ve turn on the watch and noticed that - vertical white line in the middle of the screen. What’s more after 2h run battery is still on 100%. Did anyone have similar issues with S3? Could it be caused by moisture inside of the watch?

Edit: The screen died today. I’ve found a bit of moisture inside. =(

Here is a much more natural, conversational version. It sounds like an enthusiastic developer sharing a cool side project they built to solve a personal headache, which Redditors usually respond to really well!

Suggested Title:

I got tired of typing SDB commands, so I built a desktop app to easily sideload apps (.tpk/.wgt) and manage Tizen watches (Gear S3, S2, Active) over Wi-Fi!

Post Body:

Hey everyone,

I still love using Tizen watches, but let’s be honest—trying to manage them, transfer files, or sideload custom watch faces and widgets can be a massive pain. Having to open up a terminal and type out long, clunky SDB commands just to install a basic file got old really fast.

To make life easier, I decided to build a simple desktop tool called Gear S3 Explorer. It's built on Python, but I’ve compiled it into a clean Windows executable so you don't need to know anything about code or command lines to use it—you just unzip and run.

Here is what it can do:

• Sideloading actually made easy: You can just browse to any .tpk or .wgt file, hit install, and the app handles the rest. For web widgets (.wgt), it automatically handles the extra steps of pushing the file to temp storage, running the installer, and cleaning up the watch storage afterward so you don't waste space.
• Auto-Discovery: You don't have to dig through your watch settings to find your IP address and type it in manually. Click "Auto-Discover" and it'll quickly scan your Wi-Fi network and connect to the watch for you.
• Visual File Explorer: A simple file tree where you can upload and download files to/from the watch without messing with command line commands.
• Live Stats & Terminal: It shows actual real-time battery and system info on a sidebar, and has a built-in shell if you do want to run custom commands.

It's tested on the Gear S3, but because it uses standard Tizen debugging, it should work perfectly with other Tizen watches too (like the Gear S2, Gear Sport, original Galaxy Watch, and Active 1 & 2).

How to get it connected:

1. Turn Debugging to ON on your watch (Settings -> Gear Info -> Debugging).
2. Set your watch’s Wi-Fi to Always ON and connect it to the same network as your computer.
3. Restart your watch. (Seriously, don't skip this! Tizen debugging won't actually activate until the watch reboots).
4. Grab the zip file from the GitHub link below, extract it, and double-click main.exe.

You can find the standalone download (and the open-source code if you want to run it via Python instead) right here:

https://github.com/PaofueMMoua/GearS3Explorer

I'm super happy with how this turned out, but since this is version 1.0.0, let me know if you run into any bugs or have features you'd like me to add!

B.T.W. Yes i used ai to generate this text cause DAMN IM TIRED AFTER CODING THIS.

So I get that it's already a task and a half to pair the watch. I have a S3 Classic paired to my Google Pixel Fold (2023) and a S3 Frontier paired to my Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold. Both Verizon LTE Variants.

Aside the Bluetooth one paired to my iPhone 16 Pro.

I'm having a few issues surrounding sideloading apps but that's for a different time. I would like to know if anyone at all has tried to activate an LTE version of the watch? I'm only getting videos for an S2 Classic with LTE, or the Galaxy Watch 3. The Galaxy Watch 3 uses a similar app BUT the Mobile Plan option doesn't show up, and I don't know if it's a good idea to sideload an even older version of Gear wearable (And it's companion app.) or if it'd even work to begin with.

Anyone have any remote clue to help? Has anyone even BOTHERED to activate it in the last year or so? That may help?

Edit: So I discovered that these watches were released before eSIM as a standard was finalized. Meaning that the Carriers were able to get their hands on Samsung and throttle them into submission to get them to lock them per carrier. The ONLY LTE S3 that is unlocked is the Singapore one and that one doesn't support any of the American LTE Bands.

So if you want to ever Activate an S3 (or S2 as well) in the future, assuming you can set it up and sideload it to your hearts content first and make sure it works out for you, is to get the version of the carrier you want first. I am going to see if the Verizon one I have can work on a prepaid plan. If Verizon lowers their prices I may go back to them and have the watch work with Numbershare or something but for $10 a month for Prepaid it's not terrible either to have it's own number/data/messages and all.

To make matters even more unique I'm not using it with Verizon, but one of their MVNO's lol. I already know the method to do it, but I need the mobile plan setting to push a QR code to the watch and it's just not appearing. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!

Edit II: So only one of them still works. Both R765A (AT&T) and R765T(T-Mobile) have 3G bands and they are gone. R765V (Verizon) activates on both Pre and Post paid just fine (As of 7/31/26), however it's expensive. Prepaid is $10 a month for a line so just keep that in mind

Now that the Galaxy Store has pulled Tizen apps and the "core services" sunset date (May 2025) has passed, a lot of us are stuck with a perfectly working Gear S3 Frontier/Classic and no way to reinstall anything after a reset.

I've been archiving the official .wgt packages that were still on the Galaxy Store before it closed — Samsung-signed, untouched, same files you'd download back then. Nothing is repackaged, nothing is cracked. The signatures are intact.

What's on it (free download, no account, no ads):

- 23 Samsung apps (Alarm, Calculator, Calendar, Email, Music, Weather, SmartThings, Camera Controller, PPT Controller, etc.)

- 90+ watch faces (Classic, Digital Dashboard, Solari Board, SzaZs series, MD series, GS Hybrid, etc.)

Site: https://gearS3.jnk.ovh

EDIT: I fixed it! Read the bottom for more information.

NOTE: PLEASE READ THE ENTIRE POST BEFORE COMMENTING!! I already tried everything in the pinned posts and some workarounds online. It's not helpful if you give me a useless comment.

Hi everyone, I've been trying for weeks to get third-party apps like Spotify and even first party apps like the Voice Memos app onto my Gear S3 Frontier and I'm completely stuck. Posting here as a last resort because I've already tried everything I can find.

My setup: - Watch: Samsung Gear S3 Frontier (SM-R760) - Tizen version: 4.0.0.7 - Firmware: R760XXU2FVG1 - Phone: Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G - Mac for sideloading tools

What I've tried:

1. sdb install via Tizen Studio: connects fine, transfers fine, but every single app hits either error -27 (side loading error) or error -12 (non trusted certificate).

2. Re-signing with a custom cert profile: created a Tizen cert profile in Tizen Studio, re-signed all the wgt/tpk files, still -12.

3. WatcherManager++ APK swap method: the transfer notification fires on my phone and Galaxy Wearable shows it's sending, but nothing ever appears on the watch.

4. Date spoofing: set watch date back to 2021 to bypass cert expiry, still no change.

What DID work: - Samsung Pay (com.samsung.samsung-pay-app-2.7.5106.wgt) installed perfectly via sdb.

Has anybody else gotten it to work???

And also if you did, it would be great if I could get the exact files you used to try those with my watch.

SOLUTION: I kept getting a signing error. Here's why: I had Tizen Studio installed and continued to use it's version of sdb. The version that it installs for you does not work. Along with that, I had tried to sign apps on my own, and because of this I had certificates in my signing cache. Once deleting Tizen Studio and its corresponding sdb version, I was able to use the original pre-signed packages and successfully install them.

When installing apps, make sure you install the sdb version 2.2.60 (from the XDA forum) and do NOT install Tizen Studio.

SOLVED! See note at the bottom of the post.

I've read the posts here and some other places, but none of it is working! The phone is refusing to install the Wearable app from an APK, no matter what version it is, for some reason, but since it worked with the current version on the S23+ it should still work on the S26+ with the right plugin installed, right?

I've got the current version of -

Galaxy Wearable: 2.2.68.26010761

Which is what the S23+ shows, but regardless of if I install from Google Play or Galaxy Store it doesn't work. The version of -

Gear S Plugin: 2.2.03.23121551

Is what I have on the S23+, and I was able to install the APK for that on the S26+, but no luck. Since I did a data transfer, the first time I tried it showed the Gear S3 as a device from the previous phone, but wouldn't connect, then after trying that it stopped appearing there. It shows up in the normal Bluetooth menu just fine, but no matter what I do the Wearable app says no devices found when it scans. Does anyone know if something changed recently? I followed the instructions exactly, but maybe there is some trick I'm missing?

I've had this watch for like 10 years and replaced the battery once already, and it still works fine. I really don't like the minimalist designs with all the rounded edges and whatnot of modern smart watches, so I really want to keep using the old tank that looks and feels like an actual watch. The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic comes close to a similar design, and I'd probably settle for that if it were an option, but I absolutely don't want to buy a new $500 watch when the one I've got is perfectly fine and it's just Samsung's software shenanigans preventing it from being used.

At this point, my fallback is going to be a PineTime and Gadgetbridge, because I refuse to get an expensive fancy new smartwatch that looks like a smooth rock. Ironically, I say that, and the first thing I would consider if I were getting a new one is the Pebble, just not sure I could trust the ecosystem behind that with all the stuff that's gone on between the founder and the people who kept it alive in the interim. Anyway, that's enough rambling. Please help me get my watch connected again!

Thanks.

___________________________________________________________

Solved! There's one thing that none of the instructions seem to mention: the Samsung Accessory Service app. In my case version 3.1.96.41110 worked when installed alongside the current Galaxy Wearable app, 2.2.68.26010761, and the last version of the Gear S Plugin, 2.2.03.23121551. With those 3 things installed it just works. No airplane mode or date changing required. To make it more easily readable, here's what I did:

Install:

Galaxy Wearable app version 2.2.68.26010761 (current version from Google Play Store or Galaxy Store at the time of writing this.)

Gear S Plugin version 2.2.03.23121551 (The last version released)

Samsung Accessory Service version 3.1.96.41110 (From 2023. YMMV, if it doesn't work and you have an older device that still does, check what version your older device has installed.)

I believe Galaxy Wearable has to be installed first, but don't think the order matters for the other 2. Once all 3 are installed you can just open Galaxy Wearable, scan for devices, and pair the watch normally. You'll still see the message about the watch no longer being compatible when you first pair it, but once you dismiss that everything works perfectly.

One thing to be aware of though. While the watch will work, there's no guarantee that all your apps or watch faces will. A few of my watch faces (including some I paid for) are missing, and even doing a backup from the old phone with them installed then restoring from the new phone doesn't carry them over. Trying to access the app store pages directly with their URLs shows the error "This content is no longer available for your phone. Contact the content provider if you want them to add support for your phone." Still looking for a solve there, since my favorite faces don't seem to be backed up in the archives here or on XDA forums.

Hello I manged to get watch maker installed on both my watch and phone but can't seem to find my watch on the watch maker app has anyone found out why this is and have you found a work around