How to Sideload Apks onto Android Wear Watch

[shawndak]

I have been looking how to do this for a day now with no luck. All the other applications seem to be for early Android wear versions less than 2.0 or Android 5.1.1 or less.
Option 1 (Faster)
1: Install ADB on your computer. https://www.xda-developers.com/install-adb-windows-macos-linux/
2: Enable Developer Options on your wear watch. https://xdaforums.com/android-wear/development/guide-how-to-connect-adb-wifi-t3368602
3: Make sure bluetooth is off, wifi on and connected to same network as laptop.
4: Turn on debug over wifi option in developer options and wait for it to show your IP.
5: On windows, make sure platform tools are on the main drive. Ex (C
6: Copy your APK files into the same folder.
7: Inside the folder, press shift and right click. Then press "open with CMD here or powershell"
8:Type .\adb connect 192.168.0.5:5555 (use your own IP, not the ex)
9: Once connected type .\adb install facebook.apk (type in your own APK name, not the ex)
10: Wait for success, and app should be on watch

FYI some computers do not need the .\adb, just type adb

Option 2 (Slower)
* Prerequisites:
1: Computer
2: Cord to connect your phone.

Tested and works with Lineage OS Android Nougat 7.1 and Android wear 2.7 on Verizon Wear24 watch
All the credit goes to the youtuber that created the video, I'm just passing along the information.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1g77uIGxvcs

http://www.mediafire.com/file/8936ojtv5axl73g/Android+Wear+Sideloader.zip

https://www.apkmirror.com/

Follow the steps listed in the Start.bat, do not run as Admin.

The APK must be loaded into the main folder, not the app folder.

Currently installed Facebook Lite, tested and works.
Opera Mini opens but force closes after a few seconds.

 

[shawndak]

You may need to open the start.bat twice if it doesnt load the localhost (watch) the first time.

Just a heads up the installation transfers APKS at 51 KB/s, slow! Takes about 2 minutes for a 5mb apk.

 

[agonzalez1010]

Can this be done without the need for an Android Phone? I use an odd couple (iPhone 7 Plus with a Ticwatch E). I have access to Android via a tablet only...

 

[shawndak]

Can this be done without the need for an Android Phone? I use an odd couple (iPhone 7 Plus with a Ticwatch E). I have access to Android via a tablet only...

The first option requires a computer and the watch only!

 

[nagelo]

I have been looking how to do this for a day now with no luck. All the other applications seem to be for early Android wear versions less than 2.0 or Android 5.1.1 or less.
Option 1 (Faster)
1: Install ADB on your computer. https://www.xda-developers.com/install-adb-windows-macos-linux/
2: Enable Developer Options on your wear watch. https://xdaforums.com/android-wear/development/guide-how-to-connect-adb-wifi-t3368602
3: Make sure bluetooth is off, wifi on and connected to same network as laptop.
4: Turn on debug over wifi option in developer options and wait for it to show your IP.
5: On windows, make sure platform tools are on the main drive. Ex (C
6: Copy your APK files into the same folder.
7: Inside the folder, press shift and right click. Then press "open with CMD here or powershell"
8:Type .\adb connect 192.168.0.5:5555 (use your own IP, not the ex)
9: Once connected type .\adb install facebook.apk (type in your own APK name, not the ex)
10: Wait for success, and app should be on watch

FYI some computers do not need the .\adb, just type adb

Option 2 (Slower)
* Prerequisites:
1: Computer
2: Cord to connect your phone.

Tested and works with Lineage OS Android Nougat 7.1 and Android wear 2.7 on Verizon Wear24 watch
All the credit goes to the youtuber that created the video, I'm just passing along the information.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1g77uIGxvcs

http://www.mediafire.com/file/8936ojtv5axl73g/Android+Wear+Sideloader.zip

https://www.apkmirror.com/

Follow the steps listed in the Start.bat, do not run as Admin.

The APK must be loaded into the main folder, not the app folder.

Currently installed Facebook Lite, tested and works.
Opera Mini opens but force closes after a few seconds.

Thx for explanation. Any clue how i can also sideload the setting of an app to wear?

 

[shawndak]

Thx for explanation. Any clue how i can also sideload the setting of an app to wear?

No clue!

 

[pug1gaming]

You may need to open the start.bat twice if it doesnt load the localhost (watch) the first time.

Just a heads up the installation transfers APKS at 51 KB/s, slow! Takes about 2 minutes for a 5mb apk.

really late, but mine transferred at 555KB/s, (so close to being 6s) but yeah, pretty slow

 

[hotplex]

I came across this error when following the first option. Any advice?


error: more than one device/emulator
adb: error: failed to get feature set: more than one device/emulator
- waiting for device -
error: more than one device/emulator

 

[schuetzi13]

Another method

Hey first of all I want to say thanks for your tutorial.
I found another method for sideloading your apps to your Wear OS watch.

It's my preferred method because you need no PC.

There is this apps called Apps2Fire it's made for sideloading apps to an Amazon fire TV, but if you enter the IP address of your watch and enable ADB over Wi-Fi you can sideload all apps installed on your phone or any .apk stored at your phone directly to your watch.

For me, this is the easiest way for sideloading, and it would be cool if you can add it to your tutorial.

Tutorial:
1. Install Apps2Fire on your Phone
2. Open the app and go to Setup,
3. Enter the IP of your watch/ or tap on network and let it search for your watch
4. Tap in the upper right corner on the Upload Symbol and chose your .apk and tap on it and then on install.
5. Enjoy

 

[rapporciento]

How can I extract an application installed on the watch?

 

[raider_john]

I came across this error when following the first option. Any advice?


error: more than one device/emulator
adb: error: failed to get feature set: more than one device/emulator
- waiting for device -
error: more than one device/emulator

I had the same problem - it was because my AVD was still running from Android Studio. Once I closed that and ran the command again, it worked fine.

 

[ecompton59]

would thet be wrong adb. most don't set a path in variables on Windows they will have issues for Windows would this be better fastboot too thanks great work glad people are working on wear

---------- Post added at 02:12 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:11 PM ----------

would thet be wrong adb. most don't set a path in variables on Windows they will have issues for Windows would this be better fastboot too thanks great work glad people are working on wear https://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2588979

 

[lindser112]

please help! error

i tried sideloading with adb. i got the watch to connect but when i tried to install the apk i got this error:
adb: failed to install gv.apk: Failure [INSTALL_FAILED_NO_MATCHING_ABIS: Failed to extract native libraries, res=-113]
what am i doing wrong? please help!!! thank you
lindsay

I have been looking how to do this for a day now with no luck. All the other applications seem to be for early Android wear versions less than 2.0 or Android 5.1.1 or less.
Option 1 (Faster)
1: Install ADB on your computer. https://www.xda-developers.com/install-adb-windows-macos-linux/
2: Enable Developer Options on your wear watch. https://xdaforums.com/android-wear/development/guide-how-to-connect-adb-wifi-t3368602
3: Make sure bluetooth is off, wifi on and connected to same network as laptop.
4: Turn on debug over wifi option in developer options and wait for it to show your IP.
5: On windows, make sure platform tools are on the main drive. Ex (C
6: Copy your APK files into the same folder.
7: Inside the folder, press shift and right click. Then press "open with CMD here or powershell"
8:Type .\adb connect 192.168.0.5:5555 (use your own IP, not the ex)
9: Once connected type .\adb install facebook.apk (type in your own APK name, not the ex)
10: Wait for success, and app should be on watch

FYI some computers do not need the .\adb, just type adb

Option 2 (Slower)
* Prerequisites:
1: Computer
2: Cord to connect your phone.

Tested and works with Lineage OS Android Nougat 7.1 and Android wear 2.7 on Verizon Wear24 watch
All the credit goes to the youtuber that created the video, I'm just passing along the information.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1g77uIGxvcs

http://www.mediafire.com/file/8936ojtv5axl73g/Android+Wear+Sideloader.zip

https://www.apkmirror.com/

Follow the steps listed in the Start.bat, do not run as Admin.

The APK must be loaded into the main folder, not the app folder.

Currently installed Facebook Lite, tested and works.
Opera Mini opens but force closes after a few seconds.

 

[shawndak]

i tried sideloading with adb. i got the watch to connect but when i tried to install the apk i got this error:
adb: failed to install gv.apk: Failure [INSTALL_FAILED_NO_MATCHING_ABIS: Failed to extract native libraries, res=-113]
what am i doing wrong? please help!!! thank you
lindsay

Looks like you're trying to load an app with the wrong CPU architecture! Try to download a different arch cpu type of that app.

 

[Primetime_de]

My Fossil Carlyle doesn't showing Wifi debugging in the dev. options. Any way to get sideload without cable working?

 

[cobyman7035]

Hey first of all I want to say thanks for your tutorial.
I found another method for sideloading your apps to your Wear OS watch.

It's my preferred method because you need no PC.

There is this apps called Apps2Fire it's made for sideloading apps to an Amazon fire TV, but if you enter the IP address of your watch and enable ADB over Wi-Fi you can sideload all apps installed on your phone or any .apk stored at your phone directly to your watch.

For me, this is the easiest way for sideloading, and it would be cool if you can add it to your tutorial.

Tutorial:
1. Install Apps2Fire on your Phone
2. Open the app and go to Setup,
3. Enter the IP of your watch/ or tap on network and let it search for your watch
4. Tap in the upper right corner on the Upload Symbol and chose your .apk and tap on it and then on install.
5. Enjoy

awesome thanks, this seems to work...it says connected on the apps2fire app...i haven't tried to upload apk yet to watch..i have fossil gen4 sport..now to find some good apks to sideload lol

 

[Smeeksmiley]

I've followed everything but when i do /adb devices it doesn't show anything and when i do /adb connect with the wifi ip address... it says unable to connect to the ip address i wrote

 

[AmazingTipster]

Thanks heaps. The first method worked for me on TicWatch Pro 3 Woohooo...

Does anyone know a tutorial on how to make an apk compatible to install on a watch please?

 

[jgonger]

I've followed everything but when i do /adb devices it doesn't show anything and when i do /adb connect with the wifi ip address... it says unable to connect to the ip address i wrote

no one has explained it properly on XDA it kind of sucks for newbies tbh

Step1: go to settings - system - about - tap build # 7 times
Step2: go to settings - developer settings - adb debug -adb wifi debug on
step3: download apk on computer
step4: go to the folder with the APK in it "Shift + right click" open powershell
step5: go to the wifi on your watch click on it - get the ip address (should be 192.168.x.xx)
Step6: powershell type: "adb connect 192.168.x.xx:5555" (your watch ip address + the port 5555)
step7: powershell type: "adb -e install appname.apk" (type in the app name where i wrote the app name)

Example:
C:\Users\Bob\Downloads> adb -e install Spotify.apk

 

[Razzcazz]

Has anyone been able to get a gcam port working on their WearOS device?