The Galaxy Watch 7 is an excellent smartwatch. It does everything you’d expect but adds an essential health-related function its competitors lack: body composition scanning. That feature alone does more for you than BMI or context-less numbers on your scale. As good as it is, the Galaxy Watch 7 needs a few more apps to help you be as productive as possible. There are also quality-of-life apps. I’ve used Galaxy Watches for a few generations, and these are my top apps for administrative productivity and getting the most out of my health and fitness routines.
Read our review
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 is still the best ecosystem smartwatch on Android
Iterative? Only compared to the last Galaxy Watch
10
Google Wallet/Pay
Because your phone may not be from Samsung
I move around a lot. I’m talking about phones, so I don’t like being locked into any mobile ecosystem. Most apps I use daily, like Evernote or RememberTheMilk, are accessible from any desktop or mobile OS. That’s why I download Google Wallet and make it my default tap-to-pay app. If I decide to move away from Samsung smartwatches or want to use this watch with a non-Samsung Android phone, I can continue paying as I’m accustomed to.
9
Gmail
Get the mail!
I have multiple Gmail accounts, so downloading the native app is one of the first things I do on any watch that doesn’t have it installed. You’ll need to open your phone to see certain images and links, but triaging mail on the watch is straightforward and allows you to flag priority emails and get to them when you’re in front of your laptop, tablet, or phone.
8
Google Home
Get Smart … Home
Download the native Home app to control all your Google smart home devices. Best of all, after downloading the app, you can add its tile and access your Google Home favorites.
7
WhatsApp
For now…
We’ll see where Zuck takes things from here, but I download WhatsApp because I communicate with friends and communities via the Meta-owned service. If it devolves into a free-for-all due to Meta’s new moderation policies, I’m out! WhatsApp remains on my essential list of Galaxy Watch 7 downloads for now.
6
Outlook
Professional productivity
Earlier, I discussed using apps that work on any platform, and Microsoft Outlook for mobile is one such app. With the native Outlook app on your phone, you can perform many of the triaging functions you’d perform on your desktop or mobile device, keeping your workflow smoother than polished marble.
5
YouTube Music
Pump up the volume
I have tested many headphones, earbuds, mobile DACs, and other devices. YouTube Music is the best-sounding app on Android devices. When played through Bluetooth devices, it consistently has the loudest, highest-quality experience on Android, with Tidal a close second.
I download YouTube music to take advantage of the listening experience and the offline playlist support. The Smart Downloads feature is excellent for keeping my workout music fresh by automatically downloading new music based on my previous listening history.
4
GlucoDataHandler
Type II accessibility
I have Type II diabetes, and I manage it successfully without medication through exercise and diet. It’s vitally important for me to know how the foods I eat affect my blood sugar, and my continuous glucose monitor, Dexcom’s G7, doesn’t have an app for WearOS. That isn’t a problem when you download GlucoDataHandler, which plugs into Dexcom’s share settings and has complications for my Galaxy Watch 7. Now, I can see in real-time how each thing I eat affects me, and I get high blood sugar alerts on my wrist.
3
GymRun
For the Gym Bros and Muscle Mommies
I’m not huge on cardio, though I slog through a stair stepper and periodized training treadmill sessions. Most of my fitness routines take place in the free weights section of the gym, and no fitness tracker or smartwatch has a fully featured weightlifting log/diary yet.
GymRun has a plate calculator and allows you to create your workout routine on your phone. Then, it syncs to your watch, and you can start the workout on your wrist. During workouts, you get rest time countdowns and more. It’s one of the best weightlifting diaries/log books on Android. However, I plan to try Hevy next, as it also looks promising.
2
AllTrails
Take a hike!
If you like to hike, this is the one! I like to see topographic maps on my watch without carrying my phone. AllTrails gives me glanceable stats without taking my phone out. In addition to the real-time stats, you get notifications on your wrist if you deviate from a trail. The reliability of that feature depends on your GPS connection.
1
Nike Run Club
Easily led
I like Nike Run Club’s coaching more than anything Samsung Health offers. The voice coaching, simple interface, and gamification make NRC a great app for your fitness toolbox. However, it may be too simple for some because seeing granular heart rate data over time in the app is a challenge. If you set it up to pass data to Samsung Health, you’re still good for that.
If you’ve decided to get off the couch and run a 5k or any race or walk, Nike Run Club allows you to go slow or challenge yourself. It also has great educational value in the style of training runs it offers and will help you get up to speed with more effort focused on running than learning an app.
If it’s too simple for you, there’s Strava, which has many of the same features but is more robust and has a steeper learning curve.
Put your Galaxy Watch to work
Except for YouTube Music, the Google apps are free. Though Outlook is free, I use it because I pay for Microsoft Exchange, which pushes my email to me in real time with my domain name. Most fitness apps on this list have a free version, and to get the most out of them, explore their pricing options. Some are subscriptions, and some are one-time purchases.
Your Samsung Galaxy Watch can also help you achieve your wellness goals. Check out our list of the best apps for building a healthy daily routine.
