From your phone to your wrist.

Four steps, once. After that it is: pick a file, read it on your watch. The steps below follow whichever platform you are on. Switch with the buttons if you are reading this on a desktop.

On iPhone and Apple Watch

  1. Install both halves Install Paperwrist on your iPhone. The Apple Watch app installs alongside it automatically, or from the Watch app's list of available apps if you have automatic install turned off.
  2. Check the connection Open Paperwrist on the iPhone. The banner at the top tells you whether your watch is paired, has the app, and is in range. Green means anything you add now syncs immediately.
  3. Add a document Tap Add file and pick a Markdown, text or PDF file through the iOS document picker. From iCloud Drive, On My iPhone, or any other provider in Files. Paperwrist only ever sees the file you pick.
  4. Read it on the watch Open Paperwrist on the Apple Watch and tap the document. Scroll and zoom with the Digital Crown. It stays on the watch, so it is still readable with the iPhone switched off or in another room.

On Android and Wear OS

  1. Install both halves Install Paperwrist on your Android phone. The Wear OS app installs to your paired watch automatically, or from the Play Store on the watch itself.
  2. Check the connection Open Paperwrist on the phone. The banner at the top tells you whether your watch is paired, has the app, and is in range. Green means anything you add now syncs immediately.
  3. Add a document Tap Add file and pick a Markdown, text or PDF file through the Android document picker. From Drive, Downloads, or any other provider. Paperwrist only ever sees the file you pick.
  4. Read it on the watch Open Paperwrist on the Wear OS watch and tap the document. Scroll and zoom with the rotating bezel or crown. It stays on the watch, so it is still readable with the phone switched off or in another room.

Getting it comfortable to read

  • Text size: set it in Display settings on the phone; it applies on the watch immediately.
  • High contrast: heavier text on a plain background, for bright sun or small type.
  • Keep the screen on: stops the watch dimming mid-paragraph while your hands are busy.
  • Light and dark: follows your watch's own setting; there is nothing to configure.

Managing what is on the watch

  • Reorder: the order on the phone is the order on the watch. Put the one you are using today at the top.
  • Refresh: re-sends the current version of a file after you have edited it on the phone.
  • Remove: deletes Paperwrist's copy from the phone and the watch. Your original file is never touched.
  • Free vs Pro: the free version keeps one document on the watch. Pro is a single purchase that lifts the limit; there is no subscription and no account.

If something is not syncing

  • Check the banner on the phone. It names the reason: watch not paired, app not installed on the watch, or out of range.
  • Bring the two devices near each other. The transfer uses Bluetooth or your local Wi-Fi, not the internet, so a working mobile signal makes no difference.
  • Very large PDFs take longer: the pages are rendered to images on the phone before they are sent.
  • Still stuck? Tell us what you are seeing. A description of the file and the banner text is usually enough to diagnose it.