How to Change the Color of Apple Watch Series 3's Red Digital Crown - MacRumors
Skip to Content

How to Change the Color of Apple Watch Series 3's Red Digital Crown

While the new Apple Watch Series 3 looks virtually identical to Series 2, the cellular models feature a red Digital Crown.

apple watch watchdots

Apple Watch Series 2 with green WatchDots stickers on right

Fortunately, for those who plan on upgrading but don't like the color choice, it can easily be changed with WatchDots.

WatchDots are tiny, vinyl stickers that cover the Digital Crown and Side button. They're available in a wide variety of colors, including white, black, midnight blue, yellow, orange, gold, sport green, sport blue, sport pink, fog, walnut, antique white, magenta, and other band-matching options.

MacRumors editor Juli Clover reviewed WatchDots a few years ago and was generally positive about the way they looked and held up:

My WatchDots have been on my Apple Watch for about two weeks now and they're looking as good as new. There's been no peeling, even when my watch has gotten wet, and using the Digital Crown and side button a lot hasn't affected them. Since this is a review, I put on and removed several sets of WatchDots, and I can safely say they're not going to cause any damage to your watch. You can peel them right off with a fingernail, but like most vinyl stickers, they're not reusable.

She did experience some residue left behind once, several months after removing the WatchDots, but your mileage may vary.

WatchDots come in sets of three for $9.99, with free shipping within the United States.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 11
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Caution)

Popular Stories

apple watch series 11 spring

Apple Stores Will Soon Be Able to Restore Apple Watch Software In-House

Wednesday April 15, 2026 5:36 pm PDT by
Apple retail locations and Apple Authorized Service Providers will soon be able to restore Apple Watch software in-store without needing to send an Apple Watch to a service center, according to a retail source that spoke to MacRumors. Right now, Apple Watches that can't be restored using an iPhone need to be mailed to an Apple Repair Center for service. There is no in-store repair option, so ...
youtube iphone apple watch health ad 2026

New Apple Ad Sells the iPhone and Apple Watch Health Pairing

Thursday April 23, 2026 11:18 am PDT by
Apple has published a new ad to appeal to customers in the market for an iPhone and Apple Watch pairing, highlighting the insights it can offer for your health. Titled simply "Health with iPhone + Apple Watch," the half-minute ad focuses on a woman waiting in line at a cafe who begins receiving unsolicited health and fitness advice from other people in the queue, as well as local residents,...
watchos 26 gradient light

This New Apple Watch Face Is Coming in watchOS 26.5

Friday April 24, 2026 5:51 am PDT by
iOS 26.5 and watchOS 26.5 will have a new Pride Luminance wallpaper and Apple Watch face when the updates are released in the coming weeks, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In a brief tweet, Gurman revealed that Pride Luminance will "Celebrate the vibrancy and individuality of the LGBTQ+ community and customize your watch face with colors from Pride flags." iOS 26.5 has been in...

Top Rated Comments

Ds6778 Avatar
113 months ago
Do they have anything to cover the iPhone X notch?
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
113 months ago
Or you can get a pack of 1600 for $6: https://smile.amazon.com/Round-Coding-Stickers-Different-Colors/dp/B01K8JL5DS/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1505742554&sr=8-6&keywords=dot+stickers

Seriously, $10 for 3 stickers?
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
113 months ago
There's no buttering this up: Apple made the crown red so that others would know you have the 'more expensive' LTE Apple Watch. It's why they make iPhones with external features unique to a new device - just so you may feel relieved in that others know you have 'the new one'.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jonnysods Avatar
113 months ago
Can't believe they put a red dot on the watch
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
69Mustang Avatar
113 months ago
Stickers? Psssh.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
OldSchoolMacGuy Avatar
113 months ago
There's no buttering this up: Apple made the crown red so that others would know you have the 'more expensive' LTE Apple Watch. It's why they make iPhones with external features unique to a new device - just so you may feel relieved in that others know you have 'the new one'.
This is true everywhere in products we buy.

Buyers of lower-level luxury products actually WANT to have bigger logos and identifying features to show other people they have a luxury product.

The logo on the front of a Mercedes is largest on their least expensive models, and gets smaller as the models go up in price. This is done for that very reason.

Luxury handbags also have statistically larger logos on the lower end models, where the very high end models have none. People that buy a $200 purse want everyone to know they have a pricey purse. People who buy a $5,000 purse don't need to advertise that fact because others who know what it is don't need a big logo to know.

This is a buying behavior marketers are well aware of and they design products to allow users to show off what they've got.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)