Google Pixel Watch 5

Accessories for Google Pixel Watch 5 — straps and screen protection

The Google Pixel Watch 5 is a round smartwatch with a distinctive domed display and a case available in two sizes: 41 mm and 45 mm. Both of these features — the curvature of the glass and the case size — determine which accessories will fit. So the choice starts not with the colour of the strap, but with checking which version you wear on your wrist.

Case size comes first

Straps are mounted using Google's own catch, slid into the case and turned — this is not a classic spring bar, so universal watch straps will not work here. The catch has a different width in each version, which is why a 41 mm strap will not fit a 45 mm case and vice versa. Choose the category matching your unit:

• Pixel Watch 5 41 mm — smaller case, lighter on a slimmer wrist
• Pixel Watch 5 45 mm — larger dial and wider strap, more visible on the arm

Why ordinary tempered glass does not work on this screen

The Pixel Watch face is convex and slopes gently towards the edges of the case. Rigid tempered glass, cut as a flat disc, then sticks only in the centre — the edges lift, trap air and come off at the first snag on a sleeve. That is why protection for this watch relies on materials that follow the curve:

• Hydrogel films — flexible, covering the screen together with the curve, and shallow scratches can heal on their own
• Flexible hybrid glass — a compromise between hardness and the ability to bend at the edge
• Films in multi-packs — practical, because on a watch replacement tends to be more frequent than on a phone

Types of straps

It is worth matching the strap material to how you wear the watch every day:

• Silicone and fluoroelastomer — for training and summer, indifferent to sweat, quick to dry
• Nylon and woven — breathable, soft, good for all-day wear
• Leather — for the office and going out, with a subdued finish
• Metal bracelets — the most formal, noticeably heavier than the rest

Accessories and earlier generations

Google's strap catch carries over between successive editions of the watch, so straps bought for an earlier model usually fit the Pixel Watch 5 — provided the case size matches. The same rule works the other way round, which widens the choice beyond products described with this generation's name only. Accessories for older generations can be found in the categories Google Pixel Watch 4, Google Pixel Watch 3 and Google Pixel Watch 2 / 1. A full overview of the series is gathered in the Google Pixel Watch category.

What to look out for when buying

Check the case size engraved on the back of the watch or in the settings — this is the most common source of mistakes when ordering a strap. With films, note whether the set includes an applicator or a cloth: on a small, rounded surface a speck of dust under the film is far more visible than on a phone screen. If you wear the watch during workouts, having two straps — one sporty, one for everyday — works better in practice than a single compromise.