Finding a Watch

AsteroidOS runs on a selection of smartwatches, most of which are no longer in production. The best place to find a supported model is the used market — online auction sites, secondhand electronics shops, and classified listings are all good sources. Prices are generally low given the age of the hardware.

When buying secondhand, prefer a watch with an intact and functional battery. Battery health cannot be easily assessed from a listing, but watches described as having seen light use or that come from non-smoker households are generally safer bets. A degraded battery will significantly reduce runtime even on a fresh AsteroidOS install.

Identifying your watch

Before flashing, confirm you have a supported model and know its exact codename — the install instructions differ per device.

The easiest method is to compare your watch visually against the pictures on the [Watches page]. Most models are visually distinct enough to identify by shape, button placement, and bezel style.

If you are unsure after comparing pictures, you can read the codename directly from the watch by entering the fastboot bootloader:

1. Power off the watch.
2. Check if a manual button combination described on the Useful Commands page works to bring your watch into fastboot mode.
3. Alternatively, follow the install instructions for any watch up to the bootloader unlock step.
4. The device codename is displayed on screen.

Match that codename against the [Watches page] to confirm support level and find the correct install instructions.

Flashing AsteroidOS

Follow the install instructions for your specific watch closely. Some devices differ in procedure and partition layout — steps that apply to one watch may not work on another.

If you run into problems during flashing or first boot, the Matrix chat at [#Asteroid:matrix.org] is the fastest place to get help. The community is friendly and experienced with the supported devices.

Once your watch is running AsteroidOS, continue with the Quick Start Guide.