How To Install Third-Party Apple Watch Bands

If you’ve been fortunate enough to get your hands on an Apple Watch, you may be wondering if it’s possible to swap out the stock strap for your own custom, non-Apple band. Well, we’re pleased to be able to tell you the answer is yes…sort of.

Lewis Hilsenteger of UnboxTherapy walks us through his custom band installation on his Apple Watch. In the video, Hilsenteger demonstrates how he uses a pentalobe Torx screwdriver to disassemble his Modern Buckle in order to install a cheap, off-the-shelf watch strap.

Of course, the only problem is that you need a Classic Buckle in order to do this — an investment that, unless you already have one, will set you back $150 plus tax. While it’s great that you can swap the bands on Apple’s Classic Buckle, my guess is that most people will not want to spend that much money to do so. This is obviously why we’ve seen various crowdfunding projects attempt to replicate Apple’s Band connector itself.

That said, there aren’t any such spring bar adapters actually available right now, so it seems that if you do want to swap in your own strap, you’ll have to order that screwdriver, buy a Modern Buckle, and wait a little while.