PSA: 41mm Pixel Watch bands won’t work with the 45mm Pixel Watch 3

If you’re making the jump from the Pixel Watch or Pixel Watch 2 to the new, larger Pixel Watch 3, you won’t be able to bring your bands with you.

With the Pixel Watch 3, Google launched a new, larger 45mm size option alongside its existing 41mm size, which has been consistent for the first- and second-generation watches, too. But while bands are interchangeable between the Watch, Watch 2 and 41mm Watch 3, the 45mm model has a larger attachment mechanism.

The 45mm Pixel Watch 3 band (top) is slightly wider than the 41mm band (bottom).

Unfortunately, this means that if you, like me, have a collection of Pixel Watch or Watch 2 bands, they won’t work on the 45mm Pixel Watch 3. I stumbled across this when I tried swapping out my 45mm Watch 3 band for one of my favourite Watch 2 bands last night.

Google Canada confirmed to me that bands for the 41mm watches won’t work on the 45mm watch. Google did say the 45mm Watch 3 would have its own line of bands that would match the options for 41mm watches. However, at the time of writing, only a small number of bands on the Google Store were compatible with the 45mm watch.

A 41mm Pixel Watch band isn’t wide enough to fit the larger attachment mechanism on the 45mm watch.

It’s a bit frustrating, given how expensive these watch bands are, especially since other smartwatches don’t have the same issue. Apple Watch bands, for example, will work across multiple sizes of the Apple Watch. However, depending on the watch and band size, there might be a small gap, or the lugs may overhang the connection point. It’s not ideal, but at least the bands still work.

Anyway, if you’re a Pixel Watch or Pixel Watch 2 owner thinking about upgrading and you want to keep using those bands you’ve collected, you should probably avoid the 45mm Pixel Watch 3.