AppScreenSizer Developer Guide
Wear OS: Start from GitHub, Pull Updates, and Run in Android Studio
Reviewed August 13, 2026

This guide covers both situations:
1. The Wear OS project is on GitHub but is NOT on this computer yet.
2. The Wear OS project is already open in Android Studio and GitHub has newer files you need to pull down.

Official downloads
Android Studio: https://developer.android.com/studio
Git: https://git-scm.com/downloads
GitHub Desktop: https://desktop.github.com/download/

PART 1 — FIRST TIME: BRING THE WEAR OS PROJECT FROM GITHUB INTO ANDROID STUDIO
The first download of a GitHub project is normally called CLONING. You do not run git pull before you have a local copy.

Method A — Android Studio
1. Open the repository on GitHub.
2. Select Code.
3. Copy the HTTPS repository URL.
4. Open Android Studio.
5. On the welcome screen choose Get from VCS. If Android Studio is already open, use File > New > Project from Version Control if that option is shown.
6. Choose Git.
7. Paste the repository URL.
8. Choose the folder where you want the project saved.
9. Select Clone.
10. Open the repository root, normally the folder containing settings.gradle or settings.gradle.kts.
11. Let Android Studio finish Gradle sync.
12. Install any Android SDK components Android Studio says the project requires.
13. Do not automatically accept a major Android Gradle Plugin upgrade just because Android Studio offers one. First check what the repository is designed to use.
14. Open Tools > Device Manager.
15. Start or create a Wear OS virtual device.
16. Confirm the selected run target is the watch emulator, not a phone emulator.
17. Run the watch-face project.

Method B — Command line clone
Open Command Prompt, PowerShell, Terminal, or Git Bash in the folder where you keep projects:

git clone https://github.com/YOUR-USERNAME/YOUR-REPOSITORY.git
cd YOUR-REPOSITORY

Then open that cloned folder in Android Studio and allow Gradle to sync.

PART 2 — UPDATE A WEAR OS PROJECT THAT IS ALREADY ON YOUR COMPUTER
Do NOT clone or download the project again. Pull the GitHub changes into the existing Android Studio project.

1. Open the existing project in Android Studio.
2. Open the Terminal window in Android Studio, or open Command Prompt/PowerShell in the project root.
3. Check the current state before pulling:

git status
git branch --show-current

4. If Git says the working tree is clean and the project uses the main branch, run:

git pull origin main

5. Wait for the pull to finish.
6. Return to Android Studio.
7. If Gradle Sync starts automatically, let it finish. Otherwise use File > Sync Project with Gradle Files.
8. Confirm the correct Wear OS emulator is running.
9. Run the project again.

VERIFY THAT YOU REALLY RECEIVED THE UPDATE
Use:

git status
git log -1 --oneline

The newest commit message should match the latest work you expect from GitHub.

IF YOU HAVE LOCAL CHANGES BEFORE PULLING
Do not overwrite unfinished local work.

Option A — Commit it first:

git add .
git commit -m "Save local work before update"
git pull origin main

Option B — Stash it temporarily:

git stash push -m "local work before update"
git pull origin main
git stash pop

If Git reports a merge conflict, review the conflicting files before continuing. Do not repeatedly pull or force files over the conflict.

ANDROID STUDIO MENU OPTION
You can also use Android Studio's Git menu instead of the terminal.
- For an existing local project, use Git > Pull when available.
- Review the branch and remote before confirming.
- The terminal method is useful when troubleshooting because it shows the exact Git output.

WEAR OS TROUBLESHOOTING
Emulator stuck starting:
Open Tools > Device Manager, stop the watch emulator, then use Cold Boot. If necessary, Wipe Data resets only the virtual device.

Wrong emulator starts:
Confirm the run target says Wear OS. A phone emulator and Wear OS emulator are separate virtual devices.

Gradle sync error after pulling:
Read the repository README and build files before changing Gradle, JDK, Kotlin, or Android Gradle Plugin versions. A repository update may require a specific toolchain.

Android Studio offers a major AGP upgrade:
Do not accept it automatically. A major toolchain change can break a project that was working before the pull.

Project opens but modules are missing:
Make sure you opened the repository root, not a subfolder, unless the README specifically tells you otherwise.

The new design does not appear:
Run git log -1 --oneline to verify the newest commit, sync Gradle, then rebuild/reinstall the watch face. If the old app is still installed on the emulator, uninstalling the old debug copy and running again can help during testing.

NORMAL WORKFLOW
Before beginning work:

git status
git pull origin main

After making changes you want to send back to GitHub:

git status
git add .
git commit -m "Describe what changed"
git push origin main

QUICK REFERENCE
First time on this computer:
git clone https://github.com/YOUR-USERNAME/YOUR-REPOSITORY.git

Already cloned, get latest changes:
git status
git pull origin main

Check what version you have:
git log -1 --oneline

Never commit passwords, API keys, signing files, keystores, private environment files, or credentials.

Official references
https://docs.github.com/en/repositories/creating-and-managing-repositories/cloning-a-repository
https://docs.github.com/en/get-started/using-git/getting-changes-from-a-remote-repository
https://developer.android.com/studio