How to Change the Color of Apple Watch Series 3's Red Digital Crown - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

How to Change the Color of Apple Watch Series 3's Red Digital Crown

While the new Apple Watch Series 3 looks virtually identical to Series 2, the cellular models feature a red Digital Crown.

apple watch watchdots

Apple Watch Series 2 with green WatchDots stickers on right

Fortunately, for those who plan on upgrading but don't like the color choice, it can easily be changed with WatchDots.

WatchDots are tiny, vinyl stickers that cover the Digital Crown and Side button. They're available in a wide variety of colors, including white, black, midnight blue, yellow, orange, gold, sport green, sport blue, sport pink, fog, walnut, antique white, magenta, and other band-matching options.

MacRumors editor Juli Clover reviewed WatchDots a few years ago and was generally positive about the way they looked and held up:

My WatchDots have been on my Apple Watch for about two weeks now and they're looking as good as new. There's been no peeling, even when my watch has gotten wet, and using the Digital Crown and side button a lot hasn't affected them. Since this is a review, I put on and removed several sets of WatchDots, and I can safely say they're not going to cause any damage to your watch. You can peel them right off with a fingernail, but like most vinyl stickers, they're not reusable.

She did experience some residue left behind once, several months after removing the WatchDots, but your mileage may vary.

WatchDots come in sets of three for $9.99, with free shipping within the United States.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 12
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)
Related Forum: Apple Watch

Popular Stories

apple watch series 3 design

Apple Offers Steps to Fix Daylight Saving Time Bug on Apple Watch

Sunday November 1, 2026 3:34 am PST by
Apple has published a support document describing what to do if your Apple Watch continues to show time that's off by one hour after daylight savings time changes. "This incorrect time appears only on the Always On display when your wrist is down," says Apple. "When you activate the display by tapping it or raising your wrist, the time changes to the correct hour." To fix the issue, Apple says ...
siri recap live rewind

watchOS 27.3 Brings Live Rewind and Siri Recap to Apple Watch

Tuesday November 3, 2026 10:35 am PST by
With the first beta of watchOS 27.3, Apple is introducing new Audio Intelligence features it previewed for the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 earlier this year. Powered by the S11 chip, Audio Intelligence includes Live Rewind, Siri Recap, Sound Recognition, and Shazam Music Recognition. Sound Recognition and Shazam are already on the watch, but Live Rewind and Siri Recap are now available ...
apple watch series 3 design

Apple Watch Users in Europe Report Daylight Saving Glitch

Monday October 26, 2026 5:26 am PDT by
Some Apple Watch users running watchOS 27 are reporting a daylight saving glitch after clocks went back in the UK and Europe on Sunday. In a MacRumors forums thread, five users – several in the UK and central Europe – say their watch shows the correct time when activated, but the Always-On display keeps showing summer time, leaving it an hour fast. The problem has also been reported in...

Top Rated Comments

Ds6778 Avatar
119 months ago
Do they have anything to cover the iPhone X notch?
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
119 months ago
Or you can get a pack of 1600 for $6: https://smile.amazon.com/Round-Coding-Stickers-Different-Colors/dp/B01K8JL5DS/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1505742554&sr=8-6&keywords=dot+stickers

Seriously, $10 for 3 stickers?
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
119 months ago
There's no buttering this up: Apple made the crown red so that others would know you have the 'more expensive' LTE Apple Watch. It's why they make iPhones with external features unique to a new device - just so you may feel relieved in that others know you have 'the new one'.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jonnysods Avatar
119 months ago
Can't believe they put a red dot on the watch
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
69Mustang Avatar
119 months ago
Stickers? Psssh.
MacRumors content image
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
OldSchoolMacGuy Avatar
119 months ago
There's no buttering this up: Apple made the crown red so that others would know you have the 'more expensive' LTE Apple Watch. It's why they make iPhones with external features unique to a new device - just so you may feel relieved in that others know you have 'the new one'.
This is true everywhere in products we buy.

Buyers of lower-level luxury products actually WANT to have bigger logos and identifying features to show other people they have a luxury product.

The logo on the front of a Mercedes is largest on their least expensive models, and gets smaller as the models go up in price. This is done for that very reason.

Luxury handbags also have statistically larger logos on the lower end models, where the very high end models have none. People that buy a $200 purse want everyone to know they have a pricey purse. People who buy a $5,000 purse don't need to advertise that fact because others who know what it is don't need a big logo to know.

This is a buying behavior marketers are well aware of and they design products to allow users to show off what they've got.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Latest Stories
Siri AI Rumored to Become 'More Like an Agent' as Early as Next Year
Siri AI Rumored to Become 'More Like an Agent' as Early as Next Year
4 hours ago
Apple Taking New Approach to Developing iOS 28 and macOS 28
Apple Taking New Approach to Developing iOS 28 and macOS 28
6 hours ago
Early Apple Black Friday Deals on Apple Watch, MacBook Air, and More
Early Apple Black Friday Deals on Apple Watch, MacBook Air, and More
1 day ago
'Backglow' Lets You Customize New MacBook Pro's Glowing Apple Logo
'Backglow' Lets You Customize New MacBook Pro's Glowing Apple Logo
1 day ago
Top Stories: Apple Product Launches, iOS 27.3 Beta, and More
Top Stories: Apple Product Launches, iOS 27.3 Beta, and More
1 day ago
More Fun iPhone Duo Apps: 30 New Picks to Try
More Fun iPhone Duo Apps: 30 New Picks to Try
2 days ago
Hands-On With Apple's New OLED Touchscreen MacBook Pro
Hands-On With Apple's New OLED Touchscreen MacBook Pro
2 days ago
Apple Store With All-New Design Opening Soon in Southern California
Apple Store With All-New Design Opening Soon in Southern California
2 days ago
Control the Glowing Apple Logo on Your New MacBook Pro
Control the Glowing Apple Logo on Your New MacBook Pro
2 days ago
Apple Shares New 'Apple Card: Apply and Use in Minutes' Ad
Apple Shares New 'Apple Card: Apply and Use in Minutes' Ad
2 days ago
Apple Says More Than 100,000 Apps Optimized for iPhone Duo, Here's What's Still Missing
Apple Says More Than 100,000 Apps Optimized for iPhone Duo, Here's What's Still Missing
2 days ago
Early Black Friday Deals Kickoff With Steep Discounts on Apple Watch Ultras and More
Early Black Friday Deals Kickoff With Steep Discounts on Apple Watch Ultras and More
2 days ago
The MacRumors Show: iOS 27.3 Looks Like a Huge Update
The MacRumors Show: iOS 27.3 Looks Like a Huge Update
2 days ago
Best Buy's Black Friday Event Begins With Sitewide Savings on Apple, TVs, More
Best Buy's Black Friday Event Begins With Sitewide Savings on Apple, TVs, More
2 days ago
Apple Releasing Yet Another Two New Products Next Week
Apple Releasing Yet Another Two New Products Next Week
2 days ago
MacBook Air Drops to Lowest Price in Months With Amazon's $250 Discount
MacBook Air Drops to Lowest Price in Months With Amazon's $250 Discount
2 days ago
Apple Rumored to Drop the iPhone's Action Button Next Year
Apple Rumored to Drop the iPhone's Action Button Next Year
2 days ago
Apple's Extended Return Policy Now in Effect for 2026 Holiday Season
Apple's Extended Return Policy Now in Effect for 2026 Holiday Season
2 days ago
Apple Music Classical Updated With New Icon and Refreshed Design
Apple Music Classical Updated With New Icon and Refreshed Design
2 days ago
OLED iPad Mini, M6 iMac, and New MacBook Pros Available From Today
OLED iPad Mini, M6 iMac, and New MacBook Pros Available From Today
2 days ago
Apple Surveys iPhone Duo Buyers About Crease and Camera
Apple Surveys iPhone Duo Buyers About Crease and Camera
3 days ago
Apple's First Touchscreen Mac is Now Arriving to Customers
Apple's First Touchscreen Mac is Now Arriving to Customers
3 days ago
Claude Gets Personal Finance Feature With Bank Account Linking
Claude Gets Personal Finance Feature With Bank Account Linking
3 days ago
Apple Arcade Adds Crossy Road Rush and NBA 2K27
Apple Arcade Adds Crossy Road Rush and NBA 2K27
3 days ago
Apple's New HomeView Smart Home Hub: Here's How Much RAM It Has
Apple's New HomeView Smart Home Hub: Here's How Much RAM It Has
3 days ago
iPad Mini vs. iPad Air Buyer's Guide: Now Just $50 Apart
iPad Mini vs. iPad Air Buyer's Guide: Now Just $50 Apart
3 days ago
First iOS 27.3 and macOS Golden Gate 27.3 Public Betas Now Available
First iOS 27.3 and macOS Golden Gate 27.3 Public Betas Now Available
3 days ago
Apple Announces a New Mac Sales Record
Apple Announces a New Mac Sales Record
3 days ago
Paid $200 for Logic Pro? Apple Says You Won't Get This New Feature
Paid $200 for Logic Pro? Apple Says You Won't Get This New Feature
3 days ago
Instagram's Edits Video Editor is Now Available on Mac
Instagram's Edits Video Editor is Now Available on Mac
3 days ago