How to download and play music on the Huawei Watch 2

Whether you're going to the gym or out on a run, being able to leave your phone at home is a huge convenience.

Audio controls are a huge convenience of Android Wear, allowing you to pause or skip tracks from apps like Spotify or Pocket Casts on your phone. But even more convenient is the ability to load music directly onto your smartwatch and listen to your favorite songs on the go, without needing your phone at all.

Here's how to download and listen to music on the Huawei Watch 2.

Install Google Play Music

Before you can start downloading music, you'll need to install the proper software. At the moment, Google Play Music is the only Android Wear app that lets you store songs directly on the Huawei Watch 2.

1. Press the upper button on the Watch 2 to view all apps.
2. Tap Play Store.
3. Find and install Google Play Music. You can find it by tapping the search icon at the top of the app, or simply scroll down the list of Apps on your phone until you find it, then tap the install icon.

Download music tracks

Now that you have Google Play Music installed, it's time to start downloading music for offline playback and free yourself from the clutches of your phone. You'll need to connect the Huawei Watch 2 to WiFi for this process.

1. From the watch face, open the apps list again and tap Play Music.
2. Sign into your Google account, then follow the short setup process.
3. Press and hold on any songs, playlists, or albums you want to save. The tracks will immediately begin downloading to the watch.

Keep in mind throughout this process that setting up the Huawei Watch 2 for offline music playback will count it as part of Google Play Music's 10 device limit.

Connect to Bluetooth headphones

Since the Huawei Watch 2 doesn't include a built-in speaker (and really, you probably shouldn't be blaring songs out loud from your wrist anyway), you'll need to connect a Bluetooth headset to listen to your music.

1. From the watch face, swipe down and tap the Settings icon.
2. Tap Connectivity.
3. Tap Bluetooth.
4. Tap Available devices.
5. Find your Bluetooth device in the list, then follow the prompts to pair it with the watch. Depending on the device, you may need to enter a PIN while pairing.

That's it! Once your songs are downloaded and you've paired your Bluetooth headset, all there is left to do is open the Play Music app and pick a song. Whether you're going to the gym or out on a run, you can leave your phone behind and just rely on your Huawei Watch 2 for music playback.