If there’s one thing that frustrates me about owning an Apple Watch, it’s the lack of freedom to create and use truly custom watch faces. Apple has built one of the most advanced smartwatches in the world, but at the same time, it has locked down one of the most personal aspects of the device: the watch face itself.

Sure, Apple gives us a selection of stylish and functional faces—some are beautiful, others are highly practical—but they all come from Apple’s curated library. You can adjust colors, tweak complications, and maybe swap out the background photo, but that’s where the customization ends. Want to design a completely unique face? Too bad. Want to install a creative face designed by an independent developer? Forget it. Apple simply doesn’t allow it.

Why is this such a big deal? The Apple Watch sits on your wrist all day. It’s one of the most visible pieces of technology we own, yet it’s the least customizable. Compare this to Android-based smartwatches, where users can download or design custom faces with ease. Apple’s closed system feels unnecessarily restrictive—especially when personalization is such a big part of why people buy wearables in the first place.

Apple will say it’s about “user experience” and “battery life” or even “security,” but let’s be honest: part of it is about control. By limiting faces to its own collection, Apple ensures consistency—but at the cost of creativity and individuality.

At the end of the day, I don’t want my Apple Watch to look like everyone else’s. I want it to reflect my style, my mood, and my personality. Until Apple loosens up and allows true custom watch faces, the Apple Watch will always feel like it’s missing something essential.