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Home/Categories/Developer Tools/HermesEnabler
icon of HermesEnabler

HermesEnabler

  • 1.5K stars
  • MIT
  • Active this week
  • Last commit today

Last verified Nov 13, 2026

Run Hermès watch faces on any Apple Watch by sideloading an open source watchOS app that patches MobileGestalt.

Visit websiteGitHub1.5K stars
image of HermesEnabler
TL;DR

HermesEnabler is a free, MIT-licensed watchOS app that patches MobileGestalt so any Apple Watch can display Hermès watch faces without a Hermès Edition device. Installation requires sideloading the IPA via Sideloadly (macOS) or WatchBridge (Windows), plus Developer Mode on both the paired iPhone and the Apple Watch. Free provisioning profiles expire after seven days and must be renewed by reinstalling. The project is written in Objective-C, has 1,551 GitHub stars, and supports watchOS 27.0 through 27.3 beta 1.

Read the full breakdownHide the full breakdownWho it is for, how it works, trade-offs, the quick start and the FAQ
who it's for

Who HermesEnabler is for#

Apple Watch Owner Who Wants Hermès Faces

An owner of a standard Apple Watch who wants Boutique, Briquet, or other Hermès watch face designs without purchasing a Hermès Edition device.

Skip if:

Skip if the user already owns a Hermès Edition Apple Watch or is not comfortable enabling Developer Mode on their devices.

Developer Studying MobileGestalt Patching

A watchOS developer or researcher exploring how MobileGestalt gates device features can study HermesEnabler as a working Objective-C reference implementation.

Skip if:

Skip if the goal is production app distribution rather than personal research or use.

the problem

The problem it solves#

Apple distributes Hermès watch faces only to Hermès Edition Apple Watches, which are sold at a significant premium over the standard lineup. Owners of non-Hermès Apple Watches have no official path to those faces; Apple's entitlement check in MobileGestalt gates them at the system level. The only Apple-sanctioned option is purchasing a Hermès Edition watch, often hundreds of dollars above the equivalent standard model. HermesEnabler addresses this by patching MobileGestalt to report the Hermès entitlement on any device.

how HermesEnabler solves it

How it solves it#

MobileGestalt Patching

HermesEnabler modifies the MobileGestalt system entries that Apple reads to determine watch face entitlements, making any Apple Watch appear as a Hermès Edition to the face picker.

macOS and Windows Installation

On macOS, the IPA can be sideloaded with Sideloadly. On Windows, the companion WatchBridge tool handles Developer Mode preparation and IPA signing over USB or Wi-Fi after an initial cable pairing.

Xcode Build Option

Users with Xcode can build the app directly from source and deploy it to any connected Apple Watch, bypassing third-party signing tools entirely.

MobileGestalt Backup and Restore

Before removing the app, HermesEnabler2 prompts the user to restore a MobileGestalt backup, returning the Watch to its original configuration and preventing system state corruption.

Multilingual Documentation

The README is translated into nine languages including Korean, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, French, German, and Portuguese, reflecting active use across regions.

strengths · trade-offs

Strengths and trade-offs#

Strengths

  • MIT License With No RestrictionsThe MIT license permits unrestricted use, modification, and redistribution with no commercial limitations. Source is available on GitHub and has accumulated over 1,500 community stars.
  • Actively MaintainedThe repo received its last push on November 13, 2026, and has been updated continuously since its December 2024 creation, with version 2 targeting watchOS 27.0 through 27.3.
  • Cross-Platform Signing PathBoth macOS (via Sideloadly) and Windows (via WatchBridge) are supported, so the installation workflow is not restricted to users with Apple hardware.

Trade-offs

  • -Seven-Day Free Profile ExpiryFree Apple ID provisioning profiles expire after seven days. Renewal requires rebuilding and reinstalling the app with the same Bundle Identifier and Apple ID to retain existing app data.
  • -App Groups May Require a Paid Developer AccountThe app uses an App Groups entitlement that free Personal Team provisioning cannot provision. Full functionality may require a paid Apple Developer Program membership.
  • -Narrow watchOS Support WindowVersion 2 supports only watchOS 27.0 through 27.3 beta 1. Devices on other watchOS versions are not supported and no alternative installation path exists for them.
  • -Sideloadly 0.72 Strips the Watch AppSideloadly version 0.72 is known to remove the embedded Watch app from the IPA during signing. Users who see only the iPhone app installed should use Xcode to install the Watch app instead.
versus alternatives

HermesEnabler vs alternatives#

Hermès Edition Apple Watch

Apple bundles Hermès watch faces exclusively with the Hermès Edition Apple Watch, sold at a significant premium above comparable standard models. For any owner of an existing Apple Watch, the only official path to those faces is purchasing the Hermès Edition hardware.

HermesEnabler gives standard Apple Watch owners access to Hermès watch faces by patching MobileGestalt, removing the hardware cost entirely. The faces available are the same ones gated behind the Hermès Edition purchase. Access requires the sideloading workflow but not a hardware replacement, subscription, or recurring fee.

The practical difference is in the installation workflow. Owners of Hermès Edition watches access those faces directly through the picker; HermesEnabler users first enable Developer Mode on both iPhone and Apple Watch, sideload the IPA through Sideloadly (macOS) or WatchBridge (Windows), and reinstall every seven days under a free Apple ID or less often with a paid developer account.

HermesEnabler is not a viable path for every Apple Watch owner. It supports watchOS 27.0 through 27.3 beta 1 at the time of writing, and owners on other watchOS versions have no supported installation. It also requires comfort with enabling Developer Mode on personal devices.

install · quick start

Quick start#

bash
Download the signed IPA from GitHub Releases: https://github.com/pookjw/HermesEnabler/releases/latest
tech stack · detected from GitHub

What it's built on#

Languages
CObjective-CPythonSwift
frequently asked

FAQ#

What watchOS versions does HermesEnabler support?

Version 2 supports watchOS 27.0 through 27.3 beta 1. The README does not document support for earlier or later versions.

Do I need a paid Apple Developer account to install?

A free Apple ID works for sideloading, but free Personal Team profiles expire after seven days and require reinstallation. The app uses an App Groups entitlement that free provisioning cannot provision, so full functionality may require a paid Apple Developer Program membership.

Is it safe to delete the app after installing?

Before deleting, always use HermesEnabler2 to restore your MobileGestalt backup first. Skipping this step leaves the system configuration in a modified state.

Can I install HermesEnabler on Windows without a Mac?

Yes. WatchBridge handles Developer Mode preparation and IPA signing on Windows. It requires Apple Mobile Device Service (from iTunes or the Apple Devices app from the Microsoft Store), a USB connection for the initial setup, and the original IPA that includes both the iPhone host app and the Watch app.

What should I do if the Watch app is missing after installing?

Sideloadly version 0.72 is known to strip the embedded Watch app from the IPA during signing. If the Watch app does not appear, check the Sideloadly log for 'Watch apps will be stripped from the IPA' and reinstall using Xcode instead.

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