what are these icons on watchfaces?

Without a picture it's hard to answer. Icons on watch faces may differ from face to face.

Native watch faces can be customized from the watch face carousel. (Long press your touch screen). Choose the watch face of your choice Instead of choosing apply choose customize.

are these anywhere explained?
one looks like steps measure, another like stairs but do not count anything although i am taking stairs twice a day and 3rd icon looks like timer.

and how come i cannot add date display to watchface of my choice?
why i have to stare at Garmin logo every time i check time?

This icons are Ring progress, so no count just progress status for : steps, stairs, active time.....

Configs are related to each specific watchface. You can just select only config that are added by the developper ;)

I am talking default watchface after first time setup.
As seen here: buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/pn/010-01769-01
See annoying Garmin logo ?I want date displayed there.

There is digital watchface with date but is ugly.
Creating watchface lacks options to display date.

$200 and come on no even voice memos?
Makes me think Apple again :)

Press the watchface and from there, it's quite intuitive what to do to tailor the default watchface. Or you can go on Garmin Connect and find another one to your liking. There are a myriads of them.

As for voice memo, if that's important to you, then maybe an Apple Watch would have been a better option,

it is not just voice memos on a whim, you can think of voice memos as byproduct of sound recording capability obligatory for health monitoring features, lack of sound recording flaws any activity watch.
no way to tailor and as far myriads, quantity does not translate to quality, either Garmin adds date display to analog watchface or I am returning watch

Have you looked at the connect iq store? There's a multitude of watch faces there, one surely will fit your requirements....

Have you looked at the Users Manual available online? All the watch functions are well explained including icons, how to customize watch faces. There is the Connect IQ store for a large plethora of downloadable watch faces, data fields, widgets, and Apps.

If you want voice capabilities and sound, this is NOT the device for you. You will need to go back to the Apple watch for that. VA3 is targeted at a different use model, not a primary communications device.

it is not just voice memos on a whim, you can think of voice memos as byproduct of sound recording capability obligatory for health monitoring features, lack of sound recording flaws any activity watch.
no way to tailor and as far myriads, quantity does not translate to quality, either Garmin adds date display to analog watchface or I am returning watch

Seriously, you couldn't figure out how to add the date on the default watch face? Hmm, OK, I'll step you through it:

• Hold your finger on the watch face.
  
• Tap on "Watch face"
  
• If it's not the one shown, scroll to the analog watch face then tap on it
  
• Tap on "Customize"
  
• Tap on a field you want to edit (ie, the "Garmin" text for example)
  
• Scroll to the available options and tap on "Date"
  
• Scroll left
  
• Choose a different hands type if you so wish then scroll left
  
• Select a text/second hand color if you don't like the default one
  
• Tap on the check mark
  
• Tap on "Done"
  

There, now you have the date displayed. It is all explained in the manual BTW.

I have the feeling you haven't really looked at what watch faces are in Connect Store so I'll ignore your quantity/quality comment and as for your comment on the lack for recording, well... I've nothing else meaningful to add than what I already said in another post.

Thanks SylvainGa, I guess threat to return watch helped.
Do you know widget or watchface to display body temperature along with heart rate?

See this thread: VA3 have a temperature sensor?

Btw, I'm just a regular user like yourself that visit this forum to get the most out of my watch and like to help if I can. I'm not affiliated with Garmin in one way of another and couldn't care less if you return your watch or not :rolleyes: