A watch band changing cradle for a smart watch eliminates the need to use a finger nail to press release buttons on the backside surface of a smart watch when changing or swapping watch bands using slide-in band attachment fittings. The cradle is configured so that the smart watch nests and naturally aligns itself in the cradle so that release protrusions in the cradle can be used reliably to depress the release buttons on the backside of the smart watch. The cradle can be adapted to hold a disc-shaped induction charging pad which is magnetically attracted to the smart watch. The cradle can make the smart watch easier to stow when charging, and the magnetic attraction helps to align and hold the smart watch in the cradle.