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Apple confirms tattoo issue with Apple Watch in updated support document

tattoo

Apple has confirmed reports of problems using the Apple Watch on tattooed wrists. The company has quietly updated a support page on the heart-rate functionality.

Permanent or temporary changes to your skin, such as some tattoos, can also impact heart rate sensor performance. The ink, pattern, and saturation of some tattoos can block light from the sensor, making it difficult to get reliable readings.

Apple Watch owners on Reddit and Twitter have been posting conflicting reports and video, some showing that the heart-rate functionality works fine with their tattoos, others showing either no reading at all or erratic readings … 

The issue seems to primarily affect those with solid areas of deeper inks, like black and red.

For those concerned that the watch may not work at all if it is unable to detect skin contact, I can confirm that all functionality works even when worn over clothing if you switch off wrist-detection in the companion app on the iPhone. The wording here is misleading, as it continues to switch on when you raise your wrist.

wrist-detection

If you’re unable to get a heart-rate reading and want to use your Apple Watch for workouts, the support document suggests using a separate chest-strap heart-rate monitor offering Bluetooth connectivity.

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Comments

  1. Arnold Ziffel - 9 years ago

    Besides the aesthetics are terrible.

  2. lkrupp215 - 9 years ago

    I hope this settles it. No “fix” is coming, no software patch, no recall, no “gate.” The watch sensors will not work with some tattoos. Live with it, end of story, can we move along now?

  3. Don’t have those ugly tattoos then? It’s simple.

  4. Howie Isaacks - 9 years ago

    Like other people are saying… You chose to get tattoos. Live with it. If this is a deal breaker, then Apple Watch isn’t for you.

  5. blockbusterbuzz - 9 years ago

    My Mom always told me never to get tattoos. I’m glad I took her advice.

  6. varera (@real_varera) - 9 years ago

    like it is some news. optical heart rate sensors are using light. that is why they are called optical. any other vendor: fitbit, samsung, etc., they all have the same bloody limitation.

  7. Stephanie Bishop - 9 years ago

    I would like my watch please, I have no tattoos pretty please!

  8. therackett - 9 years ago

    Yeah. Not Apple’s fault. But how many people really have both wrists tatted up? Seems like a low % of the population I would venture to guess.

  9. Those animals shouldn’t have an Apple Watch anyway

    • mostling (@mostling) - 9 years ago

      Wow, just wow…

    • joushikijin - 9 years ago

      What an unsophisticated comment!

    • Chris Haigh - 9 years ago

      Way to be a complete ass… you do realize people with tattoos have feelings and are actual people. Oh wait you don’t cause your an ignorant ass hole.

    • Robert Sheepwash - 7 years ago

      The only animal i see here is the judgmental ass. that posted this. What makes me an animal. that i have tattoos on both of my arms? or that i make almost 6 figures with one of the largest security companies? or that i own my house and Car. or that i support my family and extended family.

      the nicest people i have met are covered in tattoos and the most judgment ones have none or go to church every day, let that sink in.

  10. jb510 - 9 years ago

    I surprised, maybe I shouldn’t be, that the first reported issues with the optical HR sensors are of people with tattoos, not people color with very dark skin… Maybe that’s coming tomorrow.

    These issues aren’t unique to the apple watch, optical HR sensors just pale in comparison to electric sensors.

    • therackett - 9 years ago

      Ink is much different than melanin. Darker skin may be slightly more difficult to read, but melanin is not going to alter light transmission anywhere near the degree that an ink will.

      • From what I’ve read the reason the sensors are having difficulty with tattoos comes from the fact that they are calibrated to not have difficulty with darker skin tones. I sincerely doubt that Apple would release a product that would make anyone say they were favoring light skinned folks. That’s just bad business.

  11. absarokasheriff - 9 years ago

    Instead of Sleeve Tattoos are we now going to have Capri Tattoos or cut outs designed for skin contact.
    Tattoo artists surely could adopt their canvases. And it’s only one wrist.

    It does seem like this is a fundamental problem of physiology and Apple should offer refunds to those who run into it. Fortunately it was caught early. It would be disappointing to those who have sleeve tats but they’ve fundamentally altered their bodies and this is a consequence.

  12. I have tattoos and have had no issues. Although mine are over 20 years old . Love the Apple watch!

Author

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Ben Lovejoy

Ben Lovejoy is a British technology writer and EU Editor for 9to5Mac. He’s known for his op-eds and diary pieces, exploring his experience of Apple products over time, for a more rounded review. He also writes fiction, with two technothriller novels, a couple of SF shorts and a rom-com!


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