Apple Watch Series 6 with Tattoos

Hey jmrsdn,

i bought the Apple Watch Series 6 Nike edition and i have also issues with the wristdetection, so nothing works correctly. That’s so frustrating. Every year, since the og, i bought the new apple watch. I can’t understand this problem. Other brands like garmin or polar can do it too. Imo they can solve the problem if they would turn of the wristdetection but let the other function works. I know it’s important for apple pay so they can turn this function off.

Hi Jmrsdn,

I just received my Apple Watch Series 6 and still got issues with tattoo.

I can almost, 100% ( maybe 98.7%) confirm that the transition between colors is at least part of the problem. My left arm is tattooed, but the coverage is not a lot, especially on the wrist. The only real portion of tattoo that would fall under the watch sensor is a thin, maybe 2mm, black line. When the watch transitions across this spot through normal movement or even adjustment (due to heat, sweat, comfort, etc.) it locks. However, on my right arm, I could lift the watch itself almost a full inch off the skin without it locking.

I would imagine this could be a rather simple fix through adding a timer to the lock feature when it loses "contact" with the wrist through whatever means it uses to detect it. Would at least lessen the amount of times it'd lock while on the wrist due to normal movement.

****, here's a few other possible solutions for apple:

1. Put the wallet behind the passcode and leave the other functions working. Fitbit can do it, so can you!
2. Make it a user adjustable password wall. Let us chose which apps or features are sensitive and need to be unlocked.
3. Integrate the timer suggestion I made. Maybe even make it user adjustable in increments of seconds.
4. Do a better job testing with a more diverse group of people.

I came to the series 6 from a Fitbit Ionic. Fitbit lost my confidence when it took them 3 years to develop software to use the hardware the watch already had. (Blood O2 sensor) However, for some reason it was able to track my all day heart rate, my sleep, my activity, etc...without issue. And their wallet is behind a passcode but the rest isn't.

I just got the 6 as well and worked fine over my tattoos for half the day, then suddenly stopped and kept locking itself. It works on my non tattooed wrist but will take some getting used to and I’m afraid it will get damaged more easily on my dominant hand. I’m surprised because I have a good amount of bare skin through my tattoo but still would not work.

No Joy using the 44mm S6 on this tattoo.

somewhat annoyingly when I originally got the sleeve it did finish higher up, I extended it down a bit then got the Apple watch s3 a year or so later. I wondered why fitness apps would stop midway through workouts etc.

I’ve ordered the epoxy caps to try but it doesn’t sound like people are having any luck with them.

Right non-inked arm works fine. I’m trying to see if I can get used to it on that wrist.

My 2cts, been using Apple devices since the early 90ies. Apple and their users were all very dedicated and loyal, most were also passionate about Apple and their products. I worked at Apple for about 5 years doing CPU & later iOS phone/chat support. Slowly I saw changes I didn’t like (partially why I left), more and more employees don’t bleed 6 colors, to them its just a job… many Apple store employees are “hipsters” to whom its just a job. AppleCare advisors are lazy, they know you’re calling/chatting from the device and to keep their numbers (AHT) down they have you do a restart without any troubleshooting whatsoever, so its the next advisors “problem”, I saw and if I contact them now this to be the case. I once exchanged a iPhone 3G because the glass wasn’t flush with the chrome bezel, they opened 5 (five) devices to find one I was happy with, try doing that now… I’ll let you know that can’t happen nowadays. Apple became just like many a bottom line company, “playing” the numbers game, it’s hard to find devoted “geeks” who believe & follow the spirit Apple once had and it makes me sad (#iSad), customers are more and more just numbers, in too many instances the devotion, loyalty and true Apple care is a thing of the past.

So there I got it out of my system, I’ll be very surprised if Apple comes with a fix, many, like myself (cuz I do bleed 6 colors, still) keep using it, yes it “cripples” my Apple Watch yet I like the rest of the features and functions that do work. I hope Apple has me eat my words but I have my doubts.

Series 0, Series 3 Nike, Series 4 Nike & Stainless Steel, Series 5 Stainless Steel all worked ZERO issues (don’t NOT get new tattoos, at least not on my wrist ;-}

2 Series 6 Nike, both have the AOD issue unless I disable Wrist Detection

#iSad ;-\

its pretty counter productive to have an always on display that requires your wrist to be detected. Wouldn’t it drain more power for your watch to detect a wrist vs just keeping on a low power display 24/7? What do I know I’m just an idiot with tattoos on my wrist lol.

I have owned every prior generation of watch and not had an issue with them detecting my tattooed forearm - I receive my series 6 today and it won’t recognise it - something to do with the blood oxygen sensors? Bitterly disappointed.

I’m going to be somewhat contradictory to the rest of the comments in this thread. Both my arms and hands are covered in tattoos (black and grey ink) and both the series 3 and 4 did not work on my wrists.

I purchased the series 6 two days ago and I have had zero issues whatsoever. Both the ECG and blood oxygen monitors seem to be working also.

Has anyone actually successfully done this and it work? I loved my Apple Watch, but it didn't seem reasonable to keep for the price if the features weren't going to be accessible because of a tattoo...

I'm the lucky one? I am asking...Has anyone used the epoxy bottle caps that were mentioned earlier or used tape as I have read on other forums and it been successful in not locking the watching because the ink of the tattoo is not penetrable by the light sensors on the back? I just returned my Series 6 yesterday and miss it already.

Meanwhile I returned the Silver Aluminum Nike Series 6 and purchased a Titanium Series 6 (so gorgeous), at first I was excited because it seemed to work, but later on it didn’t so yeah, guess all models are having the issue.

It’s a serious bummer but besides from returning the watch, or use an epoxy sticker there’s little we can do. I suspect it can’t be fixed with software? Anyone contacted  vis-à-vis this matter, if so what did they say?

Thank you.

I think it has to do with the placement of the light sensors on the back side and where the tattoo is. My tattoo is small but wraps around my wrist. When I had it done I actually laid out an Apple Watch on paper and traced it then designed the tattoo within those lines (as to be able to cover it up and not be visible at work). I think if the deeper sensing red lights are placed somewhere other than where they are on the Apple Watch you might have some luck. I begrudgingly ordered a Garmin vivoactive 4 in hopes that it works better. It's NOT an Apple Watch, but maybe it won't pause my workouts mid workout and maybe it will be able to read my HR and O2 levels consistently.

I bought and returned the 6. I loved it, but as mentioned before, for the price I could not justify the issues. The people that say they have full sleeves and it works fine, I wonder the color, shading, and placement of their tattoo. I bought a Garmin Vivoactive 4 in hopes of getting the some of the same benefits like Blood Oxygen/O2 levels, sleep monitoring, HR monitor, etc, but found it was inconsistent also. The integration with Apple iPhone was intolerable, also and the App Store lacked in comparison. I returned the Garmin, also. I might give the 6 a try again and wear it on the underside of my wrist using the epoxy caps people are mentioning, complete with a bumper and screen protector, but for now it's a simple Casio G-Shock GBD-800 to use as a watch on my left wrist, and on my right wrist a WHOOP strap that monitors my HR, Sleep, and "Strain." I hope that this is something Apple is able to fix or alter in the future.