Apple Watch Heart rate sensor not reading heart rate during workouts!

Question

Level 1

35 points

Apple Watch Heart rate sensor not reading heart rate during workouts!

Sometimes I go 5 minutes without it reading my heart rate, sometimes it goes the whole 30 minute session. I always now first get a heart rate reading through the health app before I start the workout and at times in the middle of the workout, and this seems to improve reliability but its a hit and miss.

I have tried different tightness of strap - not help; it does it both in running and swimming. It does it on my Apple 5 watch and my wife's Apple 2 watch. It is hugely frustrating. This morning I got a reading then started my run, and for 26 minutes it would not read. Then it kicked in and measured many times a minute. I have never enabled the useless setting to conserve power by not measuring heart rate etc. and it is always connected, all on and full battery. It is a watch fault!

Please can Apple address this problem urgently.

Apple Watch Series 5, watchOS 6

Posted on Oct 2, 2020 2:33 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Leanne_68

Community Specialist

Oct 7, 2020 3:32 PM in response to robsup

Hello robsup,

Thanks for choosing the Apple Support Communities. If we understand correctly, you are getting unreliable heart rates when using your Apple Watch. We can help.

To get the best fit and measurements, please follow this resource.

Monitor your heart rate with Apple Watch

Also, it may help to recalibrate your watch.

Calibrating your Apple Watch for improved Workout and Activity accuracy

Cheers!

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Answer 2

KAC68

Level 1

54 points

Oct 21, 2020 10:25 AM in response to robsup

Looking back in my workout history, this issue has started for me soon after I updated to iOS 14. Not sure if this is a permission issue? My heartrate is not recorded for the Apple Workout app or the third part Nike Run Club or Nike Training Club apps.

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Answer 3

robsup Author

Level 1

35 points

Oct 21, 2020 12:24 PM in response to KAC68

KAC68 that seems to be a different issue and I expect is solvable (a setup issue maybe solved by repairing the watch or looking at your list of apps that share the data - those apps you mention have that setting). The posted issue is erratic and ongoing not capturing heart rate: it does it throughout a workout then it has a workout with no readings and then a workout where it misses 20 minutes of readings

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Answer 4

robsup Author

Level 1

35 points

Oct 21, 2020 12:20 PM in response to Leanne_68

Know without doubt that the basic setup information you shared DOES NOT shed any light on the problems experienced with getting heart rate readings - which are erratic and unreliable, and is experienced by many people. Please can Apple address the issue and come up with an urgent fix.

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Apple Watch Heart rate sensor not reading heart rate during workouts!

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