Apple watch ultra and tattoos

I've had almost every generation of Apple Watch, and the Ultra is yet another that has the same issue - so no, this has decidedly not been fixed if you're holding out for an answer. I have wrist/hand tattoos (full color) on both sides, and occasionally I can get it to stay unlocked if I position things just right - but the moment I move, instant lock. It seems to be less sensitive if I have an active workout running, but that's not certain - and it's really frustrating that once it locks, it pauses that workout and I lose that data. What's mystifying is that it's showing heart rate the second before it locks, so it doesn't seem as though it's a sensor freaking out. (and indeed sometimes when I'm on completely bare skin I see the heart rate greyed out at other times - so it's not a correlation/causation thing)

Solutions I've tried:

The bottle cap trick: it works mostly but is a pain and I feel it affects the speed/consistency of charging. It still locks, just not as often. It also makes the watch "taller" on my wrist

Disabling auto-lock: the watch is basically useless in this mode, so not even really an option.

Repositioning/loosening bands/different bands: no real consistent effect here. Might get lucky now and then but the only thing consistent is the inconsistency

The only thing that works: wearing it upside-down on one of the few places under my wrist where I have bare skin: works, but I'm constantly bashing the face on things and that's not ideal either. It also sort of messes with the auto-wake/positioning sensing. I've lived with it this way, though.

What I'd love to see is an option in the settings much like the OSX screensaver settings that sets a timeout for auto-lock. I feel like if we could just say "don't auto-lock within {x} second(s)" or something that the watch would once again find the consistent skin that it's looking for - because when it locks, it's instant. Or maybe being able to pair the lock status with a phone in the opposite direction? (much like how the watch can unlock the phone, why can't it work in reverse?) I don't know, I'm not an engineer and I'm sure someone at a billion-ty dollar company has already thought of all of this and surely someone in that place must be tattooed.

Yes, I'm sure there are people out there laughing and saying "wElL tHis iS wHat yOu gEt for bEiNg taTtooed" - save it, I don't care about your opinion. This is me and it's what I like - it's irrelevant to the issue. I'm just stating my experience so others can make a decision based on that.

Ok I have two full sleeves I have just got the ultra and it locks all the time very frustrating.

However having done some research

You can buy some tape on Amazon called PARAFILM CUT THIS TO SIZE AND COVER THE BACK OF THE WATCH SENSORS

THIS WORKS

Bought the 7 for my first watch, always on didn’t work and after many back and forth with Apple I Googled and found the tattoo issue and they accepted return. Went and tried the Ultra twice since release in the store and all seemed to work well so today I bought it. Half an hour of wearing I notice it the display is off and requiring passcode each time to open it. Swap to the blank non tattooed wrist and all works normally.

Just bought and using it for almost a week. I have tattoo on hands and wrist. Apple Watch Ultra always gets locked. Same issue as previous models.

I disagree. with some of the comments that all other manufacturers have this problem. I have sleeves on both arms so cannot simply switch wrists. I had an apple watch years ago, didn't work on tattoos so got rid hoping it would be rectified in future. I then had a Garmin 6s for nearly three years (until it developed a fault and I got a refund) and it worked flawlessly over my tattoos. Bought an apple watch 7 then, again didn't work on tattoos, still after so many years of a known failing that other manufacturers have addressed. If it still the same with the latest apple watch as others are indicating, then I'd say it's because apple simply doesn't care about the minority market (those with tattoos over their wrists) to do anything about it. It is not because the technology to overcome this issue does not exist. Apple know the vast majority of of the market is still going to be captured regardless.

Hey guys, I did an update today and I found a setting. Not sure if it was there before but it’s helped me out. There is a setting that says wrist detection. I turned it off and mine works absolutely fine all day now including workouts. The only problem is sleep detection doesn’t work when you’ve done this. I’m going to attempt to turn it on tonight because I think my watch works even when it was locking on sleep detection. I’ve only had to watch 24 hours so still working on figuring this out before possibly sending it back If I can’t get it working. Hopefully this will help other people.

Sidenote, I still have a passcode so after I’ve put it on charge, I have to put the passcode in.

I can now confirm that the epoxy sticker works with my ultra and is a great solution. If you’re in Australia I ordered the 25mm from here, https://polymerclay.com.au/1-25mm-Clear-Epoxy-Resin-Adhesive-Circles

I believe 20mm would be a better fit but all is good. I will have to order them off Amazon and wait for delivery. Very happy now to have my watch working on my left arm.

Then it appears Apple Watch is not the best device for you. It's been known for some time Apple Watch Sensors may be impacted by dark tattoos.

This is a user to user only forum. No one from Apple is here. You should take your issues to Apple directly and see if they can offer any viable solutions for you.

This is what Apple has to say about Apple Watch and Tattoos:

"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."

Tell Apple what you want. You aren't doing that here on this user to user only forum. I suspect since Apple specifically posts in a support article that tattoos will impact the sensors on Apple Watch, they have considered this and likely can't just roll out an update to the watch. I imagine if they could have done this, they would have.

Still, you can let Apple know via this link --> Feedback - Watch - Apple

Nope, wish they would at least allow us to create a shortcut to turn off wrist detection when we start a workout or put a toggle in the workout app. I literally have no issues on any other apps, only the Apple fitness app. All they need to do is to not pause the workout! It’s super frustrating because I love the running app! And I have to start a Nike workout to track my weight training workouts.

There won’t be a software fix for this. The problem is in the type of sensor used. Until the technology doesn’t rely on light - the problem will always be there unfortunately.

Parafilm from Amazon place over the back of the watch sensors and it will work

The work around that I’m using when tracking workouts is to go into settings on the watch, then to passcode, then turn off wrist detection.

Lol 😂 do you have a watch or tattoos? Lol 😂 watch works as normal with all functions when you use epoxy sticker, Nice 👍 lol 😂

I’m glad it works for you, that awesome sauce! My 4 had issues every once in a while but I thought there was a tattoo update back when series 4 came out. Now that I got the Ultra, it locks immediately no matter how tight or loose I have it. However, I’m pretty confident it’s because of my tattoos. I have use my other arm, without tattoos, and the watch works just fine. Although I am not going to wear it on that arm permanently because I am use it to wearing my watch on my left arm, specifically for the last 40+ years, plus the ultra is a little heavier and it feels out of place on my right arm.