How well does the apple watch ultra work with tattoos? Has this issue been fixed?
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.
I had series 4 since it first came out and had no issues whatsoever. I even want to say they did some kind of tattoo update after the launch.
Now that I have the Ultra...I have a choice, to wear it on the other hand or to return the device.
For anyone else that thought maybe they could use Saniderm in place of this Parafilm stuff: I can confirm that it does not work. That leaves me skeptical of the other fix, but maybe it works for others. The only thing predictable about this problem is the unpredictability.
(I had Saniderm left over because...well, tattoos - it looked pretty similar to Parafilm so I had hopes)
I one hundred percent agree there should be a Tattoo update. It should be inclusive to everybody! I am so upset I recently got a series 8 watch and unknowingly got a tattoo on my wrist and now it keeps locking on its own and I am forced to wear on my right wrist, thankfully I have wrist without tattoos! Definitely disappointed to say the least!
It hasn’t been fixed. I have ink on both arms down to my hands and the watch locks up during activity. I had somehow changed the settings in my series 2 watch that routed around that, but I can’t remember what that was. I’ve tried everything I can find online and none of it works. Expensive watch that I can’t use to track any activity at all.
I have a 7 and it would always lock up on my left arm (black ink sleeve). Luckily my right arm, also sleeved, has light colors. Weird with all this technology apple can't get a work around for this tattoo problem.
Same here. Just upgraded from the series 5 what had the same issue but the ultra is worse. It seems to be locking even more than the series 5 did and turning it off disables way more features with the Ultra than it did with the 5. I may have to return it. it's 2x as much as the series 8 and basically useless.
Hey mate,
Yes the do come off and move around. I remove sticker before washing the watch and don’t wear in the shower. I suppose you could use a drop of glue to hold it longer. The larger stickers move around less than the small ones, I tried 11mm and they move very easily versus the larger. I purchased on eBay, ordered a few hundred so I don’t need to order again. Best though to order maybe 10 to try and see if it works for you.
My series 5 would lock if I didn’t were it just in the right spot and keep the band tight. So far, no issues with the ultra.
We shouldn’t have to switch arms for the sensors to work. Seems crazy to me
that color change is an issue. Humans have a wide variety and f skin colors. Tattoos shouldn’t be a factor.
Not well, it is to the point where I want to return the watch. I have never had an issue until the Ultra.
Random - my ultra still doesn’t work on my tattoos. Always on display doesn’t work. Blood oxygen doesn’t work… and few other bits. But my tattoos are black so maybe that has something to do with it.
Guys I had Apple Watch Series 5 and 6 and work fine on tattoo notification’s and heart rate all fine
Density and colour of the tattoo must affect it’s functionality. Lighter/faded colours wouldn’t impact its ability to read stats as much as darker dense colours.
With wrist detection off, has that been the only way you have been able to keep it unlocked?
I’m considering the Ultra, or was until I found you guys’/gals’ conversation.
It’s just frustrating that Apple has never said anything about it anywhere, ever - other than the blip about the heart sensor failing possibly. What a joke.
how about the reality that the entire watch WILL fail if you have a tattoo. Seems like an easy solution to me. TF Apple?
edit to add, I have owned the series 5, 6, and have a 7 but skipping this generation until I’ve heard it’s been fixed
It's not for you if it doesn't work as you want/need it to work. I don't work for Apple. In fact, no one on this user to user only forum works for Apple or has anything to do with Apple Engineering. Instead of telling me what you think could/should be, why not tell Apple?
Feel free to use this link to share your thoughts the only way anyone at Apple would see them --> Feedback - Watch - Apple
Apple watch ultra and tattoos
