Apple Watch Ultra locking while on wrist

I have an Apple Watch Ultra running the latest release (9.1 build 20S75) and have had continuous issues with the watch locking itself. It has occurred while wearing multiple types of straps including the Ocean Band, Sport Loop, and the Alpine Loop. I wear my bands pretty tight (tight enough that they leave indentations on my wrist 360 degrees).


I've worn Apple Watches since 2016, and this only started happening with Watch OS 9 / Apple Watch Ultra.


Before the inevitable question, yes, I searched for similar posts and no, I didn't find any that had relevant answers.


Has anyone else been experiencing this issue with Watch OS 9 and/or Apple Watch Ultra? Any ideas on a fix? I'd prefer to avoid the un-pair / re-pair route, but will try it if it's a viable solution.


Thanks in advance.

Apple Watch Ultra, watchOS 9

Posted on Nov 3, 2022 11:28 AM

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Posted on Mar 26, 2024 7:32 AM

I had the same problem with an Apple Watch 9 that I just bough. After I read all the support pages, tightened the strap, cleaned the sensors on the back, made sure the wrist sensor was on etc etc it still didn't solve the problem. The watch locked after 10 seconds while on my wrist.

The occurred to me the issue was not with the watch. The issue was with the iPhone (11) that the watch is synched to. I phones have different personalised modes of us - work / personal / driving / sleep. For some reason the iPhone was in sleep mode during the day and this was causing the Apple Watch to lock after 10 seconds as it would do during the night. On the locked phone check if you're on sleep mode. if so hold down the mode button at the bottom of the screen and select personal or work. I did this and immediately the Apple Watch was unlocked while on my wrist and the problem was solved. Hope this helps.

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118 replies

Aug 23, 2023 6:05 AM in response to flavoredair

YUP. Personally... I think the SW updates somehow changed the sensitivity of these watches. Apple even replaced my watch and it didn't resolve anything. Ended up switching wrists. Give that a try. It will help... no clue why. Or at the very least, it will reduce the locking drastically. I still, on occasion, look down and see my watched locked but it is better than on my left wrist.


And no I don't have tattoos.....

May 4, 2024 7:36 PM in response to flavoredair

have same exact problem. all people here saying "you wear it too loose" just wasting everyone's time.

I wear it on my both hands switching between. it works absolutely perfectly on my left hand and falls to sleep frequently on my right hand. I wear it tight on both hands.

I never had this problem with previous watch series and it only started to happen with Ultra.

It is obvious it is A FALTY SENSOR and/or SOFTWARE problem and not some bad wearing.

apple's products quality has been degrading over past few years not going to lie.

Mar 4, 2023 4:43 AM in response to flavoredair

I have the exact same problem. Apple said they looked on their forums and didn't see any issues. I guess they didn't look hard enough as I found your post immediately. They had me run diagnostics which didn't turn anything up, and reinstall the OS twice, and clean to the contacts on the back. The issue persists. As they can't find any issue with diagnostics, I can send it in for analysis but without product replacement. That is kind of bogus as I won't have my watch for weeks. Oh well.

Mar 6, 2023 8:03 AM in response to flavoredair

I received my Ultra mid-December and it locks while on my wrist. Been doing this since new, but only under certain conditions. I think I've finally got the cause figured out, but not the fix. It's only happening when I'm riding my bike outside in temps of 25 degrees to about 50 degrees and when I'm wearing it under long sleeves and/or gloves. Upon locking, it prompts for the passcode. Once the passcode is entered it locks up again for about 10 minutes with just the Apple logo showing. So frustrating for an $800 disposable watch. However, I've ridden with the watch in warmer temps with short-sleeves and no issues. I'm not sure what the takeaway is here. Apples's only solution is for me to send the watch in for a replacement, which I'm doing.

May 11, 2023 5:01 AM in response to flavoredair

Me too.... on the Series 8. No resolution. What I did today.... wearing the watch slightly higher on my wrist (as opposed to the exact same spot as I wore my Series4)... This has been the ONLY thing that has worked... SO FAR. It's been 3 hrs and no locking. WHY did I think of this? Apple Support said "something changed with your wrist". I thought how ridiculous...... well... maybe it did. I remember the last year of my Series4 I would get bruises under the watch. No clue why. It left me with a dent. So.... testing out the theory now.

May 16, 2023 7:24 AM in response to tina3kid

tina3kid wrote:

I think it's the new software..... "enhanced feature" they say. Yet my husband and son both have the new Ultra and they aren't experiencing this. I have tried everything. Including a different watch band. nothing helps

If neither your husband nor your son is having this problem, it is unlikely to be any sort of "enhanced feature" or new software. Either there is something wrong with your device or there is something about the way you are wearing it that is causing a problem. Do you have any tattoos on that wrist?

May 22, 2023 9:34 AM in response to Leegue

Leegue wrote:

My series 8 is doing the same thing. Mine will even lock when am scrolling through it. It locks when am wearing during a workout. It’s annoying. I have had Apple Watches since the first one, always wore the on the same wrist, on the same way but this is the first time I’ve had an issue.

I solved it by turning off the passcode 😂. But I need a resolution because I prefer it locked.

That sounds like a hardware issue with your watch. I'd suggest that you arrange with Apple to have it evaluated.


Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple


Nov 19, 2023 6:13 AM in response to flavoredair

It shouldn’t be tattoos bc I’ve had many Apple Watches and the same tats for years and I just opened and set up my new ultra. Went from one to the other. Series 7 or something. In literally had both on my wrist and only the ultra locked. It’s incessant. Actually unusable. I’m livid. You can’t workout keep data ect. I’ve had some watches disconnect during heavy workouts sweat ect. But I’ve sat still and this thing just locks. I also noticed my display is set to always on but it doesn’t stay on. I reset turned functions on and of and nothing. This is definitely software as I can’t imagine all these brand new devices are defective hardware. HELLO APPLE SUPPORT DONT YOU SEE THIS IS LEGITIMATE ISSUE.

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Apple Watch Ultra locking while on wrist

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