Apple Watch Ultra Heart Rate During Workout

I’ve been having problems with my Apple Watch ultra. basically as seen in the photos I’ve attached, every workout I do starts with the Apple Watch reading my heart rate and then for the next 5-10 minutes it doesn’t read at all. I’ve looked everywhere and read different forums and tried every setting possibility out there but none of it seems to work because it looks like I’m the only one with this problem, I’ve tried loosing and tightening my strap but it doesn’t effect the process. I’ve came to conclusion that this is a bug in the workout app because the heart rate sensors work and as seen they read my heart rate through the other half of my workout.


if anyone else has this problem please let me know.

Apple Watch Ultra, watchOS 9

Posted on Dec 18, 2022 1:35 PM

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Posted on Jan 10, 2023 8:43 AM

I don’t agree with this. I’m working out indoors in the same environment everyday and it’s all over the place.


im currently lifting weights with the watch not even that tight and it hasn’t missed a beat.


it’s a software issue.

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263 replies

Nov 29, 2023 3:10 PM in response to OmriShpigel

I have an Apple Watch 7, fully up to date on the operating system, and it can’t calculate my heart rate for the first 5-9 min of EVERY run. It consistently tracks my heart rate on all other activities- outdoor and indoor cycling, hiking, walking, and weight training. It is very frustrating, especially since my runs aren’t very long! It has got to be a software issue. Since it works fine for all the other activities, I think it has to do with the Run activity. I’ve tried manually making my watch give me my current heart rate right before I start the run, but it still has the gap. And when I try to manually get my heart rate during the run (which will probably cause me to test the Fall alert system), it still can’t calculate it.

Dec 13, 2023 8:11 AM in response to AleksFadini

You can call a class action lawyer and just ask what they think. If they think there’s a case there, they will take it on and there’s very little you need to do other than demonstrate the issue, show that it’s wide spread, and convince them what your loss is.


Given all the use cases for the watch, damages probably won’t be that high for inaccurate heart rate in some workouts, especially when you can mitigate with a $40 heart strap, but that’s how you’d do it.


If they think there’s a case there, they would take on and do all the hard work. You might get $25, but they’d make millions (a % of the total damages awarded).



Dec 13, 2023 8:32 AM in response to vanhalen26

I mean, it does not track HR at all sometimes. Also, that would be one of the main use scenarios for a sport watch no? It's a 700$+ watch, I bought the 2 as well hoping it would fix that issue specifically.

FYI, as an iOS developer, I received way more than 25$ in settlements, in two different occasions, due to Apple unfair policies. More importantly, a class action would bring this to Apple attention so we might get an Ultra 3 with HR tracking as good as the AW regular series.


I tried different straps and it didn't help, what is the 40$ strap that solves the issue?

Dec 13, 2023 10:06 AM in response to vanhalen26

Wow. Apple edited my post, and notified me that I violated community rules. They removed my feedback on a potential class action. I didn’t see anything rude, disparaging or inflammatory or inappropriate. What’s up with that?


If they are seeing our comments, why not have someone on the hardware team respond and engage with us, rather than cancel comments they disagree with. Two years of raising the issue and we get no help, but they don’t like comments and they cancel. That’s just not right.


As for the strap, I don’t recall which one I got, but any basic Bluetooth one on Amazon is fine. No point in me sharing a link, the moderator will just erase it.


Hey moderator - can I share a link to the heart rate monitor strap I bought to work along side the watch? Needed it since the one built into the watch doesn’t work during exercise. Kindly advise, thank you.



Dec 15, 2023 3:56 PM in response to OmriShpigel

I read all the comments as I have the same issue with my Ultra watch.

the only one that works for me is the explanation of when the body is cold the connection between watch and body is not quick.

my issue is at the gym and when I swim both situation my body is cold.

the heart monitor works ok when I walk or bike.

I also noticed when I am in an electrical machine at gym and holding the heart rate monitor of the machine it takes few minutes before it can read the pulse.

I also talk to my daughter who works at a hospital and mentioned some of their instruments don’t work as well when the patient body is cold.

I think I found my answer. Thank you.

Dec 20, 2023 8:08 AM in response to OmriShpigel

This colder weather theory has to be false I workout indoors and warm up before each workout and it only malfunctions when my heart rate moves up quickly as I increase my intensity. Then you have to stop and it catches up but then your heart rate drops. So what’s the purpose of trying to do any cardiovascular training? I’ve found if you buy the sweat bands available on Amazon and place the watch above the biceps below the deltoid this works SOMETIMES but it’s not a true fix it a workaround which you should not have to do if you buy their premium watch at a premium price . Apple of course remains silent because to comment on the problem means there IS a problem and it needs to be resolved. I am very disappointed with their lack of response to what is a prevalent issue. I even traded in my Ultra for the Ultra 2 hoping they had done something , no such luck. It still has the same issues.

Dec 31, 2023 8:33 AM in response to OmriShpigel

No matter what I try the Ultra 2 or the series 9 that I own are not consistent with the hear-rate readings during my workout. At least 3 or 4 times or. more during every workout it is not recording heart rate or time in the exercise mode. Yesterday for no particular reason it stopped 5 + times ! . Just to get to the 30 minutes exercise threshold I had to workout 55 minutes. When it stops recording I have to stop all movement and wait for it to “catch up” causing my heart rate to drop. It is very frustrating. I payed for their top of the line I expected it to function as it was designed! I had the same problem with my Ultra 1 I got a replacement through AppleCare but the new one was worse. So I traded it up for the Ultra 2 (at a loss) hoping Apple would have corrected the issue. However I guess they will not even admit it is an issue all you get from them is silence 😐. I guess if they admit it was an issue they would have to correct it with some kind of software or hardware “fix”. I know they have to be aware of it I am far from the only one with this problem. I tried all the “fixes” but nothing resolves the issue. However should I have to try to fix it ? With amount of issues Apple is experiencing are we seeing a decline in quality of their products and services ? Is Apple slipping? Do they care about their customers? You always paid more for Apple products but they were always of good quality. I was an early adopter of Apple products from the IPhone 3 to the Apple Watch Series 1 and several iPads. I feel my issue has not been dealt with correctly or even acknowledged. I wonder how everyone else feels or have any options that I have not looked into.

Apple Watch Ultra Heart Rate During Workout

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