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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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OmriShpigel Author

Level 1

29 points

Posted on Jan 10, 2023 8:03 AM

Hi everybody,

I know all of you are frustrated about the Apple Watch not being able to read your heart rate sometimes while working out, well after about two weeks of talking everyday with Apple support we have a conclusion and it’s a scientific one.

Apple’s heart rate sensors are one of the most advanced sensors in the world for a wrist watch and they read your heart rate using the veins on your wrist.

when you begin a run you’re cold which means your veins aren’t popped out yet which makes it difficult for the every wrist workout watch to indicate what your heart rate is. When being in a lower temperature area such as running outdoors it’s likely that in the couple first minutes of the workout your heart rate won’t be read because your body is still cold therefor your veins didn’t pop yet (this happens mostly in the winter and depends on where you live) I’ve talked with friends who own Garmin’s and Suunto’s and they’re experiencing the same problem too because of cold weather.

Please be advised that every person is different then the other and some people take longer time to warm up either because they’re more in shape and running a couple minutes won’t warm them up or that’s just how your body is.

What I can advise you before you contact Apple about a problem like this is to make a run indoors where it’s hotter then your outside temperature and run on a treadmill and you’ll be able to see that the Watch reads your heart rate easily, just make sure it’s strapped on as Apple advised while working out.

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274 replies

Feb 7, 2023 7:33 AM in response to Guy With Pipe

Yes, I did. I used Workoutdoors, same issue

OmriShpigel Author

Level 1

29 points

Feb 7, 2023 10:31 AM in response to OmriShpigel

sadly when I strapped my Watch strap stronger it worked fine for a week and then I was told to do an update to the new Watch os but now it’s back to the beginning where it doesn’t work

Feb 17, 2023 7:01 AM in response to Mickja8

I think so too, I contact local Apple Services for this problem.

MozNZ

Level 1

0 points

Mar 22, 2023 12:18 PM in response to OmriShpigel

I’m also having this problem since late December on Apple Watch 4 - I’m suspecting it’s related to a software update as heart rate was tracking fine all the way through a run until then

GoJ84

Level 1

12 points

Apr 3, 2023 5:26 AM in response to adrianocart

Does it works on latest update 9.4?

Mirast

Level 1

8 points

Jul 22, 2023 8:34 PM in response to bgdadey

I tried the STRAVA and the problem the same.

bgdadey

Level 1

12 points

Jul 22, 2023 8:42 PM in response to Mirast

I never had issues with workout when using it for walks. Would be interesting to run however use the walk mode of workout to see how it behaves

Oct 22, 2023 6:39 AM in response to UncleBobble

This is funny. I have an ultra 1 and an Apple watch 9. I just put the 9 on for my workouts now, it’s better at tracking my heart rate. Oh well.

Dec 13, 2023 6:49 AM in response to OmriShpigel

Same here. Happens when rowing on the machine. Could it be the rythmic movement that interferes with the sensor?

Dec 20, 2023 9:00 AM in response to OmriShpigel

Here we s another theory. Ultra is thick and heavy. It moves around easier than other versions so contact is disrupted when moving more rigorously.

iamjimmy

Level 1

13 points

Feb 20, 2024 11:03 AM in response to OmriShpigel

I have the newest apple watch 9 and I am upset because when starting a workout it takes several minutes to start monitoring my heart rate. What I do is start the heart rate app, it still takes some half a minute but then it starts. I find your answer enlightening and plausible, but if it were true that it doesn't measure because you are cool and the veins are not yet dilated, then the heart rate app shouldn't do it. Therefore I am more inclined to a malfunction of the app, IOS, etc and not the hardware. Regardless, I am very disappointed with apple.

OmriShpigel Author

Level 1

29 points

Dec 19, 2022 1:16 PM in response to LD150

first of all thanks for responding,

second of all I’ve already read about those settings. As I mentioned above I looked everywhere and wasted a lot of my time at this problem so this is my last resort (writing my one thread)

OmriShpigel Author

Level 1

29 points

Dec 21, 2022 6:36 AM in response to AshMorley19

Yeah it sucks being on the not working side but Apple support are very friendly and helped me a ton so I’m going to talk to them in about an hour about the problem because what the person who helped me out said to do didn’t work and looks like it’s even getting worse because it recorded only 40 percent of my workout where before it would recorded about 60-70 percent. I used to have a series 2 and was probably one of the firsts to have an Apple Watch in my country but because of military duty I had to switch to a normal watch and now that I’m done with that phase I want to reward myself but it’s a bit annoying to be honest.

OmriShpigel Author

Level 1

29 points

Dec 29, 2022 9:47 AM in response to tworunners

Yeah I understood that while trying to figure out the problem that I’m not the only one via this forum, sadly there aren’t any videos or anything about this bug. I’m using an ultra too, I think it’s only a problem with the ultra.

OmriShpigel Author

Level 1

29 points

Jan 3, 2023 9:08 PM in response to Jordi Babra

Hi Jordi,

im pretty sure the conclusion is that there’s a software bug with heart rate zone 2 and 3 where the reading are incorrect or somehow not reading enough data. I’m waiting for a response from apple

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Apple Watch Ultra Heart Rate During Workout