How to Use Fall Detection on Apple Watch

Edited 1 week ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team

Apple WatchOSFall DetectionHealthSafetyMonitoringSmartwatchWearableAlertsEmergencySettings

Fall Detection on Apple Watch is a potentially lifesaving feature designed to detect hard falls, and it can automatically alert emergency services and your trusted contacts when needed. The feature is especially helpful for people who may be at risk of falling due to age or medical conditions. In this comprehensive guide, we'll learn how to use Fall Detection on Apple Watch, explore its settings, and understand what happens during and after fall detection.

What is fall detection?

Fall Detection is a feature available on Apple Watch that uses the device's accelerometer and gyroscope to detect when a significant fall has occurred. When the watch senses a severe fall has occurred, it taps your wrist, sounds an alarm, and displays an alert. You can also choose to contact emergency services directly from the alert. If your Apple Watch detects that you are moving, it waits for you to respond to the alert. If you remain still for about a minute, your watch will automatically call emergency services.

Fall detection accessories

Before setting up fall detection, it is important to verify if your device supports this feature. As of my knowledge update, fall detection is available here:

• Apple Watch Series 4 and later models
• Apple Watch SE
• Apple Watch Ultra

Please check the latest specifications from Apple's official resources to ensure compatibility of your device.

How to enable fall detection on Apple Watch

To make sure fall detection is activated, follow these steps:

Using your iPhone

1. Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone.
2. Tap the My Watch tab.
3. Tap Emergency SOS.
4. Toggle on fall detection.
5. You can choose to have fall detection active only during workouts or all the time.

If you're experiencing a lot of false alarms in your daily life, it may be beneficial to select the "Only during workouts" option; otherwise, it's recommended to keep it on all the time, especially for seniors or people with specific health concerns.

Using your Apple Watch

1. Press the Digital Crown to view the Home screen.
2. Tap the Settings app.
3. Swipe down and tap SOS > Fall Detection.
4. Here, you can enable fall detection and choose when it should be activated.

Establishing emergency contacts

Fall detection works best when you have emergency contacts on your list. Here's how you can set them up:

1. Open the Health app on your iPhone.
2. Tap your profile picture.
3. Select Medical ID.
4. Tap Edit.
5. Scroll to Emergency Contacts and tap the plus sign to add a contact.
6. Once done, tap Done to save your changes.

In the event of a fall and needing assistance, emergency contacts will receive a message with your status and location.

How fall detection works

When your Apple Watch detects a hard fall, you're alerted with a tap on the wrist, a sound, and a visual cue. You'll have the option to call emergency services or dismiss the alert by selecting "I'm fine."

If you stay still

If your Apple Watch doesn't detect any movement for about a minute after the fall, it will start a 30-second countdown by tapping your wrist and play an alert that gradually gets louder—this can help alert someone nearby. If you don't want to call emergency services, you can tap Cancel.

Automated call to emergency services

At the end of the countdown, your Apple Watch will automatically call emergency services and play a message informing them of your location using the device's connected GPS. Additionally, your configured emergency contacts will receive a text message with your location.

Dealing with false alarms

Despite being fairly accurate, Apple Watch fall detection is not perfect and can sometimes register false alarms, especially during high-impact physical activities. If you find the number of false alarms to be a hindrance, adjusting the setting to "Only during workouts" may mitigate this issue.

Detection actions after a fall

Here are some steps and considerations after the actual fall event and subsequent response:

Follow up call

Once your matter is sorted out, it's a good idea to notify your emergency contacts and briefly explain the situation. Misunderstandings in dangerous scenarios can have serious consequences, so clear communication is key.

View the history of autumn

To review any fall incidents, you can view logged incidents under the Walking Strides and Running Distance sections in the Health app. This gives you an idea of the frequency and context of these incidents for better decision-making and prevention strategies.

Safety recommendations

• Keep your WatchOS updated to the latest version, ensuring optimal accuracy and new features for emergency scenarios.
• Calibrate and test your Apple Watch’s sensors regularly to maintain their sensitivity and quick detection of a fall.
• Consider educating yourself about first aid, as well as using technology like fall detection to help others in an emergency.

Conclusion

The Fall Detection feature on Apple Watch plays an important role in personal safety and provides reassurance, especially for older adults or individuals at risk of falling. By properly setting up and understanding its function, users can maximize its potential as a helpful tool during emergencies. This guide contains essential information for setup, operation, and best practices for using Fall Detection, ensuring you are prepared and informed.

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