Can Apple Watch Measure Blood Pressure?
- Dmitri Konash
- Jun 30, 2022
- 8 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
Apple Watch has been designed to help people improve their cardiovascular system. It is packed with different features related to heart health. But can you measure blood pressure on Apple Watch? Read on to find the correct answer to this popular question.
How do blood pressure monitors actually work?
Blood pressure Apple Watch is a popular search topic on the internet. Lots of people are trying to find a watch with blood pressure monitor. Before we dive into this topic, let’s review how blood pressure monitors actually work. To measure blood pressure it requires only a stethoscope and an inflatable arm cuff hooked up to a manometer.
The arm cuff is pumped with air, cutting off the circulation in the so called brachial artery, and the pressure is then released gradually. This method was originally developed by an Italian doctor Scipione Riva-Rocci. Once the blood pressure drops below the systolic blood pressure level, the blood flow through the artery will return. However, the blood flow will be turbulent for as long as the artery remains partially compressed. This results in a pulsating noise, known as Korotkoff sound, which can be recognized by placing a stethoscope on the brachial artery. The pulsating noise disappears as soon as compression of the artery is released completely. The cuff pressure as measured at this point corresponds to the diastolic blood pressure.
This manual technique of checking blood pressure is widely replaced these days by automatic blood pressure monitoring devices. The automatic devices work on the same principle. The turbulent blood flow causes vibrations of the artery wall. These vibrations are detected by the sensors in the arm cuff. Hence automatic blood pressure monitors replace the guesswork with a no-brainer approach and produce accurate results without a need to use a stethoscope [1].
Are wrist blood pressure monitors accurate?
Even if you do not have a blood pressure health challenge, you most likely had your blood pressure measured at least once in your life with an inflatable cuff at the upper arm. Most likely you also have seen different wrist based blood pressure monitors. Some of them are bigger than others and I am sure you have a question in your mind: how accurate are they compared to upper arm calf monitors? How does blood pressure watch work?
Though some of these wrist based monitors are approved by health device certification organizations and can produce reasonable results, the AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION still recommends using upper arm blood pressure monitors. Here is why:
Wrist based blood pressure monitors are very sensitive to body position. Your arm and wrist must be at heart level.
Blood pressure readings taken at the wrist are usually higher and less accurate than those taken at your upper arm. The reason for this is that the wrist arteries are narrower.
Some people can't have their blood pressure readings taken at the upper arm because they have a very large arm. In these cases, measuring blood pressure at the wrist is acceptable. You need to take your wrist based monitor to your doctor to check for accuracy and correct body position when taking a blood pressure reading.
Why Apple Watch is a great heart health monitor?
It measures resting and exercise heart rate [2] and notifies you when reaching pre-set levels. It is a sophisticated heart rate monitor providing a lot of data about your pulse.
Apple Watch Series 7 detects and alerts you to irregular heart rhythm (known as arrhythmias) so you could discuss heart health risks with your doctor. One of these conditions is called Atrial Fibrillation, or AFib. According to the American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2% of people below 65 years old and 9% of people 65 and older develop AFib
It is an ECG on your wrist. Apple Watch Series 7 can generate an ECG similar to a single-lead cardiogram.
It measures blood oxygen. Apple Watch Series 7 includes an advanced sensor which measures a blood oxygen level, an important indicator of overall health.
Many health apps use these features and shows their users useful heart health monitor data.
But can you measure blood pressure on Apple Watch? Read on, we are almost there.
What you should look for in blood pressure apps for Apple Watch?
Why do you need to choose a blood pressure app wisely? Scientific research shows that people who track their blood pressure regularly demonstrate better recovery rates for treating hypertension. For sure, you can note your blood pressure changes with pen and paper but it is much more convenient to do this with a mobile blood pressure log. There are plenty of such apps on the market to choose from. Here are the key features which you should look for in a mobile blood pressure diary app:
Easy way to enter and annotate blood pressure readings.
Comprehensive graphs which make it easy to understand blood pressure changes over different periods of time. Also what activities had an impact on your blood pressure.
Ability to pull data from your Apple Health or Google Fit accounts. Most modern blood pressure monitors with Bluetooth can connect to Apple Health or Google fit. The data entry becomes automatic and you do not have to fiddle with entering BP readings manually.
Ability to print out blood pressure checker reports or share data remotely with your doctor. Doctors love to review your blood pressure history as it helps them to adjust treatment plans.
If you are looking for an app which includes all the blood pressure tracker features above and in addition helps you to lower blood pressure without medications, you may consider BreathNow. This app helps users to lower blood pressure with calming activities like slow breathing, meditation and more and also provides useful insights re which activities help most.
IMPORTANT. There is one feature which you should NOT try to find in a blood pressure app at this time (April 2025). That is to measure blood pressure WITHOUT an EXTERNAL blood pressure monitor. The current mobile phone technology simply does not provide such functionality, at least for now.
Many apps are doing their best to lure users with promises like ‘blood pressure checker’ but once you install them and read the small print, you figure out very quickly that taking blood pressure with a phone app without an external blood pressure monitor is simply not possible yet.
Finally, back to blood pressure in watch. Unfortunately as of April 2025 you cannot measure blood press with Apple Watch.
What if you need a convenient 24x7 blood pressure monitor NOW?
Fortunately there is a great solution. Aktiia blood pressure monitor is a revolutionary device that allows users to monitor their blood pressure 24x7. It is a small, discreet, medical grade device that attaches to your wrist and measures your blood pressure, producing 10-12 readings daily. Knowing how blood pressure changes throughout the day is essential for those who are trying to lower their blood pressure naturally.
The Aktiia 24x7 blood pressure monitor uses an optical sensor and the small bracelet is discrete, light and totally quiet. A user can see daily readings after they are uploaded to the Aktiia smartphone app.
Check out this YouTube video for our review of this amazing device.
If you decide to buy it, click this link use and use this 15% discount code: BreathxActiia
Can you use an Apple Watch to lower blood pressure?
If you cannot measure blood pressure on Apple Watch can you actually use it to address your hypertension? The answer is a definitive YES.
Multiple apps in the Apple Appstore allow you to enter BP readings from external monitors manually with the help of Apple Watch. Or pull out the BP data from Apple Health.
The question is, why would you want to fiddle with a small screen and inconvenient keyboard to do this if you need to use an external blood pressure monitor to measure BP anyway?
There is a much more useful function of Apple Watch when it comes to dealing with high blood pressure. That is to display slow breathing exercises to lower blood pressure. Small screen and gentle vibration allow us to perform these calming breathing exercises discreetly, without inviting much attention.
You can do these exercises even during business meetings when you need to bring down anxiety and stress without anyone noticing it.
Check out free breathing exercises on Apple Watch from the BreathNow blood pressure app. There is even a breathing exercise which will help you to fall asleep faster. No need to look at the phone or blood pressure watch: gentle vibration will guide your breathing and the Apple Watch will go into a sleep mode after you do.
How Apple Watch can help you to lower heart health risks with BreathNow heart health monitor?
Blood pressure app for Apple Watch BreathNow identifies potential heart health risks, i.e. elevated resting heart rate , elevated blood pressure or irregular heart rhythm from user data stored securely in Apple Health, alerts a user and suggests potential actions. From reducing blood pressure or heart rate with slow breathing [3], meditation or other relaxation activities, to advising to get in touch with your medical provider if the user's Apple Watch Series 7 identifies irregular heart rhythm (atrial fibrillation, or Afib) or low blood oxygen.
Blood pressure Apple Watch app BreathNow also alerts you if you miss your daily step target. If you use a wearable which tracks your sleep, i.e. Apple Watch Series 7, BreathNow will also alert you if you miss your target sleep hours.
iPhone blood pressure app BreathNow includes a broad set of video guides for healthy heart living, slow breathing guides, meditations, calming music and more. Many of these video guides will help you to feel better just after a few minutes.
BreathNow also helps users to lower anxiety and stress and fall asleep faster. Without medications. Insights graph shows which activities provide the most positive impact.
Additionally, BreathNow app includes a simple 5 minute cardio fitness (or VO2max) test developed together with the scientists from the University of Cambridge [4,5].
Popular questions which people ask about Apple Watch blood pressure.
Which/what apple watch monitors blood pressure? As we explained earlier in this post, as of April 2024 Apple Watch can not monitor blood pressure.
How apple watch blood pressure? See the answer above.
Can apple watch blood pressure? See the answer above.
Is apple blood pressure accurate? See the answer above.
Apple watch blood pressure and ecg? As of April 2025 Apple Watch can take a basic 2 point ECG but it can not measure blood pressure.
Apple watch blood pressure and heart rate? See the answer above.
Apple watch blood pressure app? One of the best Apple Watch blood pressure apps is BreathNow which allows to monitor heart health risks and lower blood pressure with breathing exercises.
Apple watch blood pressure band? See the answer above.
Apple watch blood pressure check? See the answer above.
Apple watch blood pressure monitor? See the answer above.
Apple watch x blood pressure? See the answer above.
Will apple watch measure blood pressure? Most likely it will as some point of time.
When apple watch blood pressure? Apple has not announced a date yet when blood pressure monitoring will be available on Apple Watch.
Apple watch blood pressure sensor? Most likely Apple will use optoelectronic sensors to monitor blood pressure.
Summary
Though you can’t measure blood pressure with Apple Watch (at least as of April 2025), it is a very useful device when it comes to improving heart health. Also none of the existing mobile apps allow you to measure blood pressure WITHOUT EXTERNAL blood pressure monitors.
Tracking blood pressure changes and factors which impact it is CRITICAL for treating hypertension. There are multiple apps which allow you to do this including displaying blood pressure on Apple Watch. Some apps, i.e. BreathNow, go one step further and help you lower blood pressure with slow breathing exercises on Apple Watch.
