If you’re wondering how to turn on Fall Detection on Apple Watch, you’ve come to the right place. This feature can be a lifesaver, literally, as it helps connect you to emergency services in the event of a hard fall. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to enable and use this critical feature on your Apple Watch.
What is Fall Detection and How Does It Work?
When your Apple Watch SE, Apple Watch Series 4 or later, or Apple Watch Ultra detects a hard fall while you’re wearing it, the device will tap your wrist, sound an alarm, and display an alert. You can then choose to contact emergency services or dismiss the alert by pressing the Digital Crown, tapping Close in the upper-left corner, or tapping “I’m OK.”
If the watch detects movement, it waits for your response and won’t call emergency services automatically. If it detects that you’ve been immobile for about a minute, it will automatically place a call to emergency services.
How to Turn on Fall Detection on Apple Watch
To turn on Fall Detection on Apple Watch, follow these steps:
- Open the Watch app on your iPhone: Go to the My Watch tab.
- Tap Emergency SOS: Here, you can turn Fall Detection on or off.
- Choose Activation Settings: Select “Always on” or “Only on during workouts.”
If you entered your age as 55 or over during the setup of your Apple Watch or in the Health app, Fall Detection is turned on automatically. Ensure that your correct age is listed in your Medical ID and Health Profile. Remember, Fall Detection is only available for those aged 18 and older.
Setting Up Emergency Contacts and Medical ID
For Fall Detection to be most effective, set up your Medical ID and add emergency contacts:
- Open Settings on your iPhone: Tap Health > Medical ID.
- Tap Edit: Enter your date of birth and other health information.
- Add Emergency Contacts: Tap the add button under emergency contacts, select a contact, and add their relationship.
- Make Your Medical ID Accessible: Turn on Show When Locked to make your Medical ID available from the lock screen. To share your Medical ID with emergency contacts, turn on Share During Emergency Call.
What Happens If a Fall is Detected?
Your Apple Watch will start a 30-second countdown, tap your wrist, and sound an alert if it senses that you haven’t moved for around a minute. The alert gets louder to catch your attention or that of someone nearby. If you do not cancel the alert, your Apple Watch automatically contacts emergency services and your emergency contacts.
When the call connects, your Apple Watch plays an audio message informing emergency services of your fall and shares your location. The message volume reduces after the initial play to allow for communication with the responder. The message continues until you tap Stop Recorded Message or the call ends.
Important Notes
Wrist Detection Must Be On: To ensure your watch can automatically call emergency services, make sure Wrist Detection is enabled. Open the Settings app on your Apple Watch, tap Passcode, and turn on Wrist Detection.Recording Falls: Falls are automatically recorded in the Health app unless you indicate otherwise. Check your fall history by opening the Health app on your iPhone, tapping the Browse tab, and then Other Data, followed by Number of Times Fallen.
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End a Call Started Accidentally
If you accidentally start a call to emergency services, do not hang up. Wait until a responder answers and explain that you don’t need help. End the call only after confirming that no emergency assistance is required.
By following these steps, you can turn on Fall Detection on Apple Watch, ensuring that you have an extra layer of safety in case of a hard fall. This feature not only helps you in emergencies but also provides peace of mind knowing that help is just a tap away.
Apple: Use Fall Detection with Apple Watch
