Apple Watch Can Now Detect High Blood Pressure: New Hypertension Alerts Feature

Apple has introduced a new feature called hypertension notifications on the Apple Watch that can detect signs of high blood pressure.

The feature uses data from the watch’s optical heart sensor to analyze how blood vessels respond to heartbeats.
Over a 30-day period, the algorithm monitors for patterns that may suggest chronic hypertension and sends an alert if it detects consistent signs.
Apple expects this to help notify over 1 million people who might have undiagnosed high blood pressure in the first year.

How It Works & What It Isn’t

The feature is not a blood pressure cuff and does not give a numerical blood pressure reading.
Instead, it identifies risk by analyzing how your blood vessels behave during heartbeats. If the data over time crosses certain thresholds, it triggers a notification.
It’s passive and runs in the background; the user does nothing special except wear the compatible watch.

It won’t catch all cases of hypertension. Some people with high blood pressure may not be flagged by the algorithm.
False positives are possible—it may alert users who don’t actually have high blood pressure. Users are advised to confirm with a standard blood pressure cuff and consult a healthcare provider.
The feature is meant for early detection / awareness, not diagnosis or treatment.

It will be available on Apple Watch Series 9 and later, and on Ultra 2 and later models.
The feature rolls out with watchOS 26. The Verge
It will be available in over 150 countries and regions.

Hypertension is often called a “silent killer.” Many people have high blood pressure without symptoms, and it contributes to heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, etc. Early detection is very valuable.
Since many users already wear an Apple Watch, this feature may help identify risk in people who don’t regularly visit doctors for checkups.
Raises awareness about cardiovascular health, could encourage behavioral changes (diet, exercise, monitoring) earlier.