How to set up and take an ECG on your Apple Watch

Hemant Saxena July 31, 2020

Apple Watch has gained significant ability to perform some of the very specialized functions. An example, your Apple Watch can take an Electrocardiogram of your heart. So, if you are experiencing any signs of discomfort such as a rapid heartbeat for no reason, use your Apple Watch to monitor your heart condition. Check how to take an ECG on Apple Watch.

How to enable ECG on Apple Watch

The Apple Watch ECG uses the electrical heart sensor on Apple Watch Series 4 or later to record your heartbeat and rhythm. Here's how to enable ECG on Apple Watch.

Open the Health app on your iPhone.
Tap the Browse tab.
Go to Heart.
Select Electrocardiograms (ECG).
Choose Set Up ECG App.
Open the EKG app on your Apple Watch.
Hold the finger of the hand opposite to your watch on the Digital Crown.
Complete 30 seconds recording.
Add the symptoms, if any.
Go to the Health app on your iPhone and check results.

What is the ECG app for Apple Watch?

The Apple Watch ECG app checks pulse to monitor your heart rate and see if the upper and lower chambers of your heart are in rhythm. If not, it indicates a problem that needs to be investigated.

How to set up ECG on Apple Watch 5?

Firstly, open the Health app on your iPhone and follow the onscreen steps to set up ECG. For some reason, if you do not see the instructions to set up,

Tap the Browse tab.

Select Heart.

Go to Electrocardiograms (ECG)

Choose Set Up ECG App.

Open the ECG app on your Apple Watch to take an ECG.

Rest your arms in your lap and hold the finger of the hand opposite to your watch on the Digital Crown. Don't press the Digital Crown during the process.

Wait until 30 seconds recording time is completed.

After the recording is completed, tap ‘Add Symptoms’ if you have any or simply tap ‘Done’ to close the classification message.

Go to the Health app > Heart and tap the side-arrow to view the results.

On your iPhone to check the results.

The findings are categorized into the following.

Sinus rhythm
Atrial fibrillation
Low or high heart rate
Inconclusive

Let’s check what each of them mean and does it signal anything worrying!

Sinus Rhythm

Sinus rhythm results indicate that the heart is beating in a uniform pattern (50 - 100 BPM) and the upper-lower chambers of the heart are in complete sync. Still, if you're experiencing any discomfort, it’s better to consult a health expert or a physician.

Atrial fibrillation

This rhythm means your heart is experiencing some chaotic electrical signals. It also signals an irregular and often rapid heart rate. It is the most common form of serious arrhythmia (heart beating too fast or too slowly).

Low or High heart rate

When your heart rate is somewhere between 50 BPM or over 120 BPM, it affects the ECG apps ability to find anything conclusive. As such, the recording is considered as inconclusive.

Inconclusive

The Apple Watch ECG inconclusive recording is self-explanatory. It does not lead to any sort of firm conclusion or result.

ECG app not showing on Apple Watch?

If you find the ECG app missing on Apple Watch, check if Apple's EKGapp is supported in your country. See the list of the countries supporting it in the image above.

Secondly, if you are under 22 years of age, your Watch won't allow you to use the ECG feature.

Also read - How to eject water from Apple Watch speaker after a swim

Source - Apple.

About the Author

Hemant Saxena

(355 Articles Published)

Hemant Saxena loves writing about technology full-time. He also enjoys making reader's lives easier by walking them through the most practical ways to use Apple devices, step-by-step. His articles regularly feature at some of the leading tech publications like The Windows Club. In off-work hours, you can find him travelling or indulging in binge-watching!