Apple Watch Gets Blood Oxygen Feature Back: What’s Changed For Series 9, 10, And Ultra 2 Users

Apple is officially bringing back the blood oxygen monitoring feature to its newest Apple Watches in the U.S. The update applies to the Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Ultra 2. However, it’s not a full return to how things used to be. There’s a small but important catch.

However, there is a catch! To use the feature, users will need to update their Apple Watch to watchOS 11.6.1 and their paired iPhone to iOS 18.6.1. Once updated, the watch will still take the blood oxygen readings, but you won’t be able to see the results on your wrist. Instead, the data will only show up in the Health app on the iPhone, under the Respiratory section.

Why Apple Considered This Change?

Apple first introduced blood oxygen monitoring in the Apple Watch Series 6 back in 2020. It measures the percentage of oxygen in your blood, usually between 95–100% for healthy individuals. A lower reading could indicate health concerns and help users track their well-being.

Now, this decision follows the U.S. International Trade Commission’s (ITC) ban on Apple selling Apple Watches with the blood oxygen feature in early 2024. The ban followed a patent dispute with medical technology company Masimo, which accused Apple of infringing on its pulse oximetry patents. To keep selling its devices, Apple had to redesign how the feature works, shifting the data display from the watch to the iPhone.

Who Gets the Update?

The redesigned feature only affects Apple Watches sold in the U.S. after January 17, 2024, when the ITC ruling took effect. Watches bought earlier or outside the U.S. will continue working with the original blood oxygen app as before.

This update comes just ahead of Apple’s next big hardware event, where the Apple Watch Series 11 and Ultra 3 are expected to debut. Both are tipped to continue offering blood oxygen sensors, likely with the same redesigned approach for U.S. buyers.