How can I track blood pressure using Apple Watch?

You can track blood pressure on Apple Watch by using a Bluetooth-enabled external monitor like Omron, Withings, Hilo, or iHealth. These devices send readings to Apple Health, and apps like SmartBP, Qardio, or BreathNow allow you to view and analyze your blood pressure history and trends directly on your Apple Watch or iPhone.

What are Hypertension Notifications on Apple Watch Series 11?

Apple Watch Series 11 introduces Hypertension Notifications, which use heart rate and vascular response analysis to detect patterns linked to possible chronic high blood pressure. The watch does not directly measure blood pressure, but notifies users when it detects signals associated with potential hypertension, recommending a real blood pressure measurement and medical follow-up.

What features should I look for in a blood pressure app for Apple Watch?

A good blood pressure app for Apple Watch should allow manual input or Apple Health sync, show clear graphs and trends, provide doctor-friendly reports, track HRV and stress, and ideally offer guided breathing or stress-reduction exercises to help lower blood pressure—not just track it. BreathNow is one of the few apps that offers blood pressure tracking plus scientifically backed slow breathing to reduce BP.

Is slow breathing scientifically proven to lower blood pressure?

Yes. Studies in the Journal of Hypertension, the American Heart Association, and the European Society of Cardiology 2024 Guidelines show that slow breathing at about 6 breaths per minute activates the parasympathetic nervous system, improves HRV, and can reduce systolic and diastolic blood pressure within minutes.

Which apps help lower blood pressure using Apple Watch?

Apps like SmartBP and Qardio help track and display blood pressure readings, but BreathNow goes further by offering guided breathing exercises, HRV-based stress monitoring, and an AI health coach that helps actively lower blood pressure using Apple Watch alone.

Can Apple Watch detect signs of hypertension?

Yes. Apple Watch Series 11 and later models include Hypertension Notifications that passively detect vascular response patterns over 30 days, which may indicate signs of hypertension. It does not replace a medical blood pressure monitor but helps users identify when to take readings or contact their doctor.

Blood Pressure App for Apple Watch

Q: Can Apple Watch measure blood pressure?

No. Apple Watch cannot directly measure blood pressure because it does not include a blood pressure sensor. To measure blood pressure accurately, you still need an external, medically approved arm cuff monitor that uses oscillometry. However, the Apple Watch can help you manage blood pressure by tracking heart rate, HRV, stress, activity, sleep, and providing guided breathing exercises.

Q: What is BreathNow blood pressure app for Apple Watch?

BreathNow is a blood pressure app for Apple Watch that not only displays blood pressure data from Apple Health, but also provides guided breathing exercises, HRV and stress monitoring, and an AI health coach to help actively lower blood pressure. It uses haptic and visual cues for discreet slow breathing sessions directly on Apple Watch.

Q: Can Apple Watch help lower blood pressure?

Yes. While Apple Watch cannot measure blood pressure directly, it can help lower it by guiding slow breathing sessions, tracking stress, activity, sleep, and heart rate variability (HRV). Apps like BreathNow use these metrics to provide breathing exercises and stress reduction tools proven to support healthy blood pressure.

Dmitri Konash
5 days ago
6 min read

Track, Understand & Actually Lower Your BP with Apple Watch

Looking for the best blood pressure app for Apple Watch? Whether you're simply tracking your numbers—or looking for a smart way to actively lower your blood pressure using your watch—this guide is for you.

Let’s unpack how Apple Watch, smart blood pressure apps, and a bit of science-backed breathing can help keep your heart happy, your doctor impressed, and your stress levels low 💆‍♂️😌

🩺 Can Apple Watch Measure Blood Pressure?

Short answer: No.

Long answer: Not yet, but it's still incredibly helpful for managing blood pressure.

There’s no specific blood pressure sensor in the Apple Watch or iPhone (as of November 2025). So, any app that promises you can directly measure blood pressure using just your Apple Watch or iPhone is selling fairy dust. 😅

Currently, to measure blood pressure accurately, you still need an external arm cuff monitor that uses oscillometry—where sensors detect vibrations caused by turbulent blood flow in your arteries when the cuff deflates. These are the same vibrations doctors used to listen to with a stethoscope—but now it’s automated, accurate, and totally no-brain solutions.

🧠 Smart tip: Avoid apps claiming “Phone-only BP checker”—they don’t work without an external cuff or another medically graded device. Period.

The alternative option is to use a cuffless 24x7 blood pressure bracelet Hilo (former Aktiia) which we reviewed in detail in this video. It is a medically certified cuffless device which measures blood pressure 24x7 with a special optoelectronic sensor. Quiet and discrete.

📊 What is the Best Way to Use Apple Watch to Track Blood Pressure?

While Apple Watch can't measure BP, it can help you track, view, and even lower it. Here's how:

1️⃣ Track your BP with external device + Apple Watch

Use Bluetooth-enabled monitors that sync with Apple Health, like:

Omron Evolv
Withings BPM
iHealth Feel
Hilo

These send readings automatically into Apple Health, where you can view them on your Apple Watch using compatible apps.

2️⃣ Use Apps That Display BP on Apple Watch

Apps like SmartBP and Qardio allow you to view your blood pressure history and graphs right on your Apple Watch. Super convenient during doctor visits, or when you’re on your morning walk and wondering if yesterday’s pizza was a mistake 🍕😬.

🚀 What is BreathNow Blood Pressure App for Apple Watch?

💡 BreathNow not only shows your blood pressure data from Apple Health, but it actually helps you lower your blood pressure with breathing exercises— right on your Apple Watch.

What Makes BreathNow Special?

Feature	SmartBP / Qardio	BreathNow
View BP from Apple Health	✔️	✔️
Graphs & history	✔️	✔️
Doctor-friendly reports	✔️	✔️
Quiet breathing exercises on Apple Watch	❌	✔️
HRV, stress & relaxation scoring	❌	✔️
Daily AI health coach to lower BP	❌	✔️

BreathNow delivers discreet slow breathing sessions directly on Apple Watch, using gentle vibrations and visual cues. No phone needed. No attention drawn. Just calm, focused breathing — which studies show can reduce blood pressure within minutes.

🎓 Scientific Fact:According to studies published in the Journal of Hypertension and the American Heart Association, slow breathing at 6 breaths per minute activates the parasympathetic nervous system, improving heart rate variability (HRV) and lowering both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

🌬️ Can Apple Watch Help Lower Blood Pressure?

YES! Not by measuring it—but by helping you control stress, track fitness, detect arrhythmias, and practice slow breathing—all known methods proven to reduce hypertension.

What Apple Watch Does Best:

🫀 Tracks heart rate & irregular rhythms Great for spotting AFib (affecting 9% of adults 65+). Apple Watch even shows ECG-like readings.

🧘‍♀️ Shows guided deep breathing sessions Even Apple’s own Breathe app helps—but it's not tailored for hypertension like BreathNow.

🚶‍♂️ Tracks exercise & steps Exercise is medicine for blood pressure. Your watch helps make sure you're moving daily.

😴 Monitors sleep quality Poor sleep raises BP. Apple Watch now tracks sleep stages and HRV.

🧑‍⚕️ Helps share data with your doctor Easier conversations, better treatment, and fewer “let’s check again next time” moments.

📢 NEW: Apple Watch Series 11 Can Now Detect Signs of Hypertension — Even Before You Realize It (October 2025)

Here’s major heart health news from Apple ❤️⌚

The Apple Watch Series 11 introduces a breakthrough feature: Hypertension Notifications. While the watch still cannot directly measure your blood pressure, it can now passively detect potential signs of chronic high blood pressure (hypertension) — even before you feel any symptoms.

🧠 Why this matters: Hypertension affects 1.3 billion adults worldwide, often goes undiagnosed, and is the leading preventable cause of stroke, heart attack, and kidney disease (American Heart Association).

💡 How Hypertension Notifications Work?

Apple Watch uses its optical heart sensor to analyze how your blood vessels respond to each heartbeat. Over a 30-day period, advanced machine learning algorithms look for consistent patterns linked to hypertension.

If these patterns are detected, you’ll receive a Hypertension Notification, suggesting it’s time to measure your blood pressure with a real monitor and consult your doctor.

🧪 Science behind the feature:

Built using training data from over 100,000 participants
Validated in a clinical study with 2,000+ individuals
Expected to help 1 million users identify undiagnosed hypertension in the first year

As cardiologist Dr. Harlan Krumholz from Yale University said:

“Making accurate detection part of daily life can help people get care earlier and prevent avoidable harm.”

Apple Watch Series 11 Can Now Detect Signs of Hypertension

🌍 Availability

Works on Apple Watch Series 9, Ultra 2, Series 11, and later
Requires watchOS 26
Available soon in 150+ countries, including the EU and USA
FDA clearance expected shortly

📝 What to Do if You Receive a Hypertension Notification?

Apple recommends:

➡️ Use a validated external blood pressure monitor (Omron, Withings, iHealth, Qardio, etc.) ➡️ Measure and log your blood pressure for 7 days ➡️ Share readings with your doctor — this follows American Heart Association guidelines

💡 This is where apps like SmartBP, Qardio, and especially BreathNow become incredibly helpful — they let you log, analyze, and even lower your blood pressure using guided stress-reducing breathing sessions right from your Apple Watch.

🔍 What to Look for in a Blood Pressure App for Apple Watch?

✨ Must-have features:

📝 Easy manual BP entry or Apple Health sync
📈 Clear graphs to spot trends and triggers (stress, food, exercise)
🔄 Sync with Apple Health / Google Fit / external monitors
📤 Shareable reports for doctors
🌬️ BONUS: Guided breathing or stress-reduction tools to actually lower BP — not just track it!

If it doesn't help you improve your blood pressure, it's just a diary.

💡 Why BreathNow Is Recommended by Wellness & Hypertension Coaches?

BreathNow uniquely combines:

🩺 Blood pressure tracking (via Apple Health)

💨 Slow breathing exercises (on Apple Watch)

📉 Stress & HRV monitoring

🤖 AI Coach that adapts to your data and provides recommendations

💙 Works discreetly — even while sitting at your desk, bus, or meeting

Simply put — it's like having a breathing therapist + BP notebook + AI cardiology assistant right on your wrist.

🧪 What is Scientific Support for Slow Breathing & Hypertension?

📚 Trusted studies:

🎯 What is a Final Takeaway?

Goal	Best Approach with Apple Watch
Track BP	SmartBP, Qardio, Omron, Withings, Hilo (sync to Apple Health)
Understand BP trends & triggers	BreathNow / SmartBP
Lower blood pressure discreetly	BreathNow — slow breathing on Apple Watch
Monitor heart health	Apple Watch ECG, HRV, sleep, stress, HR

🗣️ What is the TL;DR Summary?

Apple Watch cannot directly measure blood pressure, but when connected to external monitors and paired with apps like SmartBP and Qardio, it can display blood pressure data from Apple Health. BreathNow goes further — it not only shows blood pressure graphs on Apple Watch but also guides discreet slow breathing exercises using built-in haptic feedback to help reduce blood pressure naturally. Slow breathing is scientifically proven to lower hypertension by activating the parasympathetic nervous system and improving HRV. This makes BreathNow the most practical blood pressure app for Apple Watch users who want not just tracking — but real improvement.