this is what happens when you fall hard

Fall detection on the Apple Watch

The Apple Watch contains all kinds of sensors, including the gyroscope. Thanks to these sensors, the Apple Watch recognizes if you fall. This function is called the fall detection and can save lives if you really fall hard and lose consciousness, for example. How exactly does this function work and how do you enable it? In this tip you can read everything about the Apple Watch fall detection that is present on the Apple Watch Series 4 and newer.

What is the Apple Watch fall detection?

If you are wearing one of the latest Apple Watch models and have a hard fall, the Apple Watch will tap your wrist. A sound will also be played and you will receive a notification on the screen. The sensors recognize that you have fallen and with a single swipe you can Emergency SOS on the Apple Watch activate. As a result, your emergency contacts receive a message with your location and the Apple Watch automatically calls 112. This is useful, for example, if you are so injured in a hard fall that you need immediate help.

In the video below, a stunt woman shows how it works:

If you have fallen but nothing is wrong, you can choose the option Everything good. The report will then disappear and the emergency services will not be called. It can also happen that the Apple Watch gives an incorrect notification, although that is not very likely. You can then tap I didn’t fall.

If the fall is so serious that you remain still for sixty seconds (for example, if you can no longer move or lose consciousness), the Apple Watch will automatically call the emergency services. You do not have to take any action yourself. Before the Apple Watch makes a final call to 112, a counter appears that counts down from 30 seconds. You will also be tapped on the wrist and an increasingly louder tone is heard. This warns people in the area. The Apple Watch automatically plays an audio message, informing emergency services that a hard fall has been detected. Your current location is also passed on. This message is repeated continuously until you tap Stop recorded message or when the call is ended.

How can I enable Apple Watch fall detection?

The fall detection is only available on the Apple Watch Series 4 and newer and can also be found at the Apple Watch SE. Have you been in the Health app or when setting up the Apple Watch if you indicate that you are 65 or older, fall detection is automatically switched on. In all other cases you have to do this yourself:

1. Open the Watch app on your iPhone.
2. In the tab My Watch tap SOS-noodmelding.
3. Turn on the switch Valdetectie On.

To be able to automatically call the emergency services, wear detection must be enabled. You can check this via the Watch app> Passcode> Wear Detection. You can set the contacts that the Apple Watch calls via your Medical ID. More about it set up your Medical ID on your iPhone you can read in our tip.

Call 112 when using fall detection
As described above, the Apple Watch automatically with 112 if you do not move for a minute after a fall. The countdown starts from 30 seconds and a loud beep sounds and the Apple Watch vibrates to alert other people. Through Emergency SOS on the Apple Watch the watch will automatically dial 112 if you do not respond after the countdown.

To be able to call 112, the Apple Watch must be connected to the iPhone. Without an iPhone, the Apple Watch after all, no connection to the telephone network. On the Apple Watch 4G it also works without connection to the iPhone, but this model is not available in the Netherlands. Another method is to convert the Apple Connect Watch to a known Wi-Fi network, after which it can calling via wifi. But if you fall outside in the street, this is of little use to you.

Thanks to Advanced Mobile Location, the control room will receive your location. In addition, your emergency contacts will be notified of your emergency via an automatic message. They also see your location. In our tip on Emergency SOS on the Apple Watch you can read more about that.

View fall detection data

Every fall you make is recorded in the Health app. To view this data, do the following:

1. Open the Health-app.
2. Tap the tab data.
3. Type the word at the top in the search function Val in.
4. Bee Number of times you will find an overview of your falls.

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