Tattoos and Apple Watches may not mix


The Apple watch requires contact with the wrist to fully function. Not only for the heart rate sensor, but also for core functions like notifications and the PIN to work.

When the watch is attached to your wrist, you can enter your PIN and it will remain unlocked until it is removed. A PIN is required to use Apple Pay, but also simply to secure the device. For notification, if the Apple Watch isn't worn notifications will appear on your iPhone, basically negating a major feature.

So, it's critical that the watch makes good contact with your skin, whether it be a snug fit, but apparently also nothing obscuring the sensors like tattoo ink as documented in a Reddit thread.

A friend was having issues with their Apple Watch and was wondering if the sensors might be faulty. The watch worked fine if it was positioned higher up on the arm, which sort of made it seem like the band just wasn't tight enough. Turns out the problem is a tattoo. Right where the watch would typically be worn there's a dark tattoo. The watch works fine on the other arm, which seems to corroborate the Reddit post.