Apple has introduced a hypertension detection feature in watchOS 26 that monitors blood pressure patterns through the optical heart sensor. The feature is available on Apple Watch Series 11, Series 10, Series 9, Ultra 3, and Ultra 2, representing a significant expansion of the company's health monitoring capabilities.

Users must meet specific requirements to activate the feature: an iPhone 11 or later running iOS 26, Wrist Detection enabled, and users must be at least 22 years old, not pregnant, and without a prior hypertension diagnosis. The setup process involves opening the Health app, navigating to the Health Checklist, and confirming eligibility details.

Once enabled, Apple requires a 30-day evaluation period before issuing any notifications. During this time, the device collects baseline data to accurately detect hypertension patterns rather than isolated readings. This approach helps reduce false positives while providing users with actionable health insights.