[Fix] Apple Watch Handwashing Not Working

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Do you know that your Apple Watch has many features that are useful not only for your health tracking but also for promoting healthy habits? One such feature is the Handwashing feature on your Apple Watch. But if your Apple Watch Handwashing feature is not working, then you are reading the right article. In this article, I will share how to enable and troubleshoot the Handwashing feature on your Apple Watch. So without wasting any time, let’s start right away.

Quick Takeaway
If the Handwashing feature is not working on your Apple Watch then try to enable the Microphone or restart your watch. If that doesn’t work then update your watch or disable the Lock.

How Does It Work?

It is recommended by Global Health Organisations to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds. Your Apple Watch can detect when you are washing your hands and start a countdown timer for 20 seconds. The Apple Watch uses various sensors present on it like the microphone and motion sensors to accurately detect when you are washing your hands.

If you are wondering which Apple Watch has the Handwashing feature, then let me tell you that all the watches after Series 3 have this feature. This means that the Apple Watch 4 and all later models have the Handwashing feature. This is because of the hardware limitation on Watches before Series 4, which prevents them from detecting ambient sounds.

The steps to enable or disable the Handwashing feature on your Apple Watch are simple and similar across all Apple Watches. You can follow these steps to easily turn on or off the Handwashing feature on your Apple Watch.

1. First, go to the app menu by pressing the Crown button, and open Settings.

Settings on Apple Watch Series 9

2. Now select Handwashing and turn on the Handwashing Timer toggle button.Handwashing on Apple Watch

Alternatively, you can also turn on the Handwashing feature using the Watch app on your iPhone. Follow these steps to turn on the Handwashing feature using the Watch app.

1. Open the Watch app, scroll down, and tap on the Handwashing tile. Now you just have to turn on the Handwashing timer toggle button.

Watch app

2. You can also turn on the handwashing reminders toggle button. After enabling this reminder, your Apple Watch will give a notification or a reminder, if you forget to wash your hands after returning to your home.

And this is it, now you know how to turn off or on the Handwashing feature on the Apple Watch. Now your Apple Watch will automatically detect whenever you are washing your hands. It will start a timer to encourage you to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds.

Apple Watch Handwashing Timer Not Working? Troubleshooting

If the Handwashing timer is not working on your Apple Watch, then you can follow the below-mentioned methods to troubleshoot this issue.

Enable The Microphone

The Apple Watch also uses a Microphone to detect when you are washing your hands. So if the Microphone is turned off then the Handwashing timer will also be affected and won’t be able to function, so make sure that the Microphone has been enabled. Follow these steps to enable the Microphone to measure sounds on your Apple Watch.

1. Go to Settings on your Apple Watch and open Privacy & Security.

Apple Watch Handwashing Timer Not Working

2. Now, scroll down, tap on the Microphone, and turn on the Measure Sounds toggle button.

How To Turn Off Apple Watch Handwashing

Force Reboot The Apple Watch

It might also be possible that the Handwashing feature is not working on your Watch due to a feature or function getting stuck. In this case, restarting your Apple Watch may fix the problem.

To do that, hold down the side button & Crown button for a few seconds until you see the bootup logo.

Force Restart

Update Apple Watch

It may be possible that your Apple Watch Handwashing feature is not working due to a software bug. In that case, you should immediately check for the available software updates for the watch. If there is a pending software update then after updating the watch the Handwashing feature should work just fine.

To check for Software updates go to Settings, tap on General, and select Software Update.

Software Update On Apple Watch Series 9

Unlock Your Apple Watch

Make sure to keep your Apple Watch unlocked for the Handwashing feature to work properly. Some Apple Watch users have reported that the Handwashing feature is not working on their watch when it is locked. Not everyone has had this issue with their Apple Watch, however it was worth mentioning.

Unlock Apple Watch

Recommended Apple Watch articles for you:

Wrapping Up

The Handwashing feature can be useful in promoting hand hygiene and healthy habits. I’ve mentioned how to enable this feature as well as some troubleshooting tips that you can use if the Handwashing function is not working on your Apple Watch.

Hemant Mendiratta

Hemant's love for watches started when his grandfather gifted him his Rolex watch when he turned 18! Being a teenager it was a big deal for him. Later when he got his first job he bought Fossil Palm Pilot back in 2003 which was a smartwatch. Since then smartwatches have come a long way and so is Hemant's love for them. His experience with watches inspired him to start Wearholic and share his knowledge of wearables including watches, smartwatches, smart glasses, & smart clothing.

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