There are a lot of problems with Apple Watches and their heart rate sensors. I’ve written about my experiences, and many websites are reporting this too.
A reader asked if it’s possible to turn off the heart rate recording; the reader doesn’t care about using it, and wants to save battery power.
If I recall from the setup, you are asked at one point if you want to turn it on. But finding the setting later isn’t easy. You’d think it would be in the Apple Watch app under Health or Activity, but it’s not.
To change this setting, open the Apple Watch app, choose Privacy > Motion & Fitness. You’ll see an option to turn on or off Heart Rate, along with another for Fitness Tracking. If you don’t plan to use your Apple Watch for tracking fitness, it’s a good idea to turn both of these off; your battery will last longer.