After years of regional limits, Samsung is lastly unlocking blood stress monitoring for Galaxy Watch customers within the U.S. Beginning Tuesday, the characteristic is rolling out to the present Galaxy Watch 8 collection in addition to older fashions courting again to the Galaxy Watch 4. It is a main addition for anybody monitoring cardiovascular traits, however you should not anticipate a easy “plug and play” expertise.
For starters, you may have to personal (or purchase) a standard upper-arm blood stress cuff to calibrate the characteristic on the smartwatch. And you will have to obtain a separate app, the Samsung Well being Monitor app, in your smartphone. Then you definitely’ll should recalibrate with the cuff each 28 days to make sure correct readings.
Blood stress monitoring on the Galaxy Watch.
In different phrases, the blood stress monitor requires a blood stress monitor to perform.
Samsung first launched blood stress monitoring on its watches in 2020, regularly rolling it out in different international locations, however regulatory holdups stored it from being usable within the US.
Not like Samsung’s ECG and sleep apnea detection options (each FDA-cleared), the blood stress characteristic has not acquired FDA clearance and is meant for wellness functions solely. This implies it isn’t a diagnostic instrument and shouldn’t be used to determine or deal with hypertension. Readings are additionally on-demand solely, so you need to manually take them by the watch somewhat than having it occur routinely within the background.
That final half might change. Samsung’s announcement additionally famous that passive blood stress pattern monitoring is coming later this yr.
Setup course of for the blood stress characteristic on the Galaxy Watch.
Apple debuted FDA-cleared hypertension alerts on newer Apple Watch fashions in September 2025, which passively monitor and alert house owners when it detects indicators of hypertension. Oura and different wearable firms are working towards related options by long-term information traits, although true on-demand blood stress readings stay out of attain for many mainstream shopper smartwatches.
The blood stress characteristic is suitable with Galaxy Watch 4 and can solely work on watches paired with a Samsung Galaxy cellphone working Android 12 or increased. It is not going to be obtainable on different Android telephones or on Samsung’s Galaxy Match tracker. And even in case you test all these bins, you may not get it instantly. Samsung says it is rolling out the characteristic in phases.
In the event you do have entry (and a cuff helpful), setup is pretty simple. As soon as your watch is linked to your cellphone, obtain the Samsung Well being Monitor app, allow blood stress monitoring and observe the calibration steps whereas utilizing your upper-arm cuff. Simply know you may want that cuff close by anytime you need to maintain your readings correct.
