Apparently, there’s no adjusting for sensitivity, and my watch threatens to call an ambulance nearly every day. Many times I can’t even imagine what the watch mistook for a hard fall. Most of the time i’m just doing something with my dog and she bumps into my arm. It’s getting annoying having to cancel the ambulance. I can’t be the only one experiencing this.

I get that all the time. I was walking extra fast one day trying to get out of work and the message I got was "looks like you are exercising, good job".

Never experienced the hard fall false alarm.

A few IOS's ago, I did have trouble with the iPhone calling 911 for no reason at all. I figured it out and disabled that BS. Haven't had the problem in years though.

Most recently, I ruptured my achilles, had reattachment surgery, and couldn't walk for 9.5 weeks. The iPhone health data has a walking asymmetry buried within it, and the first couple weeks I began walking in tennis shoes again I kept getting warnings that my uneven gait (e.g. 67.9% assymetry the first week I resumed walking) was putting me at risk for a fall. I agree that I had an awful limp, but didn't agree that I was at risk for a fall. However, now my 0% asymmetry rating is a source of pride on how hard I've worked to get rid of my limp and regain strength / range of motion.

My Garmin 6X just did this nonsense as I knelt down to spread sand and gravel at the back deck. Sent an alert to my family. Not good.

And people wonder why I avoid all that tech.

I wonder if your watch accelerometer is defective. I've worn an Apple Watch for at least 5 years and have only had the fall alert trigger maybe 3 or 4 times. I was never actually hurt, but there was a clear explanation why it happened.

quote:

Originally posted by MNSIG:
I wonder if your watch accelerometer is defective. I've worn an Apple Watch for at least 5 years and have only had the fall alert trigger maybe 3 or 4 times. I was never actually hurt, but there was a clear explanation why it happened.

Thanks, perhaps you’re right.

I was holding a palm frond in one hand and cutting it with a cordless sawzall when my watch thought I fell. I turned the feature off after that.

I’ve had my series 9 Apple watch for two years. I wear it nearly 24 hours per day, but I’ve never seen the “hard fall” report.

quote:

Originally posted by mark60:
I was holding a palm frond in one hand and cutting it with a cordless sawzall when my watch thought I fell. I turned the feature off after that.

I need to research further, I would’ve sworn I read that it could only be disabled for short periods of time, when false alarms were likely.

I found a green switch. Maybe my problems are over.

quote:

Originally posted by TMats:

quote:

Originally posted by mark60:
I was holding a palm frond in one hand and cutting it with a cordless sawzall when my watch thought I fell. I turned the feature off after that.

I need to research further, I would’ve sworn I read that it could only be disabled for short periods of time, when false alarms were likely.

I found a green switch. Maybe my problems are over.

Go into the Watch app on your phone, then go to Emergency SOS and you turn it off there. I have Fall Detection off and Call After Severe Crash on and no issues. Playing street hockey I had to turn it off for false alarms.

I've had an Apple Watch for years, but have not gotten an excessive number of alerts.

I seem to get the false alarms from clapping or smacking a mosquito. On the other hand, it did go off when I took a spill on my bicycle; I was out for a minute and it was counting down before contacting 911. I was glad to have it then.

Your sensor definitely sounds off. Have you brought the watch into an Apple Store and asked them about it (assuming there is an Apple Store near you)?

I haven't had a false alarm but I had a fall and an alert and an ambulance ride etc. It saved my bacon.

I disabled that feature on initial setup.
Sounded like a predictable problem as I do a lot of activities that could be mistaken for a fall.

I took a hard face plant last year and as luck would have it, was not wearing my IWatch. I keep fall detection turned on.

quote:

Originally posted by MNSIG:
I wonder if your watch accelerometer is defective. I've worn an Apple Watch for at least 5 years and have only had the fall alert trigger maybe 3 or 4 times. I was never actually hurt, but there was a clear explanation why it happened.

I was wondering if his accelerometer was faulty as well. I have never had a false alert or one at all.

I absolutely make sure to have it on for my iwatch and iPhone. A friend of mine was riding his motorcycle to work and got t-boned by a hit and run driver. His leg was completely severed and he only lived because luckily a passer by knew how to apply a tourniquet even only with his belt. His wife received the alert as did 911 and she responded right away.

Shithead driver was never caught, but he is alive. I think the technology is great and I choose to use it. I am a motorcycle rider, but would use it regardless.

quote:

Originally posted by StorminNormin:

quote:

Originally posted by MNSIG:
I wonder if your watch accelerometer is defective. I've worn an Apple Watch for at least 5 years and have only had the fall alert trigger maybe 3 or 4 times. I was never actually hurt, but there was a clear explanation why it happened.

I was wondering if his accelerometer was faulty as well. I have never had a false alert or one at all.

I absolutely make sure to have it on for my iwatch and iPhone. A friend of mine was riding his motorcycle to work and got t-boned by a hit and run driver. His leg was completely severed and he only lived because luckily a passer by knew how to apply a tourniquet even only with his belt. His wife received the alert as did 911 and she responded right away.

Shithead driver was never caught, but he is alive. I think the technology is great and I choose to use it. I am a motorcycle rider, but would use it regardless.

I’ll try to communicate with Apple. Makes sense that if it’s not alarming needlessly, to be there when you do need it.

quote:

Originally posted by PHPaul:
And people wonder why I avoid all that tech.

You're an old fart doing crazy shit on property, in shop and all around, probably climbing and clambering around all sorts of things. Far away from your wife who, if we're honest, after all this time probably isn't keeping an eye on you or may even be concerned when you go off grid. Heck, as ornery as you are she may shake the ladder!

YOU are the perfect candidate for this, rather than laying on the ground for hours/days until wolves or a neighbor borrowing something find you.

quote:

Originally posted by Pipe Smoker:
I’ve had my series 9 Apple watch for two years. I wear it nearly 24 hours per day, but I’ve never seen the “hard fall” report.

You need to activate it by throwing yourself down a flight of stairs. Once at the bottom, the watch should start to operate normally. It’s in the manual.

My IPhone 17 Pro triggers that quite often. Mostly when playing with the dog, I reach for the disc, throw the ball or something similar. I did take a good fall in January and I couldn't stop it until I was on my feet but it worked.