If your Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, or Ultra 2 was sold in the US without the blood oxygen feature, you’re in luck. A freshly released update—watchOS 11.6.1 paired with iOS 18.6.1—brings a redesigned version of that feature back to life in a clever way.
Here’s how it works: you tap the Blood Oxygen app on your watch as usual, the sensor does its job, but the calculation now happens on your paired iPhone. Once processed, the results appear in the Respiratory section of the Health app. It’s less convenient than seeing readings immediately on the watch, but it restores functionality that users have missed for over a year.
Only certain US Apple Watch units are affected—look for models sold after the import ban that lacked oxygen sensing, typically identified by part numbers ending in “LW/A.” If your watch already came with the feature or was sold outside the US, this update won’t change that.
This workaround arrives after a drawn-out legal dispute with Masimo and following a ruling that forced Apple to disable blood oxygen tracking in the first place. It took time, but Apple has seemingly found a practical solution that brings the blood oxygen feature back without causing any further patent conflict with Masimo.
If this hits close to home, grab the updates as soon as you’re prompted. Once you’re updated, you may need to open the ECG app or the Health app to kickstart the download of components for the new Blood Oxygen system—it can take up to a day to become fully active.
Bottom line: Apple has quietly restored a key health feature, adapting its software to keep users covered. It may not be perfect, but it’s a meaningful fix that shows Apple still cares about delivering on its earlier promises.