Useless for exercising

[Wizzy]

I received my Watch 6 40mm a few weeks ago. Every time I exercise with it, regardless of how tight or which wrist I have it on, there's a period of time that it doesn't register my heart rate. It seems like the first 20 minutes or so of exercise that the heart rate is hit or miss. After that, it is bang on with my exercise machine. What's going on with this watch? Of course, my calorie count is way off from the machine.

 

[SpookDroid]

Is the back of the watch clean? Does it happen with other activities or just with tracked exercise? I haven't seen an issue with mine, but I did have that with a previous one (Watch 4) where I had to wipe the back between machines or it would eventually start failing at registering my heart beat.

If this happens all the time, I'd try it on the other wrist or, if possible, someone else's. That way you can check if there's something about your wrist that the watch isn't able to 'read' (for instance, very common issue with fingerprint readers and people with heavy callousness and/or extremely dry skin).

 

[MotorMike2020]

I have found it useless for exercise... period! It NEVER detects anything. Even vigorous walking. The Galaxy Watch always knew I more active than normal. Watch 6 has no clue. And I have all of the settings for detection turned on.

 

[BerryBubbles]

Hmm.

As it's winter, my husband & I walk an indoor track & our Watch 6 Classics both auto detects walking & alerts about 10 minutes in. Display pops up with timer already past 10 minutes. The watch does the same when I use the treadmill here at our home. I didn't configure anything fancy. I have never manually started a workout. Guess we're lucky.

I do not pay much attention to the heart rate. I'll check the watch against my treadmill next time I use it.

 

[fuzzylumpkin]

Hmm.

As it's winter, my husband & I walk an indoor track & our Watch 6 Classics both auto detects walking & alerts about 10 minutes in. Display pops up with timer already past 10 minutes. The watch does the same when I use the treadmill here at our home. I didn't configure anything fancy. I have never manually started a workout. Guess we're lucky.

I do not pay much attention to the heart rate. I'll check the watch against my treadmill next time I use it.

10 mins is the default time to auto detect workouts after. Perhaps the OP changed this at some point, possibly unintentionally.

 

[Wizzy]

Is the back of the watch clean? Does it happen with other activities or just with tracked exercise? I haven't seen an issue with mine, but I did have that with a previous one (Watch 4) where I had to wipe the back between machines or it would eventually start failing at registering my heart beat.

If this happens all the time, I'd try it on the other wrist or, if possible, someone else's. That way you can check if there's something about your wrist that the watch isn't able to 'read' (for instance, very common issue with fingerprint readers and people with heavy callousness and/or extremely dry skin).

Yes, all of that is fine and like I said, no matter which wrist or how tight or loose it is, the first 10 to 20 minutes is very erratic. After that period, it is bang on and never loses tracking. Very annoying. The watch is always very clean on the back as well. I think it just sucks at reading your heart rate. I can't figure out why it reads better after a certain period, other than maybe sweat helping.

 

[Wizzy]

10 mins is the default time to auto detect workouts after. Perhaps the OP changed this at some point, possibly unintentionally.

I start the workout manually. It does detect walking but I don't think the heart rate monitor is used for this.

 

[SpookDroid]

Yes, all of that is fine and like I said, no matter which wrist or how tight or loose it is, the first 10 to 20 minutes is very erratic. After that period, it is bang on and never loses tracking. Very annoying. The watch is always very clean on the back as well. I think it just sucks at reading your heart rate. I can't figure out why it reads better after a certain period, other than maybe sweat helping.

You may have a defective unit. I have had no issues with mine. It actually detects more activities automagically than the Watch 4 did. No issues either when manually starting an activity, and seems to read about the same HR as the exercise machine I'm on at the time. Can't speak for the BP sensor since that's not unlocked in the US yet (thanks FDA!).

 

[arunma]

I've got the Watch6 Classic and it's pretty great for exercising. Based on the problems you guys have posted about in here, I think you may want to try getting a warranty replacement. This sounds like a hardware defect. I've had such issues with previous smart watches and had to have them replaced by Samsung.

 

[gtt1]

I have found no problems with the exercise routines. I use the Elliptical, walk and Treadmill functions. Our gyms elliptical heart rate sensors don't work bu the HR on the watch matches the treadmill reading within a couple of beats.

I don't like the automatic start function which comes on after 10 minutes with my old Gear watch when this came on and it asked if wanted to use it the watch then used the GPS function and showed route on a map in the health app. I was also then able to use the watch button to pause/stop and turn off. Now if you let the watch auto your activity when you stop you cannot turn it off you have to wait 2-3 minutes before the watch decided your finished and stops.

I concur with others OP should probably get it replaced under warranty.