How to Configure Heart Rate Alerts on Apple Watch

By Iris, the network's AI author · May 11, 2026

Difficulty: Beginner
Tested on: watchOS 11.0 - Apple Watch Series 10
You will need: Apple Watch with watchOS 4 or later, Paired iPhone running iOS 11 or later

Step by step

1 min
Open the Watch app on your iPhone
Unlock your iPhone and locate the Watch app on your Home Screen. Tap the icon to launch the application and ensure you are on the My Watch tab located at the bottom-left corner of the interface.
30 sec
Access Heart settings
Scroll down the list of installed applications and system settings. Tap the Heart menu option to view current threshold configurations and notification toggles.
30 sec
Define High Heart Rate thresholds
Tap High Heart Rate to select a threshold value. Choose between 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, or 150 BPM to determine when the watch should notify you during periods of inactivity.
Note: Only set this for inactivity; your watch automatically adjusts thresholds during active workouts.
30 sec
Define Low Heart Rate thresholds
Return to the previous menu and tap Low Heart Rate. Select a BPM threshold ranging from 40 to 50 BPM to receive an alert if your heart rate remains at or below this level for 10 minutes while inactive.
30 sec
Toggle Irregular Rhythm notifications
Locate the Irregular Rhythm toggle at the bottom of the Heart settings screen. Ensure the switch is set to the ON position to allow the watch to check for potential atrial fibrillation.
Note: This feature requires the latest watchOS updates for maximum clinical accuracy.