Can a smartwatch detect sleep apnea? What FDA-authorized watch alerts can and can't do

Some smartwatches, and now one smart ring, can look for signs of sleep apnea. Samsung and Apple both have features authorized by the FDA that watch your breathing patterns overnight and alert you if they see signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea. They can't diagnose it, they miss some cases, and they aren't for people who already have a diagnosis. Used the right way, an alert is a good reason to book an appointment and get a proper sleep test.

Which smartwatches can check for sleep apnea?

Samsung Galaxy watches, the Samsung Galaxy Ring and recent Apple Watch models have sleep apnea features authorized by the FDA. These are the three FDA authorizations we found for this type of feature as of November 2026.

The first was Samsung's Sleep Apnea Feature. The FDA granted it a De Novo authorization in February 2024, which created a new category of device: an over-the-counter device to assess risk of sleep apnea. The FDA's decision summary says this kind of device is meant to give a notification of sleep apnea risk to people who haven't been diagnosed, and is not intended to provide a standalone diagnosis, replace standard testing such as polysomnography, help clinicians diagnose sleep disorders or act as an apnea monitor. Samsung announced the authorization in February 2024 and said it was the first feature of its kind authorized by the FDA.

Apple's Sleep Apnea Notification Feature followed. The FDA cleared it through the 510(k) route on September 13, 2024, using Samsung's feature as the predicate device. Apple's support page lists Apple Watch Series 9 or later, Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later and Apple Watch SE 3.

In July 2026 the FDA cleared Samsung's Sleep Apnea Feature v2.0, which works with either a Galaxy Watch or a Galaxy Ring and lowers the minimum age from 22 to 18.

Samsung notes that availability varies by market and device, because the software needs approval as a medical device in each market. The features also need a paired phone from the same company.

How does a smartwatch detect sleep apnea?

A smartwatch detects sleep apnea by looking for repeated changes during sleep that tend to happen when breathing is disrupted. The two companies measure different things.

Samsung's original feature uses the watch's light-based sensor to estimate blood oxygen. The FDA summary says it looks for repeated drops in oxygen that suggest significant breathing disruptions, counts them, and compares each night with a threshold of 15 events an hour, the line between mild and moderate sleep apnea. You get a positive result only if two nights within 10 days both cross that line. If you slept less than three hours or the oxygen signal was too patchy, you get an "insufficient data" message instead.

Version 2.0 adds movement data and a revised deep learning model. Its FDA summary says it averages the two nights, and if the average is 15 or more breathing disruptions an hour, you get a positive result along with that average and are advised to contact your doctor. You can also export the result.

Apple's feature uses the accelerometer, the watch's motion sensor, to look for breathing disturbances while you sleep. Apple's FDA summary describes these as brief changes in breathing patterns, such as temporary interruptions. The feature rates each night as "Elevated" or "Not Elevated." Every 30 days it reviews the data, and if your breathing disturbances are consistently elevated, it sends a notification. Apple says you need to wear the watch to sleep for at least 10 nights in each 30-day period. If you get a notification, you can export a PDF report to share with a doctor.

Neither approach measures airflow or brain waves the way a sleep lab does, which is one reason they're screening tools and not tests.

How accurate are smartwatch sleep apnea alerts?

Smartwatch sleep apnea alerts were fairly accurate in the companies' own validation studies, which the FDA reviewed. They catch most moderate to severe cases on some devices and fewer on others, and they rarely flag people who don't have it. These studies haven't yet been matched by much independent research, which is why we rate the evidence as emerging.

Two numbers matter here. Sensitivity is the share of people with moderate to severe sleep apnea that the feature correctly flagged. Specificity is the share of people without it that the feature correctly left alone.

Samsung's original feature was tested in a study that enrolled 620 adults and compared the watch with in-lab sleep studies (polysomnography). The FDA summary reports a sensitivity of 82.7% (167 of 202 people) and a specificity of 87.7% (235 of 268). The specificity fell short of the study's own target. A later analysis found that 23 of the 33 false positives had at least one night of moderate to severe sleep apnea on the lab test. The watch couldn't give a result on 16.7% of nights because of insufficient data.

Apple tested its feature in 1,499 adults across the United States, using a home sleep apnea test as the reference. The FDA summary reports a sensitivity of 66.3% and a specificity of 98.5%, and says the feature didn't falsely notify anyone whose result was normal. The FDA summary says Apple tuned it for high specificity because it runs passively and repeatedly in the background.

Samsung's v2.0 was tested in adults who wore a Galaxy Watch and a Galaxy Ring at the same time during two nights of in-lab polysomnography, with 475 people analyzed for the watch and 469 for the ring. On the watch, sensitivity was 90.8% (188 of 207) and specificity was 90.3% (242 of 268). On the ring, sensitivity was 77.9% (155 of 199) and specificity was 95.9% (259 of 270). Results varied by group. On the ring, sensitivity was 85.5% in men but 63.2% in women, so women were more likely to be missed.

Can a smartwatch diagnose sleep apnea?

No, a smartwatch can't diagnose sleep apnea, and all three FDA documents make that clear. Apple's indications state that its feature is not intended to diagnose, treat or aid in the management of sleep apnea. Samsung's say users should not use the feature in place of diagnosis and treatment by a qualified clinician.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine's diagnostic guideline makes a strong recommendation that clinical tools, questionnaires and prediction algorithms not be used to diagnose obstructive sleep apnea in adults without polysomnography or home sleep apnea testing. In 2018, before any watch feature was authorized, the AASM said consumer sleep technology couldn't be used to diagnose or treat sleep disorders, but could help the conversation between patients and clinicians when used as part of a proper evaluation. FDA-authorized alerts fit that role well.

There's also a practical gap. These features only sort you into "signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea" or "no signs." Samsung's original labeling says the watch can't detect central sleep apnea, a different type covered in our guide to central sleep apnea. None of them is designed to pick up mild sleep apnea, and a doctor will also want to know about your symptoms, history and other health conditions.

Who shouldn't rely on a smartwatch sleep apnea check?

People who already have a sleep apnea diagnosis shouldn't use these features at all. Both companies say the features are only for people who haven't been diagnosed, and they aren't designed to tell you whether your CPAP or other treatment is working.

Samsung's original FDA labeling lists other groups who shouldn't use it, because results may be wrong:

• people under 22 (18 for version 2.0)
• people with movement conditions such as Parkinson's disease, tremor or periodic leg movements during sleep
• people with congestive heart failure or atrial fibrillation
• people with lung conditions such as COPD, chronic bronchitis, emphysema or pulmonary fibrosis
• people who are pregnant, or who have short-term breathing problems from flu, allergies, asthma or another condition

Apple notes that alcohol, upper respiratory illnesses and some medicines can raise breathing disturbances. A night after drinks or a week with a cold may not reflect your usual sleep. Our article on sleep apnea and alcohol explains why drinking makes breathing worse at night.

What should you do if your watch flags sleep apnea?

If your watch flags sleep apnea, book an appointment with your doctor and bring the report. Apple suggests talking to your doctor if you get a notification and haven't been diagnosed, and Samsung's v2.0 advises users to contact their doctor about a positive result.

The NHLBI says your provider will ask about your symptoms, risk factors and family history, and may refer you to a sleep specialist or a center for a sleep study. It suggests a sleep diary to track how long and how well you sleep and how sleepy you feel during the day. Your provider may also order tests for conditions that can cause sleep apnea, such as thyroid problems. The NHS says sleep tests can usually be done at home, and the results give an AHI score that shows whether sleep apnea is mild, moderate or severe.

Our guides to the home sleep apnea test and what happens at a sleep study explain what to expect. If the test confirms sleep apnea, sleep apnea treatment options compares what's available.

Don't change any medicine based on a watch result. Samsung's labeling says to talk to your doctor first.

What if your watch doesn't flag anything?

If your watch doesn't flag anything, that's reassuring but not a clean bill of health. Apple says not all people with sleep apnea receive a notification, and its FDA summary states that the absence of a notification isn't intended to indicate the absence of sleep apnea. In its study, about a third of people with moderate to severe sleep apnea didn't get one.

Go by how you feel and what others notice. Our earlier look at snoring apps and sleep trackers makes the same point: a quiet night on an app doesn't rule sleep apnea out. Some people with sleep apnea don't snore much at all, which we cover in sleep apnea without snoring.

When should you see a doctor?

See a doctor if you have signs of sleep apnea, whatever your watch says. The NHS lists breathing that stops and starts while you sleep, gasping, snorting or choking noises, waking up a lot and loud snoring, along with feeling very tired, finding it hard to concentrate, mood swings or a morning headache. It says to see a GP if your breathing stops and starts, you make gasping or choking noises, or you always feel very tired during the day, and that it helps to bring someone who has seen your symptoms. Our list of sleep apnea warning signs has more.

If your nose is blocked most nights, mention that too, since a nose that never clears is worth checking on its own. If you're pregnant, Samsung's labeling says not to use its feature, so raise any snoring or breathing pauses with your clinician directly.

This article is general information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about your own symptoms.

Read next

• Home sleep apnea test: how it works
• Can a snoring app or sleep tracker tell you what's going on?
• Sleep apnea warning signs

* This content is for informational and educational purposes only and is not medical advice. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or health condition. Talk to a qualified healthcare provider about your health.