Falling in most cases can be potentially dangerous and cause injury. How or where it happens can also be of vital importance, be it during exercise or just a simple slip or slide that results in a tumble. Smartwatch manufacturers know these things can happen to wearers of all ages, which is why they equip their devices with sensors and software to detect when incidents happen.
Fall detection works a lot like it sounds, meaning the watch senses you’ve fallen off your feet and asks you to confirm whether you’re okay or need assistance. Friends and family members selected as emergency contacts also get those alerts, ensuring help is on the way when necessary. This list includes the best smartwatches with fall detection to strap for peace of mind.
Samsung has supported fall detection for several years, and the way it works in the Galaxy Watch 6 isn’t all that different. Basically, the gyroscope and accelerometer sensors in the smartwatch detect unusual or sudden movements and vibrate with an audible alarm for 60 seconds. The watch also asks if you’re okay. If you’re not, you can swipe SOS to send an alert to your designated loved one or call for help. If, for whatever reason, you’re incapacitated, the feature automatically sends the SOS message after 60 seconds.
The feature won’t work out of the box, so you have to enable it by accessing Watch Settings in the Galaxy Wearable app on your phone and selecting Safety and Emergency. The setup is pretty straightforward, though note that false positives can happen, particularly if you’re wearing the watch while playing a sport or falling on purpose to entertain kids, for instance.
All that sits on top of a pretty robust feature set that includes the best of Wear OS and Samsung’s One UI. Not to mention the array of sensors enabling improved health and fitness tracking, right down to ECG and skin temperature readings that prove useful in establishing a broader perspective on where you stand. Battery life isn’t great, however, leaving you to charge pretty much every night.
The screen is also large and bright, so it’s easy to see if fall detection gets triggered. Plus, the LTE version of the watch can connect with your emergency contact even without your phone present, adding some extra peace of mind if you’ve left it behind. These features aren’t exclusive to the pricier Watch 6, as Samsung’s been offering fall detection as far back as the Galaxy Watch 4 if you want one running Wear OS.
When Google first launched the original Pixel Watch, it didn’t include fall detection as a key feature, choosing to add it to the Pixel Watch 2. Not to worry, though, the original model has it now, so the previous model is an alternative option. In fact, setting up fall detection for both Pixel Watch models is the same. Using the watch’s accelerometer in tandem with Google’s machine learning to detect falls, it will trigger an alert and ask if you prefer to call your preferred contact or emergency services.
Like Samsung’s Galaxy Watch, built-in GPS helps triangulate your location through the Pixel Watch 2, and if you have the LTE variant, you can connect with contacts or emergency response without your phone handy. Given the watch can’t determine the fall’s context, it can generate false positives where it thinks you’ve fallen, or at least fallen dangerously. It’s easy enough to dismiss the alert in those cases, but since the screen on this watch is more exposed compared to others, fall damage may make it inoperable.
Still, it’s hard not to notice how well things blend with this watch. Google continues to integrate Fitbit into the overall health and fitness tracking, as well as making Wear OS apps work more seamlessly with Android devices. You don’t need a Pixel phone to get all the benefits, making the Pixel Watch 2 feel more accessible despite the brand association. Battery life is also a little better than the previous model, though it also has a different proprietary charger that removes using a Qi-enabled charger.
The Amazfit GTR 4 isn’t without its challenges, as we noted in our review of this more affordable smartwatch. But it sits in a unique place as a less expensive option with fall detection support. The feature is not common in budget-friendly smartwatches, so is a reason why this device makes the cut. Setting up Fall detection isn’t all that hard to do, despite the myriad of menus and settings within the GTR 4. And once activated, it uses the watch’s onboard sensors to look out for any tumbles that might befall whoever’s wearing it.
When it does detect something, it will issue an alert on the screen and ask if you’d like to connect with your preferred contact or emergency services. Unlike other more premium choices, however, the GTR 4 relies more on the pairing connection with your phone because there is no LTE variant with its own network connection. The paired phone needs to be in Bluetooth range for the watch to send an alert or communicate with others. Built-in GPS ensures location data is fine, so it’s only utilizing the phone’s cellular connection to ensure others know you need help.
It’s worth noting Amazfit runs its own course with the GTR 4, meaning it’s not a Wear OS smartwatch since it runs on its own Zepp OS platform. This limits app access if you plan on using your smartwatch as more than just a health and fitness tracker — even if the GTR 4 is loaded with such features. Its accuracy is also commendable, making it easier to trust with your daily routine, but it can take time to find the right mix of settings and features among the bloated choices available. The good news is the lack of extras, like those in Wear OS watches, means this one will last for several days before you need to charge it again.
It wouldn’t be right to leave out the Apple Watch Series 9 simply because Apple has made fall detection an integral feature going back several years to when the Series 4 launched. It won’t work with Android phones, so going this route also means you’re either already entrenched in the iOS ecosystem, are potentially making a move, or have someone else in mind for this watch. No matter the case, the feature continues to improve, and its functionality has been largely emulated by other brands. The watch detects a fall, sounds an alarm, displays an alert, and waits for you to respond. If you don’t after 60 seconds, it calls emergency services and informs your preferred contact.
There’s also crash detection, which is a newer feature (present since the Series 8) that will essentially perform the same way as fall detection when there’s a vehicle collision. In that case, it automatically calls emergency response after 20 seconds unless you cancel it first. With the LTE variant, these features work without an iPhone around, adding to the overall convenience of a smartwatch that isn’t as customizable as the average Wear OS one is.
Apple only focuses on what looks and works best with its smartwatch anyway. Tight integration with the iPhone ensures the two are often in sync, which is great for communicating the various health and fitness data points in a timely fashion. It’s also easy to discern the metrics, only improving the whole layout. Plus, the Series 9 is easily the best battery life you’ll find on any Apple Watch, which is always nice considering how challenging that’s been in years past.
You don’t have to pay an arm and a leg for a Garmin smartwatch that proves itself capable. The company’s Forerunner series (as implied by the name) caters heavily to runners of all stripes, though the Forerunner 165 leans a little more toward beginners and those who don’t need all the bells and whistles. Despite that, this watch offers Incident Detection — the term Garmin uses for fall detection — which sends an automatic alert to emergency contacts in case it detects a sudden stop or fall. It’s pretty easy to set up and Garmin lets you activate it during the initial setup to ensure it’s working from the jump.
In addition to that, there’s another safety feature called Assistance that lets you manually send a message with your location if you need help or find yourself in a sketchy or unsafe situation. Built-in GPS covers location data to get the right coordinates, but without an LTE variant available, the Forerunner 165 needs a paired phone within range to send out any alerts or communication.
The beauty of the Forerunner 165 is that it brings a more specialized experience at a lower price. Garmin reserves its more advanced features for pricier options in the Forerunner line, yet the 165 shouldn’t feel like a major sacrifice in features and performance. It caters a lot to runners, but not without offering plenty to cyclists and other active types who care more about reaching goals than viewing app notifications. That focus also leads to much better battery life relative to others on this list, leaving the watch running for a solid week or more (with mixed GPS usage) before it needs a charge.
Fall detection isn’t exactly a new feature in the smartwatch world, yet it’s not as readily available as you might think. The capability does limit your choices, but on the bright side, the ones you get to choose from are worth strong consideration.
It’s with that in mind that the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 comes out on top. It’s durable and has a large easy-to-see display, and fall detection also comes with its variances. If you have the Wi-Fi/Bluetooth-only version, you will need your phone to relay the communication to contacts, whereas the LTE version will send communications without a phone. Samsung is also actively improving its readiness and accuracy, which is a good thing for a feature you never hope to use but are glad to have.
The Pixel Watch 2 offers a very similar experience, with Google prioritizing its own branded devices over the longer-standing Fitbits out there, which still don’t have fall detection. For something on a budget, the Amazfit GTR 4 isn’t without its downsides, but it’s also nice to see some safety features in a more budget-friendly watch. You can also derive some real value as a runner with the Garmin Forerunner 165 and its Incident Detection and Assistance safety features.
Maybe if we start telling people the brain is an app they will start using it!
