Which Smartwatch Has Fall Detection? Best 8 In 2024

Smartwatches these days come with many promising features, and one of them is Fall Detection. It’s a feature that can potentially save a lot of lives because it automatically alerts your emergency contacts when it detects a hard fall.

This method was first introduced by Apple in Apple Watch, and nowadays, major smartwatches come with this feature.

So, if you are also interested in getting a smartwatch with Fall Detection and want to know which are the best smartwatches to have this feature, this guide is for you.

I’d strongly recommend you check this guide if you want to learn How Does Apple Watch Know You’re Standing & Detects Falls.

In this guide, I’ll also explain how Fall Detection on Smartwatches works and its accuracy. Let’s get started.

#Overview

What Is Fall Detection?

Fall Detection is basically a method where the watch monitors your body movements, and if it detects any sudden hard movement, it automatically sends your details to your emergency contact, which will help you get medical help on time.

How Does A Fall Detection System Work?

Fall Detection is a complex system, and it needs to be very accurate. This feature was first available in Apple Watch, and it has improved a lot over the years.

Now when it comes to working, the smartwatches use an Accelerometer sensor which is basically a highly sensitive sensor that uses low-power radio waves to monitor your movement.

This advanced sensor has the ability to detect your movement on a three-axis, which makes it pretty accurate. The sensor is the first part and the second major part is the algorithm which basically validates the detection.

In the second step, the algorithm compares the other data collected by the watch, such as physical activity and body position, which will help the watch to determine if it was within the danger zone.

Once the watch determines the Fall has occurred, it will show you the alert, and if the user doesn’t respond within a certain duration, the watch automatically sends the details to the emergency contacts.

Having this feature will turn your smartwatch into a medical alert device that is also able to sound an alarm, call emergency services, and send your location in case it detects a fall.

Here is a related article that might interest you on How To Use Your Smartwatch For Navigation?

How Accurate Is Fall Detection?

Fall Detection is surely a very useful feature, especially for people with disabilities. However, many people question its accuracy, and I’ll discuss it in this section.

Now when it comes to the accuracy of Fall Detection, like any other technology, it’s not perfect, and there’s definitely room for improvement available.

However, this technology has improved a lot over the years, and many companies, especially Apple, have almost perfected this feature.

The fall detection in Apple Watches is the most accurate, which is the reason why most elders and general users prefer it. However, other companies such as Samsung and Garmin are also catching up, and they are perfecting their technology.

In 2024, the fall detection technology in Apple Watches is the best, and the fall detection in other smartwatches such as Samsung and Garmin is also respectable. But, I won’t recommend you to fully rely on it as no technology is completely reliable, but Fall Detection in major smartwatches is pretty reliable, and you can rely on them most of the time.

What Are The Limitations Of Fall Detection?

When it comes to the limitations of Fall Detection, the biggest problem with this technology is that it requires constant access to the network to work.

If you are using the Bluetooth version of a smartwatch, it’s important that your watch is connected to the smartphone via Bluetooth and has the required permissions.

If your Smartwatch is not connected to your smartphone and it detects any fall, it won’t be able to send messages to your emergency contacts.

However, if you have the LTE version of a smartwatch, you won’t experience any issues because the watch will be able to directly send messages to your emergency contact provided that you have a network subscription.

Top 8 Best Smartwatch With Fall Detection Reviews In 2024

In 2024, we have a variety of smartwatches available with fall detection, and in this section, I’ll share the complete list of smartwatches with Fall detection, which you can buy in 2024.

Let’s get into it.

Let me introduce some of The Best Of them:

1. Apple Watch Ultra – Best Outdoor Smartwatch with Fall Detection

Apple Watch Ultra is a top-of-the-line Apple Watch and it comes with premium build quality that can withstand harsh conditions and weather thanks to its rugged body. The watch has been tested on military standards and performs exceptionally well outdoors.

Along with many advanced features, Apple Watch Ultra comes with a best-in-class fall detection feature that can accurately detect a fall and alert your loved ones if you need help. Another nifty life-saving feature of the new Apple Watch Ultra is that it also comes with a crash detection feature, which allows the Ultra to alert your loved ones in case it detects a crash.

From ECG to advanced sleep tracking, Apple Watch Ultra is also packed with advanced health and fitness tracking features that will help you stay on top of your fitness game. 

The battery performance of Apple Watch Ultra is also solid and you can get up to 36 hours on normal use. In my personal experience, I was getting an average of around 2 days of battery life with normal 30 to 40 minutes workouts. 

Overall, Apple Watch Ultra is an excellent outdoor smartwatch that is equipped with accurate fall detection and a suite of advanced features that will help you track your fitness with good accuracy.

2. Apple Watch Series 8

Apple Watch Series 8 is another Apple Watch that comes with very reliable Fall detection and other life-saving features.

Like Apple Watch Ultra, Apple Watch Series 8 is also packed with sensors that can detect a fall with great accuracy and alert your emergency contacts if you don’t respond within a certain time. Similarly, it also comes with crash detection which allows the Apple Watch Series 8 to get you help if it detects a crash.

In terms of features, Apple Watch Series 8 is also packed with great features. It offers ECG, Advanced sleep monitoring, Stress tracking, Workout modes, heart-rate monitoring, SPO2, and other great features.

The battery performance of the Apple Watch Series 8 is also good. You will get around 18 hours of battery life on a single charge and I was also getting the same battery life on my Apple Watch Series 8.

Overall, if you are looking for an everyday Apple Watch with fall detection and premium features, I’d recommend that you should consider the Apple Watch Series 8.

3. Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is a premium WearOS Smartwatch that also comes with a Fall detection feature.

The fall detection feature on Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is also pretty accurate. Once it detects a fall, it will show up a pop-up for 60 seconds and if you don’t respond within this time frame, the Watch will alert the emergency contacts.

Along with Fall detection, Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is also packed with other health and fitness features. It comes with features such as SPO2, ECG, BMI Sensor, advanced sleep monitoring, blood pressure monitoring, stress monitoring, workout profiles, heart-rate monitoring, and step counter.

The battery performance of Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is simply outstanding. The watch claims that it offers 80 hours of battery life and you can easily get 3 days of battery life with moderate use.

So, If you are looking for a premium WearOS Smartwatch with Fall detection and other great health features, you should consider Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro.

4. Garmin Forerunner 965 – Best Runners Smartwatch with Fall Detection 

Garmin Forerunner 965 is one of the latest smartwatches in 2024 and it comes with a fall detection feature that can alert your emergency contacts if it detects a fall.

The fall detection feature in Garmin Forerunner 965 is called “Incident Detection” and it will become active once it detects a fall. If you don’t respond to the smartwatch after a fall, it will send a LiveTrack Link along with your current GPS location to your emergency contacts. However, it’s worth noting here it will only send your GPS location if it’s available. So, make sure that it stays On if you want your Forerunner 965 to detect a fall.

The Forerunner 965 is also packed with other health and fitness features that include sleep tracking, workout monitoring, daily suggested workouts, race widget, race predictor, round trip routing, stress monitoring, VO2 Max, performance condition, and other running-specific features which you will rarely find on other smartwatches.

The battery performance of Garmin Forerunner 965 is also on the better side and you get around 31 hours of battery life under moderate use. However, if you use GPS continuously, you will get around 20+ hours of battery life.

So, If you are a Runner and you want a smartwatch with fall detection and running-specific features, you should consider the Garmin Forerunner 965.

5. Google Pixel Watch

Google Pixel Watch is one of the best smartwatches that comes with Fall Detection. When the watch was launched, it didn’t have Fall detection but Google later-on added it to the Pixel Watch via a Software update.

The Fall detection feature on Google Pixel Watch is pretty comprehensive and accurate. When it detects a fall, it will wait for 30 seconds and if you don’t move, it will start vibrating and ringing loudly so that it could get your attention and other people around you. If you still don’t respond within 60 seconds, the watch will make a call to your emergency services with an automated voice message which will inform them about the fall and share your live location.

Along with Fall detection, Pixel Watch is also packed with other health and fitness features that include ECG, AFib Detection, heart-rate monitoring, sleep tracking, workout modes, and a step counter. It also comes with complimentary access to Fitbit Premium where you will find useful insights that you can use to make your workouts or routine more effective.

The battery performance of Google Pixel Watch is decent but it could’ve been better. The company claims that it should last for 24 hours on a full charge and it’s achievable if you don’t use it for workouts or use GPS. However, if you use it for your regular workouts, it will last for around 10+ hours with GPS. So, you may need to recharge it every night before you go to bed.

Overall, Google Pixel Watch is still a very capable smartwatch and if you are looking for WearOS 3 Smartwatch with Fall detection and a suite of impressive fitness features, you may want to consider Google Pixel Watch.

6. Garmin Forerunner 55

Garmin Forerunner 55 is one of the best budget smartwatches with Fall Detection. The Incident detection mechanism in Forerunner 55 is also pretty accurate, and it can detect falls in most cases without any problem.

Forerunner 55’s Incident Detection feature is available in the settings, and you will need to manually activate it. Once it’s activated, the watch will start monitoring your activities, and if it detects any fall, it will automatically send a message with your location to your emergency contacts if you don’t respond within 30 seconds.

Like other Garmin watches, Forerunner 55 is also feature-rich, and it comes with tons of promising features such as workout tracking, heart-rate monitoring, Garmin coach, recovery adviser, race predictor, and other activity-centric features which make it an ideal choice for runners.

The battery performance of Forerunner 55 is also pretty good and it offers 2 weeks of battery with normal use. However, if you use GPS and other advanced features, it gives around 20 hours of battery life which is still pretty decent.

Overall, if you want a budget smartwatch with Fall Detection, Garmin Forerunner 55 is the ideal option for you.

7. Huawei Watch 3

Huawei Watch 3 is the flagship smartwatch by the company, and it comes with a number of great features. The unique thing about Huawei Watch 3 is that it comes with HarmonyOS, which is a home-grown operating system, and the company wants to expand it across all of its devices.

One of the most promising features of the Huawei Watch 3 is Fall Detection. You will need to manually activate it from the settings, and once it’s activated, it will start monitoring your activities. If Huawei Watch 3 detects any fall, it will show an emergency alert on the screen, and if you don’t respond within a few seconds, the watch will send an emergency SOS to your contacts. The watch also allows you to manually alert emergency services and contacts by pressing the crown 5 times in a row.

If we look at the other features, the watch comes with eSim support, voice controls, activity tracking, heart-rate monitoring, and more.

The battery performance of the Huawei Watch 3 is pretty solid and you can easily get up to 2-3 days of battery life under moderate use. However, if you use GPS continuously, you can easily get 1+ Days of battery life which is impressive.

The only downside is that Huawei is currently under sanctions, which means that if you are from the US or European region, you won’t be able to take full benefit of it. However, if you are from Asia and you are getting it at a good price, Huawei Watch 3 will be a good option.

8. Apple Watch SE (Gen 2)

Apple Watch SE (Gen 2) is the most affordable Apple Watch that comes with Fall Detection. The fall detection feature on Apple Watch SE (Gen 2) is as good as Apple Watch Series 8 and Apple Watch Ultra. So, it will work well and with great accuracy.

However, you will be giving up some premium features such as ECG, AFiB detection, and SPO2. It comes with regular features such as fitness tracking, workout monitoring, sleep monitoring, step counter, and heart-rate monitoring.

The battery life of the Apple Watch SE (Gen 2) is also good and you will get around 18 hours of battery life on a single charge. Also, it has fast charging which means that it will be recharged quickly as compared to the older generation of Apple Watches.

Overall, If you are on a budget and you want an affordable Apple Watch with fall detection and other fitness tracking features, Apple Watch SE (Gen 2) is a solid option.

Frequently Asked Questions [ FAQs ]

Does Apple Watch Fall Detection Work In Canada /UK / India / Australia?

Apple Watch comes with several advanced features, but some of them are only restricted to a limited number of regions. However, it’s not the case with Fall Detection, and it works well in many regions.

Apple Watch (Model)	Canada	UK	India	Australia
Apple Watch Ultra	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Apple Watch Series 8	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Apple Watch Series 7	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Apple Watch Series 6	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Apple Watch Series 5	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Apple Watch Series 4	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Apple Watch SE	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Apple Watch SE (Gen 2)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Does Samsung Galaxy Watch Fall Detection Work in Canada/UK/India/Australia?

The Fall Detection feature is currently available on modern Galaxy Watches. It works well in all major countries and regions that include the US, UK, Canada, India, and Australia.

Samsung Galaxy Watch (Model)	Canada	UK	India	Australia
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Series	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Series	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 Series	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Does Apple Watch Fall Detection Require Cellular?

No, Apple Watch doesn’t require the cellular version to work, and it works well on Bluetooth versions as well. However, if you don’t have Apple Watch cellular version, you will need to pair your Smartwatch with your iPhone as it requires network access to make an emergency call.

Can Smartwatches Call 911?

Yes, smartwatches are capable of calling 911 provided that they have network access. Apple Watch automatically calls 911 when it detects a fall, and once the call end, it also sends messages to your listed emergency contacts so that they could get help for you.

Do Amazfit Watches Have Fall Detection?

Amazfit has recently launched its GTS 4 and GTR 4 and both of them are capable of detecting Fall Detection. However, it’s not enabled by default and the company said that it will enable it through a software update. But, at the time of writing this guide, the company hasn’t enabled it but it’s expected that both smartwatches will get this feature soon.

Does Samsung Smartwatches Have Fall Detection?

Yes, the majority of Samsung Smartwatches, including Galaxy Watch 5, Galaxy Watch 4, Galaxy Watch 4 Classic, Galaxy Watch 3, and Galaxy Watch Active 2, come with Fall Detection Feature. The company has also added this feature to Galaxy Watch, which was released more than four years ago.

Does Fitbit Have Fall Detection?

Fitbit is a well-known name, and the company is usually at the forefront of innovation, but the company is missing on Fall Detection. None of the Fitbit smartwatches, including the latest models such as Fitbit Sense and Versa 3, have a Fall Detection feature.

In my opinion, adding Fall Detection won’t be an issue for a big company like Fitbit because all of its major models, such as Fitbit Sense, Fitbit Versa, and Iconic sensors, have an accelerometer, which is required to detect Falls. Recently Samsung has also added Fall Detection to its older models such as Active 2, Galaxy Watch 3, and Galaxy Watch via software update. So, I hope that the company will work on it and will add Fall Detection for its users.

Which Smartwatch Has The Best Fall Detection?

Apple Watch has arguably the best Fall Detection in 2024. The company has perfected this feature, and it’s pretty accurate compared to the rest of the smartwatches available. Apple’s Fall Detection feature is available in both the latest models of the Apple Watch, i.e., Apple Watch Ultra, Apple Watch Series 8, Apple Watch SE (Gen 2), Apple Watch Series 7, and Apple Watch SE.

Does Xiaomi Mi Watch Have Fall Detection?

Xiaomi Mi Watch is the premium smartwatch by the company, and it’s equipped with many great features, but it lacks the Fall Detection feature.

Does Garmin Watches Have Fall Detection?

Garmin is a big smartwatch company with a huge portfolio of smartwatches. The company offers its incident detection feature to only selected models. These are the Garmin Watches that come with a fall Detection Feature.

1. Garmin Forerunner 965 
2. Garmin Forerunner 265
3. Garmin Forerunner 955
4. Garmin Venu 2 & 2 Plus
5. Garmin Enduro 2
6. Garmin Forerunner 945
7. Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE
8. Garmin Forerunner 745
9. Garmin Forerunner 55
10. Garmin Forerunner 45 and 45S
11. Garmin Forerunner 245 and 245 Music
12. Garmin Fenix 5 Plus Series
13. Garmin Fenix 6 Series
14. Garmin Fenix 7 Series
15. Garmin MARQ Series
16. Garmin Vivoactive 3 Music Series
17. Garmin Vivoactive 4 and 4S
18. Garmin Venu Series
19. Garmin lily
20. Garmin Epix Series
21. Garmin Enduro

Which Apple Watch Versions Have Fall Detection?

Apple was the first company that adopted Fall Detection, and it was first offered on Apple Watch Series 4. All the versions of the Apple Watch after Series 4 come with Fall Detection. These are the Apple Watch Versions that come with Fall Detection.

1. Apple Watch Series 4
2. Apple Watch Series 5
3. Apple Watch Series 6
4. Apple Watch Series 7
5. Apple Watch SE
6. Apple Watch Ultra
7. Apple Watch Series 8
8. Apple Watch SE (Gen 2)

Conclusion

Fall Detection is a very useful feature and it can potentially save your life if you ever fall and need help. However, it’s not available on all smartwatches and only a few smartwatches come with it. In this guide, I’ve listed the smartwatches that have Fall Detection and I’ve also explained which smartwatches are the best at detecting a fall. 

I hope that you found this guide useful and that it helped you choose your next smartwatch. If you need my help or have any questions, please feel free to ask me in the comments. Also, check this guide where I’ve explained how fall detection works in Apple Watches.