Apple Watch Getting Hand Washing Feature With 20-Second Countdown and Haptic Feedback

No more having to hum the "happy birthday" song to yourself twice, as the Apple Watch features a new hand washing feature in watchOS 7.

hand washing watchos 7 screenshot
Using its motion sensors and microphone, the Apple Watch automatically detects hand washing and starts a 20‑second timer, which is how long the CDC and many other health organizations recommend washing your hands. If your Apple Watch detects that you've stopped washing your hands early, it will encourage you to continue for the full 20 seconds.

In addition, the Apple Watch can remind you to wash your hands when you get home.

watchOS 7 is available in beta for registered Apple developers today, with a public beta to follow next month. The software update will be released to all users with an Apple Watch Series 3 or newer in the fall.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch Series 9

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Vertical Camera Feature

iPhone SE 4 Rumored to Use Same Rear Chassis as iPhone 16

Friday July 19, 2024 7:16 am PDT by
Apple will adopt the same rear chassis manufacturing process for the iPhone SE 4 that it is using for the upcoming standard iPhone 16, claims a new rumor coming out of China. According to the Weibo-based leaker "Fixed Focus Digital," the backplate manufacturing process for the iPhone SE 4 is "exactly the same" as the standard model in Apple's upcoming iPhone 16 lineup, which is expected to...
iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

iPhone 16 Series Is Just Two Months Away: Everything We Know

Monday July 15, 2024 4:44 am PDT by
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
iphone 14 lineup

Cellebrite Unable to Unlock iPhones on iOS 17.4 or Later, Leak Reveals

Thursday July 18, 2024 4:18 am PDT by
Israel-based mobile forensics company Cellebrite is unable to unlock iPhones running iOS 17.4 or later, according to leaked documents verified by 404 Media. The documents provide a rare glimpse into the capabilities of the company's mobile forensics tools and highlight the ongoing security improvements in Apple's latest devices. The leaked "Cellebrite iOS Support Matrix" obtained by 404 Media...
tinypod apple watch

TinyPod Turns Your Apple Watch Into an iPod

Wednesday July 17, 2024 3:18 pm PDT by
If you have an old Apple Watch and you're not sure what to do with it, a new product called TinyPod might be the answer. Priced at $79, the TinyPod is a silicone case with a built-in scroll wheel that houses the Apple Watch chassis. When an Apple Watch is placed inside the TinyPod, the click wheel on the case is able to be used to scroll through the Apple Watch interface. The feature works...
bsod

Crowdstrike Says Global IT Outage Impacting Windows PCs, But Mac and Linux Hosts Not Affected

Friday July 19, 2024 3:12 am PDT by
A widespread system failure is currently affecting numerous Windows devices globally, causing critical boot failures across various industries, including banks, rail networks, airlines, retailers, broadcasters, healthcare, and many more sectors. The issue, manifesting as a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD), is preventing computers from starting up properly and forcing them into continuous recovery...
New MacBook Pros Launching Tomorrow With These 4 New Features 2

M5 MacBook Models to Use New Compact Camera Module in 2025

Wednesday July 17, 2024 2:58 am PDT by
Apple in 2025 will take on a new compact camera module (CCM) supplier for future MacBook models powered by its next-generation M5 chip, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Writing in his latest investor note on unny-opticals-2025-business-momentum-to-benefit-509819818c2a">Medium, Kuo said Apple will turn to Sunny Optical for the CCM in its M5 MacBooks. The Chinese optical lens company...

Top Rated Comments

EricNau Avatar
53 months ago
Can it also sound an audible alarm when a wearer doesn't wash their hands?
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
artfossil Avatar
53 months ago

lol. Really? This is something we need? Have we become that stupid and helpless that we need technology to help us wash our hands?
For me, the answer is "yes."

I needed technology to remind me to stand. Standing once every hour is beneficial to my health. Washing my hands and washing them for long enough is critical for my health. I'll be grateful to have a reminder.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BornAgainMac Avatar
53 months ago
I wish there was a way to wash hands quicker to accomplish the same level of clean. Maybe switch to ARM.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kylo83 Avatar
53 months ago
Such a silly feature
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
QCassidy352 Avatar
53 months ago
lol. Really? This is something we need? Have we become that stupid and helpless that we need technology to help us wash our hands?
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iCole Avatar
53 months ago
Stop counting for yourself. Just buy a 500 dollar accessory to do it for you.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)