One of the big features revealed with the launch of the Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3 was hypertension alerts. But Australian Apple Watch owners didn’t get that hypertension alerts as it requires approval from the Therapeutics Goods Administration (TGA). Approval has been granted but Australians will have to wait for a software update to activate the feature.
The Hypertension, or high blood pressure, notification feature was added to the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods earlier this month. Dubbed the “Self-care monitoring web-based application software”, the new Apple Watch function is noted as a “software-only mobile application”. That’s important as the Apple Watch does not actually measure blood pressure. It uses the optical sensor provides data to an algorithm that can detect potential hypertension. It does this by analysing how your blood vessels respond to beats of the heart over 30-day periods.
The TGA’s approval notes:
The feature is intended for over-the-counter (OTC) use by adults age 22 and over who have not been previously diagnosed with hypertension. It is not intended to replace traditional methods of diagnosis, to monitor hypertension treatment effect, or to be used as a method of blood pressure surveillance. It is not intended for use during pregnancy. The absence of a notification does not indicate the absence of hypertension.
You can read the full public summary of the approval here [PDF link].
Apple says Apple Watch Series 11 can notify you if it identifies patterns of hypertension.
When will Apple Watch hypertension notifications be enabled in Australia?
If we look back, Apple received TGA approval for Sleep Apnoea notifications on 29 May 2025. The feature’s availability on compatible Apple Watches came about six weeks later in mid July 2025.
Hearing Test and Hearing Aid support was given by the TGA on 17 December 2024 with the feature enabled in compatible devices in late March 2025.
With hypertension alerts having just been approved and with the holiday period coming up, I’d expect the feature to be enabled in late February or early March. This is when we expect watchOS 26.4 and iOS 26.4 to be released. But it’s possible that Apple could do a minor point release before that to enable hypertension alerts.
Anthony is the founder of Australian Apple News. He is a long-time Apple user and former editor of Australian Macworld. He has contributed to many technology magazines and newspapers as well as appearing regularly on radio and occasionally on TV.