How to Measure Your Heart Rate With Your Phone or Smartwatch

Your heart rate — the number of times your heart beats per minute — is one of the most basic indicators of cardiovascular health. Measuring it regularly can help you understand your fitness level, notice changes over time, and give your doctor useful information at appointments.

A normal resting heart rate for adults is between 60 and 100 beats per minute (bpm). Athletes often have resting heart rates in the 40s or 50s because their hearts are stronger and more efficient. A consistently high resting heart rate (above 100 bpm) is worth discussing with a doctor.

There are three common ways to measure your heart rate with technology. First, most smartphones can use the camera and flashlight to detect blood flow through your fingertip — a technique called photoplethysmography (PPG). Apps like Cardiogram and Welltory use this method. You press your finger gently over the rear camera lens and flashlight, hold still, and the app calculates your heart rate in about 30 seconds.

Second, smartwatches — including Apple Watch, Fitbit, Samsung Galaxy Watch, and Garmin — have built-in heart rate sensors on the underside of the watch. They measure continuously throughout the day and give you both real-time readings and resting heart rate averages over time.

Third, many fitness apps (like Google Fit and Apple Health) automatically calculate your resting heart rate by averaging your lowest heart rate readings during periods of inactivity, usually overnight.

Quick Tip: Measure your resting heart rate first thing in the morning, before you get out of bed, for the most accurate baseline reading. Any activity — even sitting up — raises your heart rate slightly.

Important disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only. Consumer heart rate measurements are not medical-grade. Do not use consumer devices to diagnose heart conditions. If you experience chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, or a heart rate persistently above 100 bpm at rest, contact your doctor or call 911.