Apple has officially rolled out iOS 18.6.1, and the spotlight feature is the long-awaited return of Blood Oxygen monitoring on the Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 in the United States. This update is a significant move, especially after months of restrictions caused by legal disputes. However, while the update restores functionality, it also introduces new changes—and some users are reporting issues.
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What’s New in iOS 18.6.1?
The biggest highlight of iOS 18.6.1 is the restoration of Blood Oxygen tracking. Due to a patent dispute with medical technology company Masimo, Apple had disabled the feature for U.S. users for nearly 18 months. Now, thanks to a new workaround and approval from U.S. Customs, the feature is back—although in a slightly different form.
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How it works now:
Instead of processing data directly on the Apple Watch, the watch only collects sensor data. All calculations are processed on the paired iPhone and displayed in the Health app under the “Respiratory” section. -
Supported devices:
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Apple Watch Series 9
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Apple Watch Series 10
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Apple Watch Ultra 2
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This means the feature is no longer fully native to the watch—it’s more of a two-device experience.
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Why the Change?
Apple’s redesign of how Blood Oxygen works is directly tied to the Masimo patent dispute. By shifting the calculation workload to the iPhone instead of the watch, Apple avoids infringing on specific patents while still delivering health-related functionality to users.
In short: Apple had to compromise—but it found a way to give users access again.
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iOS 18.6.1 Issuses
While the return of Blood Oxygen monitoring is a welcome change, some users have reported issues after updating to iOS 18.6.1:
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App crashes: A handful of users on Apple’s discussion forums mentioned that apps like Messages and Settings sometimes crash unexpectedly after the update.
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Delayed syncing: Because the feature now requires both the iPhone and Apple Watch, some users noticed delayed results appearing in the Health app.
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Limited functionality: Unlike before, you can’t see your Blood Oxygen levels directly on the watch face or in standalone watch apps. Everything is centralized in the iPhone’s Health app.
For most users, these problems are minor, but it’s worth keeping in mind before updating.
Should You Install iOS 18.6.1?
The answer depends on your needs:
✅ Yes, update if…
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You own an Apple Watch Series 9/10 or Ultra 2 and want Blood Oxygen monitoring back.
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You value having the latest bug fixes and system optimizations.
⚠️ Consider waiting if…
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You don’t use Blood Oxygen tracking.
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You’ve seen reports of app crashes and prefer to wait for iOS 18.6.2 or iOS 18.7 for better stability.
How to Update to iOS 18.6.1
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On your iPhone, go to Settings > General > Software Update.
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Download and install iOS 18.6.1.
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For Apple Watch, open the Watch app > General > Software Update to install watchOS 11.6.1.
Tip: After updating, it may take up to 24 hours for Blood Oxygen data to sync fully. You can speed up the process by opening the Health app or running the ECG app once.
Final Thoughts
The iOS 18.6.1 update is a big win for Apple Watch users in the U.S., restoring a feature that was previously disabled. However, the new two-device workflow changes how people interact with Blood Oxygen tracking, and minor software issues have been reported.
For health-conscious users, this update is worth installing. For those more focused on system stability, it may be better to wait for Apple’s next patch.
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