Can You Wear an Apple Watch on Ankle? [Is It Accurate?]

You don’t need directions or a manual to wear any other watch, but an Apple Watch comes with features affected by how you wear it. Besides being an extension of your iPhone, an Apple Watch tracks your calories, heart rate, and other physical activities, helping you stay within your fitness goals.

Apple’s Watch was designed for your wrist, but what if your job or workout routine threatens to damage your device? Can you wear your Apple Watch on your ankle?

You can wear your Apple Watch on your ankle, but it will not track your vitals as quickly and accurately as it would on your wrist because the sensors on your Apple Watch are designed for your wrist and not your ankle.

Its biometric features are among the best that’s why many people consider an Apple Watch a worthy investment. Apple designed the watch to be worn on the wrist because your wrist has a network of veins close to the skin, making it easy for the watch to track your vitals.

How to Use an Apple Watch on Your Ankle

An Apple Watch comes with a wristband that might be too small to fit around your ankle. So, to use it on your ankle, you need to purchase an ankle band (more on that below). Most people prefer using a hook-and-loop fastener because it’s easy and quick to adjust.

Below is a step-by-step guide on how to use an Apple Watch on your ankle:

1. Take your Apple Watch and remove the original bands
2. Attach your ankle band to the slots on your Apple Watch
3. Wear the watch with your new ankle bands on your foot
4. Pull up the watch to your ankle and place it where so that the back of the watch fully contacts the skin
5. Adjust the straps on your watch until it fits snugly onto your skin
6. Close the straps and begin your workout

As you know, you can control your Apple Watch on your iPhone through the watch app. Once you wear the watch on your ankle, you can easily set it up and collect your training data.

Note that changing the bands on your Apple Watch and wearing it on your ankle will not make it more accurate in reading your vitals than when on your wrist. When tracked regularly, you’ll know what is and isn’t expected (a benchmark).

Best Ankle Band for Your Apple Watch

The best ankle band for your Apple Watch is the DDJOY band. It is compatible with the Apple Watch 42mm series 3,2,1, and Apple Watches 44mm series 5,4 and the small size. The DDJOY band is a unisex sport loop ankle band that you can wear on your ankle and wrist. The DDJOY can fit an ankle circumference of 7.5 to 12.5 inches.

The DDJOY ankle band [on Amazon] is made with a soft, lightweight, breathable material with a hook-and-loop fastener making it easy to adjust. You can find this product on Amazon for about $30, and it comes only in one color, black.

Apple also sells a variety of sport and leather loops in different colors, ranging from around $50 to $100.

Will the Apple Watch Work the Same on Your Ankle?

As mentioned earlier, the Apple Watch is calibrated for the wrist. It will work on your ankle, but it will not track your vitals the same compared to when you wear it on your wrist. However, you can set it up as usual and carry on with your training.

Note that the fitness capabilities of your Apple Watch are made possible by several sensors and an accelerometer that measures your movement. The sensors are in the back of your watch, so it must be in contact with your skin.

Apple recommends the top of your wrist as the best position for your smartwatch. However, there is no reason why your Apple Watch shouldn’t work on any other part of your body as long as it fits perfectly on your skin.

Does the Step Counter Work if Apple Watch is Worn on Your Ankle?

When you are using the workout or health app on your Apple Watch, it will measure your steps accordingly. As, your arm motion is related to your stride length depending on speed.

When your GPS has no signal, or you’re not working out, your Apple Watch will estimate the number of steps you have taken using the accelerometer. The accelerometer is responsible for tracking your daily activities, including arm motion.

You can wear your Apple Watch on your ankle, and it will still give you information about your number of steps. To improve the accuracy of your device, you need to calibrate the estimations on your Activity and Workout App.

Doing so helps your Apple Watch know how your arm movements relate to your stride lengths when walking, running, or other physical activity.

Where Else Can You Wear an Apple Watch?

What if the standard approach is not the most comfortable for you? Besides the wrist and ankle, some people wear their Apple Watch on the upper arm. Again, this is possible if you own a loop band because the straps are adjustable and can fit wide circumferences.

You can also wear your Apple Watch on your right or left wrist, and it will be accurate on both sides. The conventional way to wear a watch might not be the best option, even on your wrist. Here are a few more ways you can wear your Apple Watch on your wrist:

1. Upside down – If it feels unnatural scrolling with your index finger, changing the Digital Crown to face your elbow instead of your hand might fix the problem.
2. Underhanded – Underhanded means on the inside of your wrist. You are probably used to wearing your watch like this, so it feels normal. You might also want to protect the screen from scratches.
3. With reversed bands – An Apple Watch sports band has a long strap and a short one. If it serves you better, you can switch the bands so it can be easier to adjust to the desired sizing hole.

Conclusion: Can You Wear Apple Watch on Your Ankle?

The bottom line is that your Apple Watch will work regardless of where you wear it on your body. Popular locations to wear an Apple Watch include:

1. Wrist
2. Wrist (upside down)
3. Wrist (underhanded)
4. Ankle
5. Upper arm

You should expect tracking results to vary because this watch was designed for the wrist, and changing the position will affect accuracy.