Samsung's Galaxy Ring can now screen for sleep apnea, which Samsung calls a smart-ring first

The skim

• Samsung's upgraded Sleep Apnea feature is now rolling out to the Galaxy Ring and to the Galaxy Watch9 on Wear OS 7.0 or later. Samsung says that makes it the first company to offer sleep apnea risk detection on a smart ring.
• The upgrade, cleared by the U.S. FDA in July, goes beyond a yes-or-no risk flag: it now shows the level of breathing disruptions it detected while you slept.
• You need two nights of data within a 10-day window, a Galaxy phone and the Samsung Health Monitor app. Galaxy Watch7 and Watch8 owners have to wait for a future update.

What happened

Samsung announced on Nov. 3 that its updated Sleep Apnea feature is now available on Galaxy Watch and Galaxy Ring. The new version received U.S. Food and Drug Administration clearance in July 2026 and approval from South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in October.

The feature lives in the Samsung Health Monitor app. Samsung says the "enhanced algorithm analyzes a user's vitals during sleep in greater depth and now provides insight into the level of breathing disruptions detected." The original version only told you whether it had spotted signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea.

The bigger news is the ring. Samsung said at Galaxy Unpacked this summer that the feature was coming to the Galaxy Ring this fall, Android Central notes. Samsung now says it is "the first company in the world to bring sleep apnea risk detection to a smart ring."

Who gets it

• Galaxy Ring: available now.
• Galaxy Watch9: available now with Wear OS 7.0 or later.
• Galaxy Watch7 and Watch8: "through future software updates," Samsung says. It hasn't given a date. Samsung's U.S. support page says the software update reaches compatible devices during November 2026.
• Phone: a Galaxy phone running Android 12 or later.

It's an over-the-counter screening tool for adults 18 and older who haven't already been diagnosed with sleep apnea. It needs two nights of valid data within 10 days. Samsung's support page says each of those nights needs at least five hours of sleep. It doesn't replace a sleep study. Samsung says the feature is meant to help you "have more productive conversations with healthcare professionals."

Why it matters

A lab sleep study is a hassle to get, and plenty of people won't wear a bulky watch to bed. A ring is easier to sleep in, and that's exactly Samsung's pitch: it says the ring's "comfortable, lightweight design" encourages "consistent nightly wear." Samsung's original watch feature got the first FDA De Novo authorization of its kind for a wearable in February 2024. At Unpacked, Samsung called the Galaxy Ring the "first and only" smart ring to get the feature, according to Android Central, which makes it a real point of difference for a ring buyer. If you're shopping for a ring, our Oura vs RingConn vs Galaxy Ring comparison covers the rest of the field.

What to do

Update the Samsung Health Monitor app and your ring or watch software. Then open the app's Sleep apnea tab to start. We've put the full setup, fit tips and troubleshooting in How to set up sleep apnea detection on a Galaxy Watch or Galaxy Ring.

Sources: Samsung, Samsung U.S. Support, Android Central and The Verge.