To me, hand washing is not working very well. For one thing, it doesn’t always start. But more annoyingly, it seems to not count down consistently. Every second seems to take several seconds to count, and often it’s just stuck. I would say I have to wash hands for a minute for it to count 20 seconds.

I think it’s because of a paternalistic attitude from Apple. The simple implementation would be that when the watch detects hand washing, it starts a 20 second timer. Instead, from the description on Apple’s website, it seems to really want to check continuous hand washing. What’s the point? Only so that Apple can say: “you’re bad, you did not wash your hands for 20 seconds.” I don’t need that. I just need a 20 second timer that starts automatically.

Works perfectly for me every time. About the only thing of Apples that does (for me). The only slight issue is I don’t always get the audible feedback after 20 seconds, but do get the haptic and display feedback.

StumpyBloke said:

Works perfectly for me every time. About the only thing of Apples that does (for me). The only slight issue is I don’t always get the audible feedback after 20 seconds, but do get the haptic and display feedback.

Perhaps I move my hands the wrong way when I wash hands!

watchOS 7.1 handwashing worked perfectly for me. Since upgrading to watchOS 7.2 over the Christmas weekend, handwashing feedback/haptic/sounds have become unreliable, often not working and the handwashing app is overall crappy now. If you wear long sleeves in Winter, like I do, you may as well not even have handwashing enabled. I don't know when it starts and it is very rare to hear any sound or feel haptic feedback when timer finishes counting down. watchOS 7.1 sounded a chime followed by another different chime one second later, when timer was finished. Now I'm back to singing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" in my head again to mark the 20 seconds. If I could downgrade back to 7.1, I'd do it in a heartbeat. No real reason why I bothered to upgrade in the first place. Upgrade regret is the worst.

UPDATE: I submitted a Feedback Report with Apple Watch describing change in behavior between watchOS 7.1 and 7.2. Hoping it helps.

ahostmadsen said:

To me, hand washing is not working very well. For one thing, it doesn’t always start. But more annoyingly, it seems to not count down consistently. Every second seems to take several seconds to count, and often it’s just stuck. I would say I have to wash hands for a minute for it to count 20 seconds.

I think it’s because of a paternalistic attitude from Apple. The simple implementation would be that when the watch detects hand washing, it starts a 20 second timer. Instead, from the description on Apple’s website, it seems to really want to check continuous hand washing. What’s the point? Only so that Apple can say: “you’re bad, you did not wash your hands for 20 seconds.” I don’t need that. I just need a 20 second timer that starts automatically.

Click to expand...

They want to make sure that you really wash your hands AT LEAST 20 seconds. So only the combination of the right sounds and the right hand movements makes the timer go down. Just as you said. But this has been the case for me ever since the functionality was implemented. I still use it, but I would also prefer at least the option to set up the automatic start of a "dumb" timer that just counts down from 20 to 0.
Of course, I would still keep washing my hands for the full 20 seconds, who are you cheating?

Coltaine said:

They want to make sure that you really wash your hands AT LEAST 20 seconds. So only the combination of the right sounds and the right hand movements makes the timer go down. Just as you said. But this has been the case for me ever since the functionality was implemented. I still use it, but I would also prefer at least the option to set up the automatic start of a "dumb" timer that just counts down from 20 to 0.
Of course, I would still keep washing my hands for the full 20 seconds, who are you cheating?

Exactly, that’s what I mean by paternalistic attitude. I don’t need Apple to stand like a teacher and checking over my shoulder if I’m properly washing my hands. Just start a 20s timer when hand washing is detected. That would be practical.

Since upgrading to 7.2, every morning when I pour my breakfast cereal into my bowl, my watch thinks I am washing my hands.... Every morning.

For me it's intermittent at best. Sometimes I get a pat on my head for washing my hands when I'm actually washing a few dishes. And at times I'll be washing my hands and my AW5 ignores it. It's not something I rely on.

StumpyBloke said:

Works perfectly for me every time. About the only thing of Apples that does (for me). The only slight issue is I don’t always get the audible feedback after 20 seconds, but do get the haptic and display feedback.

They changed the audible feedback slightly in some recent update. I kinda liked how it made a sound to let me know its started counting and ended. I think its reduced to a mini audible feedback and haptics.

It was never reliable to me so I turned it off. I can count in my head.