Several Samsung Galaxy Watch owners report alarming burn-like wrist marks

Samsung’s Galaxy watches have had their fair share of controversy. The recent Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 face slow charging due to thermal throttling, to the point where users have resorted to DIY charging fans to get the fastest charging speed. But we’ve now spotted a more concerning pattern: several users have come forward to share alarming photos of circular, red marks on their wrists, often accusing their Galaxy watches of overheating and burning them.

Reddit user ksima_03 complained that their Galaxy Watch 5 Pro burned them. The user routinely wears the watch to bed with a full charge, but this time they report waking to a dead watch that wouldn’t turn on and a rather nasty, burn-like mark on their wrist.

This isn’t the first time someone has complained about a Galaxy Watch variant overheating and causing a “burn.” We could locate several older threads across Reddit, Facebook, and Samsung Community Forums covering the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, Galaxy Watch 7, Galaxy Watch 8, a couple of Galaxy Watch Ultra models, and the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2.

Across these reports, users are showing circular, red, burn-like patches on their wrists directly beneath the watch’s sensor array. Many naturally assume that the BioActive sensor LEDs, the battery, or the heat from the watch are scalding their skin overnight. There’s a fair chance that some of these users may have mistaken contact dermatitis for a burn, especially since moisture, friction, and hygiene are major variables. However, some of these could also be burns, especially if there is fluid-filled blistering that doesn’t match the typical symptoms of a rash.

The exact cause of these alleged burns is unknown. Still, one common point across the threads suggests there may be rogue background processing generating a lot of heat in a very localized spot — which would explain the drained battery and the burn-like symptoms. Most devices, including smartwatches, have safeguards in place and typically throttle or shut down once heat exceeds certain thresholds, but based on the multitude of reports so far, there does seem to be something amiss here.

Samsung has yet to officially acknowledge any overheating defect that could cause burns across its Galaxy Watch lineup. In customer service interactions, the company typically directs users to safety guidelines on strap tightness and cleaning procedures, while offering device inspections for units suspected of malfunctioning. If you experience burning sensations or notice sudden blisters under your smartwatch, remove the device immediately and contact Samsung support for evaluation.

We’ve reached out to Samsung for a statement, and we’ll update this article when we learn more.