Does anyone else have trouble getting VO2 Max readings? I run 10 miles a day 7 days a week, and I used to get VO2 Max readings daily. In the last six months, I’ve only had 2 readings. And when I run, I push myself as hard as I can (heart rate goes from resting rate of 45 up to an avg of 140 and max of 200 on my runs).
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Can’t get VO2 Max readings
- Thread starter ronm99
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I think there was a certain aspect of VO2 reading that Apple said was coming later this year. I would have to watch presentation again to state with my clarity.
VO2 calculations have been part of the watch and OS since series 3 at least if not longer.
I don’t know what’s going on with the VO2 Max synchronization.
After I set up my new Apple Watch 6, I got no readings on the first two runs that I did, and then I went for a walk and got a successful VO2 Max reading. I think it could’ve been one of two things. First, the watch might take a few workouts to gather the data to calibrate and calculate VO2 max. Another difference is that I went for the walk with my phone, but I didn’t have my phone (watch only) on the runs. Maybe you need your phone with your watch for the first VO2 synchronization? I know that this is not a steady condition, as I run all the time without the watch and have gotten many VO2 readings in the past.
After I set up my new Apple Watch 6, I got no readings on the first two runs that I did, and then I went for a walk and got a successful VO2 Max reading. I think it could’ve been one of two things. First, the watch might take a few workouts to gather the data to calibrate and calculate VO2 max. Another difference is that I went for the walk with my phone, but I didn’t have my phone (watch only) on the runs. Maybe you need your phone with your watch for the first VO2 synchronization? I know that this is not a steady condition, as I run all the time without the watch and have gotten many VO2 readings in the past.
Thanks for the info. Coming from Garmin if VO2 Max is not available that is a deal breaker.
However I also think Garmin takes a couple of runs to start showing it but may concern is the app directly says there is no device available for it. If all was good it should have a device available but without data yet.
You don’t need your phone during your run to log VO2 readings. Once your watch and phone are back together after a run or walk of 20 mins or more, the watch and phone will sync and the VO2 max reading should be available in the health app on the phone. You won’t see a VO2 max reading with just one run or walk. It takes several sessions.
This is interesting. I’m one of those awful people that runs with two watches (I know) a Garmin and Apple Watch.
Previously I always had readings from both, but for the first two runs and two hikes I’ve not had a reading from my new Series 6. I’ve not yet done an outdoor walk activity.
I also suspect that if you wear a Bluetooth chest strap, Apple won’t calculate VO2 Max — it has to use the optical sensor. I’d like to be proven wrong with that. My girlfriend always runs with a chest strap and hasn’t had any VO2 Max readings from runs the last 18 months.
I agree that Apple probably need more data to be able to calibrate the VO2 Max algorithm. What was strange though is that the girlfriend recently reset her fitness calibration data and got a VO2 Max reading on her first outdoor walk (but she may have been on watchOS 6 at this point).
Previously I always had readings from both, but for the first two runs and two hikes I’ve not had a reading from my new Series 6. I’ve not yet done an outdoor walk activity.
I also suspect that if you wear a Bluetooth chest strap, Apple won’t calculate VO2 Max — it has to use the optical sensor. I’d like to be proven wrong with that. My girlfriend always runs with a chest strap and hasn’t had any VO2 Max readings from runs the last 18 months.
I agree that Apple probably need more data to be able to calibrate the VO2 Max algorithm. What was strange though is that the girlfriend recently reset her fitness calibration data and got a VO2 Max reading on her first outdoor walk (but she may have been on watchOS 6 at this point).
Let’s be real though. Neither Apple nor Garmin’s reading is going to be totally accurate. So why is it a deal breaker? I’ve been running for nearly three decades, pretty successfully so, and have never factored a VO2 max reading into my workout, or anything beyond distance, time, and pace and calculating paces using a basic online calculator with my race times. Especially not before around 2009 when GPS watches really became readily available to the masses at a decent price.
During lockdown I was running more than I ever have before and in great shape - lost weight, nailing tough workouts, raced a local 5K in June (they had one with a rolling start) and had a really great result. My VO2 max reading was going down the entire time. It’s simply not reliable if you’re not in an exercise lab or something like that.
It’s neat, but a deal breaker? I think you’re overly invested in the wrong kinds of things
I agree both will be estimates but I find the trend useful and a good representation of my training and fitness.
I am evaluating the AW and while it has positive points I am surprised many thinks are not aligned with Apple branding or IT JUST WORKS; some examples:
- VO2 MAX not tracking
- sleep tracking - is not logging if there is now sleep schedule as during the weekend
- heart rate tracking - very surprised is not continuous which impacts resting states
- unlocking iMAC - did not work and suddenly started to work
I think you’d read too much into people‘s posts here. When someone has problems they will post but if they don’t they won’t so you can’t use posts as a reflections of watch problems. Personally I usually have like 1% of problems posting here. Very little.
Those are not things I read here but my own personal experience.
Maybe I have been unlucky and got most of the issues....
I got a S3 watch last year. I go for 4-5 km walk every day and got a VO2 Max reading from the Watch almost from the start. Then after an iOS update (further to the S5 watch becoming available), the VO2 Max logs stopped and it appeared that the S3 watch was no longer listed as a data source in the Health app.
Apple Support talked me thought all sorts of checks and reboots, unpairings and re-pairings, eventually refusing to acknowledge I *ever had* a VO2 MAx reading at all (after they had asked me to unpair and restart the Watch several times.) So no VO2 Max readings for about 9 months, despite no change in my exercise routine.
I got a Series 6 this week. So far, no VO2 Max reading and the Watch is not listed as data source in the Health app.
I used to check the VO2 Max logs as an additional measure of my fitness improvement and I was disappointed when they stopped.
I am still hoping that the new Watch will eventually kick in.
Apple Support talked me thought all sorts of checks and reboots, unpairings and re-pairings, eventually refusing to acknowledge I *ever had* a VO2 MAx reading at all (after they had asked me to unpair and restart the Watch several times.) So no VO2 Max readings for about 9 months, despite no change in my exercise routine.
I got a Series 6 this week. So far, no VO2 Max reading and the Watch is not listed as data source in the Health app.
I used to check the VO2 Max logs as an additional measure of my fitness improvement and I was disappointed when they stopped.
I am still hoping that the new Watch will eventually kick in.
Did you ever sort this out? I have a Series 4, and with watchOS 6 it recorded it pretty much with every outdoor walk. Since updating to 7 it just stopped recording, both before and after restoring twice to sort out the GPS issue. I'm not sure if I should waste any more time trying to unpair and re-pair once more...
No change at all.
I go for a 4-5km walk twice a day, mainly on stony country tracks, so heart rate is not consistent for long periods of time, but no VO2 reading at all for a year or so, no matter what I do.
It used to be recorded on the same outings when I first got my S3 last year, but not for a year now, not on the S3 nor on the S6.
I go for a 4-5km walk twice a day, mainly on stony country tracks, so heart rate is not consistent for long periods of time, but no VO2 reading at all for a year or so, no matter what I do.
It used to be recorded on the same outings when I first got my S3 last year, but not for a year now, not on the S3 nor on the S6.
Last edited:
Thanks, and what a bummer. I do wonder if it's an issue with the heart data though. I walk way less than you, but I used to get recordings when I walked my dog, even for short 20-30 minute walks. The first half is always less intense as it's downhill, then on the way back my heart rate goes up.
With watchOS 5 (the default version that came with Series 4) VO2 Max was spotty, then watchOS 6 was incredibly consistent as far as recording it went. It may not change much, but it was recorded virtually every single time I went out. Same watch, same routes, same everything... given the track record — pun intended — of the watchOS 7 update, I wonder if they just messed something up *also* with VO2 Max.
I even tried resetting my calibration data and going for a 20 minute walk in a flat area (pretty much drove there just for that!) but it didn't do absolutely nothing for me. I then went for dog-less walks uphill just to make sure it was "vigorous", and still nothing.
I just wish we could see that kind of data on the watch, to at least figure out if the issue is with recording it in the first place, or "just" transferring it to the phone. When the GPS bug hit me, the Watch was fine but the phone got broken data, so it was clear where the issue lay.
I don't personally care that much about it as I'm not an athlete, but it sort of bothers me that they showcase it as a metric on the Fitness app, and then the data there just dies off on September 15.
As far as I can remember, VO2 was being very consistently read on my S3 until watchOS 6 in Sept 2019. Then VO2 Max readings just stopped. Despite all attempts to recalibrate, unpair, re-pair, reset, from backup, as new... nothing has worked to re-establish the VO2 readings.
My usual walks are in woody areas, and include steep, uneven tracks. This was the case when I first got the S3 (and recorded VO2 readings) and this has not changed. Like you, I have gone on flat and open areas to recalibrate and maintain a more consistent heart rate over 20-30 minutes... No VO2.
My usual walks are in woody areas, and include steep, uneven tracks. This was the case when I first got the S3 (and recorded VO2 readings) and this has not changed. Like you, I have gone on flat and open areas to recalibrate and maintain a more consistent heart rate over 20-30 minutes... No VO2.
I’m in the same boat. When I look under data sources for VO2 Max, there is no sign of my Series 6 watch. Other metrics (heart rate, for example) have it listed. But for some reason the VO2 Max doesn’t recognize the Series 6. I’m going to try to recalibrate and see if that fixes it. But has to be a bug somewhere.
Brian
Brian