iPhone “Health” app and Apple Watch

[BS1981]

Hi all,

Brand new to forum and brand new to Apple Watch!

I’ve just taken my Apple Watch out of its packaging and have been playing with it the last hour or two.

I was using my iPhone to measure my activity such as steps walked per day/week/month etc…

I love the Apple “Health” app on the iPhone, is the app available for the Watch as well or does the Watch just send all the info back to the “Health” app in the iPhone?

Also, does the Apple Watch count and display steps taken?

If I’m walking with my phone and don’t have my watch on (or vice versa) does the data from both devices sync with each other?

Basically I’ve set myself ambitious targets for walking on a daily basis and I want to try and ensure I’m reaching these targets.

Apologies for what are probably very basis questions but if there is somewhere I can read up further myself on these queries I’d be happy to.

 

[bricktop_at]

I love the Apple “Health” app on the iPhone, is the app available for the Watch as well or does the Watch just send all the info back to the “Health” app in the iPhone?

It gets sent to the Health App on the phone.

Also, does the Apple Watch count and display steps taken?

Yes

If I’m walking with my phone and don’t have my watch on (or vice versa) does the data from both devices sync with each other?

Yep, syncs in both directions

 

[BS1981]

It gets sent to the Health App on the phone.


Yes


Yep, syncs in both directions

My iPhone 12 Pro Max and Apple Watch don’t seem to be syncing completely accurately. I’ve noticed a difference in the amount of steps each device counts and although the numbers are close, they’re not the same.
There was a difference of about 500 steps at the end of yesterday and today both devices are showing different amounts.

is there any way to sort this?

 

[bricktop_at]

My iPhone 12 Pro Max and Apple Watch don’t seem to be syncing completely accurately. I’ve noticed a difference in the amount of steps each device counts and although the numbers are close, they’re not the same.
There was a difference of about 500 steps at the end of yesterday and today both devices are showing different amounts.

is there any way to sort this?

Both devices record the steps in parallel, I trust the watch more, so I have put the watch at the first spot in my list of step sources. That way the summary shows the steps calculated by the watch and only adds the steps from the phone when the watch didn‘t record any.

 

[BS1981]

Any idea why the Watch and the Health App on the iPhone are showing different amounts?

Is there anything I can do about it to make them sync properly?

 

[BenAigen]

Have you done this??

 

[BS1981]

Have you done this??

View attachment 1792691

No, thanks for sharing, really appreciate that. Will try that tomorrow.

Will be very interested in the outcome of this. There are two walks that I do, one short one that is 6.2km and one that is 22.3km. Using my phone and Strava and MapMyRun that’s the distances that have come up for those walks. With Apple Watch the short one measures 6km exactly and the long one measured 21.7km (only do it once a week) so I’ll be interested in that outcome!

 

[Itinj24]

If you’re interested, there’s an app called Health View that syncs with and mimics the Apple Health app. Has a very nice easy to read watch app that allows you to pick what metrics you want to see and complication support. The iPhone home screen widget is also a nice added bonus of the app.

Not affiliated with the company. Just a satisfied customer.

 

[Apple_Robert]

This app is excellent as well and the developer is a member here.

‎wHealth Dashboard

‎Looking to get the most out of your health data? wHealth is built just for that. Track over 100 pieces of health data, with clear, concise graphs, trends, goals, progress and statistics, so you'll always know exactly where you stand. The app works completely independently on your iPhone...

apps.apple.com

 

[BS1981]

Thanks guys, I really like the look of that app and will give it a go.

I’m still confused though as to why my Apple Watch and iPhone are showing different values for the amount of steps I’ve taken today. Whilst only a small difference I would have thought that because they sync the numbers would be the exact same.

On Saturday the difference was approx 500 steps between both readings so that’s a significant enough difference.

 

[wHD]

Thanks guys, I really like the look of that app and will give it a go.

I’m still confused though as to why my Apple Watch and iPhone are showing different values for the amount of steps I’ve taken today. Whilst only a small difference I would have thought that because they sync the numbers would be the exact same.

On Saturday the difference was approx 500 steps between both readings so that’s a significant enough difference.

It’s indeed weird that the step count displayed in the Apple Watch is regularly different than the one in the iPhone Health app. Especially when the Fitness app on iPhone displays the same amount as the watch.
I’ve also noticed regularly the same weirdness for the burned calories, which can be different in the Activity Move and in the Active Energy metric (see attached 605 vs 595)