Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

VO2 Max stopped recording nearly two weeks ago

P

PatrickNSF

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jan 24, 2011
781
471
My VO2 Max stopped recording nearly two weeks ago (on Sept 10) with my AW Series 4. I run and walk outdoors most days.

I added a Series 6 on Friday and have run three times outdoors with it and still have no new VO2 Max readings. I unpaired and repair the S6 yesterday (and set it up as new) but that doesn't appear to have helped.

Any other suggestions?
 
  • Like
Reactions: lenos
I had the same problem with my AW 4, it stopped recording in June but two days ago it suddenly started recording VO2 Max again, just a few days after installing watchOS 7. I have no idea what changed.
 
How do you get this reading? Just got the series 6 and have done a few hikes/bike rides and don’t see it.
 
I gave up on apple's vo2 max a while ago, deleted all of the data last month and hoped that would in some way help fix it.
 
Mine also stopped working when I added AW 6 on Friday. Tried everything but no joy.
 
I had this issue on my AW5, WatchOS 7. I had to re-pair the watch with phone (I set up as new) a couple of time, and on the second re-pair, VO2 max is syncing reliably again.
 
I have had this issue since August 13 on my Series 3. On that day I accidentally sent a run from a third party app to health so it was doubled. Then deleted both for some reason (oops). Have unpaired and paired as new multiple times with no success. Did all intermediary steps including resetting fitness calibration. I recently shut off the health data backup, erased my phone, and set up as new with iOS 14 starting from scratch with health data. Then I paired my watch installing no apps and had the same issue. I have a Series 6 shipping soon so I’ll be curious if that fixes it although I’m not confident. Don’t want to report anything to apple and hurt my trade in value lol.

*edit- just noticed now that my health app is all cleaned up my watch isn’t listed under “Data Sources & Access” for V02 Max. Nothing is listed. Probably some super specific bug although I wonder what other settings could be coming over from a standard iCloud sync (not a backup). Next step would be erasing everything and creating another Apple ID just to see what happens I guess.
 
Last edited:
Niche issue obviously. I believe I’ve figured it out. New Series 6 did not resolve the issue.

In my case this seems to be a bug with using Bluetooth HR monitors. If I use the watch’s built in HR monitor I get V02 max readings. I submitted it to Apple via the feedback app with all my diagnostic data.
 
This is fixed in iOS 14.2/Watch OS 7.2 just in case anybody goes searching and finds this thread.
 
sixtydashone said:
I wish I could get a reading while cycling. I don't run, and I rarely go for walks lately, but I do cycle multiple times per day.
Click to expand...
+1
I do not understand why Apple is limiting it to outdoor run/walk/hike ... after all nothing changes with regards to the watch (position on the wrist etc) whatever workout you're doing ...
 
  • Like
Reactions: sixtydashone
tugger80 said:
Same set of issues on IOS 14.3 and Watch OS 7.2 no fix yet
Click to expand...
Do you use an external HR monitor? That is what it turned out my issue was related to. If I used the watch HR monitor I would get readings if I used my Bluetooth chest strap I would not. That specific but was resolved in 14.3/7.2 for me.
 
I am having the same issue here. Just got a Series 6 watch to replace a Series 4 watch. The last VO2Max reading was Dec 3 with the Series 4 watch as I did not get the new one until Dec 14. I started thinking about the Bluetooth issue. I have a Wahoo Kickr bike trainer that connects via bluetooth. I use that app for outside bike rides and walks from time to time, though no mobile sensor. I also have the Wahoo app sharing data with apps like MapMyRun and Fitness Pal. Might the problem be a function of sharing since WatchOS 7.1 or 7.2? BTW, I tried to reset the fitness calibration but I don't see my AppleWatch Series 6 as a device contributing to Cardiofitness Notifications. Really screwy. Any other break throughs that anyone has found?
 
Selldit said:
Do you use an external HR monitor? That is what it turned out my issue was related to. If I used the watch HR monitor I would get readings if I used my Bluetooth chest strap I would not. That specific but was resolved in 14.3/7.2 for me.
Click to expand...
I do not use an external monitor. I have taken all the remedial steps suggested by all of the contributors to no avail. The bloody thing simply does not work as advertised, Time for a fitbit, BTW I use a generation 1 iPhone SE, Apple watch 6 all at the current software levels. My wife has an iPhone SE gen 2 and an Apple watch 6 all at current software levels and has the same issues. We are configured differently. I develop Apple apps so technology is not a problem.
 
Last edited:
Selldit said:
Do you use an external HR monitor? That is what it turned out my issue was related to. If I used the watch HR monitor I would get readings if I used my Bluetooth chest strap I would not. That specific but was resolved in 14.3/7.2 for me.
Click to expand...
Hmmm maybe that's why I haven't been getting VO2 Max readings. I always use a chest strap monitor along with my watch. I'll have to give this a try now.
 
jz0309 said:
+1
I do not understand why Apple is limiting it to outdoor run/walk/hike ... after all nothing changes with regards to the watch (position on the wrist etc)
Click to expand...
tugger80 said:
I do not use an external monitor. I have taken all the remedial steps suggested by all of the contributors to no avail. The bloody thing simply does not work as advertised, Time for a fitbit, BTW I use a generation 1 iPhone SE, Apple watch 6 all at the current software levels. My wife has an iPhone SE gen 2 and an Apple watch 6 all at current software levels and has the same issues. We are configured differently. I develop Apple apps so technology is not a problem.
Click to expand...
Sorry to hear that. That sucks. I believe the calculation for V02 max happens on the watch itself. They’d probably do a one time replacement for you.

I reported this through the phone feedback app with my logs a while back. If you develop apps this is definitely more your area of expertise than mine but you’d probably get some mileage reporting it as a bug since they’re pushing the feature heavily with this watch and OS.
 
I am running with a heart rate monitor and had no VO2max updates since beginning of October. Not quite sure what happened then, but I suspect this is the date where I paired my watch again (due to the GPS issues recording a track).
Nevertheless, I "fixed" the issue by switching off Bluetooth on my iPhone (through settings, not control center) before I went for a run. Since then I get daily VO2max calculations.

Concerning VO2max and cycling: not many hopes as other sport watches behave the same. You need a power meter to have a good basis for calculation, cycling speed is not sufficient as a metric. Imagine riding downhill for one hour with very low heart rate readings, this would produce a very high VO2max when only heart rate and speed are being taken into account. Putting in elevation gains/losses into the equation would be possible but makes things a lot more complicated.
 
I've come to the conclusion that it is best to ignore VO2max for now. Randomly, it stopped working, then started again a couple of weeks later and it seemed to work fine and the average reading was 48, a couple of days ago it dropped to 34 without any change in my workout routine and is stuck there.
 
  • Like
Reactions: burgman
I have not had a chance to perform a vigorous workout but I did log an outdoor walk while we walked around town running errands today. Not sure I did anything to provoke a VO2Max reading but I see nothing in the Health App.
 
It took me 2-3 outdoor walk/run before vo2 max was logged. And another 3-4 before it seems to register something stable.

The first 3-4 readings were very jumpy; specifically measuring much lower on outdoor walks. Not sure if apple expected this to be the brisk walk type of workout...or if any walking is considered a ‘workout’. Probably the former.
 
I decided to give Apple Support a try. I got to a senior advisor who was in touch with Apple engineers. I agreed to add some profiles to my phone and watch. I took a walk outside and VO2 Max worked this time. I chose Outdoor Walk as the setting. According to Apple, the only workouts that record VO2 Max are Outdoor Walk, Outdoor Run, and Hike. Not sure what level of vigor or briskness is necessary. To my surprise, it worked. The only adjustment I made was resetting calibration data. Not sure whether it's accurate, but at least my Series 6 watch registered something.
 
  • Like
Reactions: deedles
dmfresco said:
I decided to give Apple Support a try. I got to a senior advisor who was in touch with Apple engineers. I agreed to add some profiles to my phone and watch. I took a walk outside and VO2 Max worked this time. I chose Outdoor Walk as the setting. According to Apple, the only workouts that record VO2 Max are Outdoor Walk, Outdoor Run, and Hike. Not sure what level of vigor or briskness is necessary. To my surprise, it worked. The only adjustment I made was resetting calibration data. Not sure whether it's accurate, but at least my Series 6 watch registered something.
Click to expand...
Which profile you added to phone and watch, I also have the same problem, tried everything but no luck.
 
dmfresco said:
I decided to give Apple Support a try. I got to a senior advisor who was in touch with Apple engineers. I agreed to add some profiles to my phone and watch. I took a walk outside and VO2 Max worked this time. I chose Outdoor Walk as the setting. According to Apple, the only workouts that record VO2 Max are Outdoor Walk, Outdoor Run, and Hike. Not sure what level of vigor or briskness is necessary. To my surprise, it worked. The only adjustment I made was resetting calibration data. Not sure whether it's accurate, but at least my Series 6 watch registered something.
Click to expand...
thanks, worked for me!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back