Apple Fitness+ disconnecting from device

Tried something different this evening, I started the workout in the Fitness app on my iPhone 12 Pro, then AirPlay'd it to the Apple TV. The watch stayed connected to the app, and I was able to finish my workout for the first time, and it continuously updated properly on the TV screen. And when the workout ended, and I closed it on the phone, the TV app stayed onscreen. It's as if the phone was an intermediary or router between the watch and the TV app. Whatever it is, it worked.

Definitely NOT an Airpods issue. I've never used Airpods while using Apple Fitness+ on my ATV4K, and get the disconnect every single time, unless I launch the workout from the iPhone first and then cast it to the ATV4K.

There’s no real fix that I’ve seen. I believe it is a bug that Apple has to fix with the watch since it is definitely not just an issue with the AirPods or AppleTv. However, I’ve been able to successfully run through a workout by turning Bluetooth off on my phone or iPad settings (in your case, phone.) When you go to start the workout, the device can’t find your watch and gives you the option to tap “Work Out Without Watch.” If you tap, it will not display your heart rate or burn bar on the screen, and you can’t pause and play with your watch, but the workout video will play with no risk of a disconnection error. You can set a workout on your watch independently (as you would without using AppleFitness) and the movement will still be counted towards your rings goal.

Hope this helps and that they fix it soon.

Yes, this is consistent with a lot of people, but not everyone. For me, I only have the disconnect happen when I am using Apple TV to view the workout with audio through AirPods. When I use TV speakers, it is fine. I do this everyday and have no issues. I have yet to complete a workout over 10 minutes long when using AirPods. That said, there are people on this thread that have the disconnect and are not using AirPods or presumably any bluetooth devices. Someone mentioned disconnecting Apple TV remote and it was working, so there might be something to the number of bluetooth devices connected that is causing the disconnect. From the posts on this issue, there might be multiple things causing it, which might make it for difficult for Apple to fix. I can't believe they didn't experience this when testing, but they promised to deliver Fitness+ by end of 2020.

This was happening to me but only when I connected the Apple TV to my AirPods. Halfway through every workout I'd get the disconnection error. This week I updated the Apple TV to 14.5 and my watch to 7.4. I've only done one workout (30 min) after those updates but it worked fine. Hopefully this is the fix.

I have faced the same issue with Apple TV and Apple Watch. The ONLY resolution I have found is when I disable my iPhones Bluetooth. When I do this…it works fine. Apple needs to focus on the face that multiple Bluetooth devices in the loop causes the issue…this this is where the solution in all likelihood lies…

All devices have the latest IOS updates at all times when using Apple Fitness+

This is happening to my watch and phone every time I attempt to work our using Apple Fitness+. I have disconnected and reconnected Bluetooth and have restarted both watch and phone multiple times. Also happens whether I use my AirPods or not. It is clearly a bug that needs to be fixed. The only workaround I’ve discovered is to choose to work out without my watch and manually choose the corresponding workout in my watch and track activity separately.

I have found that either leaving my iPhone at the other end of the house (well out of Bluetooth range from the area I work out with AppleTV), or turning the iPhone off altogether, has mitigated the random device disconnects during Fitness + sessions. I don't use AirPods during my sessions, but do use the AppleTV remote.

Keep in mind just "turning off Bluetooth" via the control center on your iPhone doesn't turn off the Bluetooth radio on the phone. It still allows the watch to stay connected to your phone via Bluetooth. That's why I just have been turning the whole phone off during my workouts. Alternatively, turning Bluetooth off in the iOS Settings app should work.

Hope Apple gets it fixed soon.

dhruvb14, it's good of you to post that. Hopefully Apple is paying attention. If you're looking for a workaround, this has been working for flawlessly for me on my older Apple TV HD (probably 20 workouts now):

1. I don't change any settings on my phone, bluetooth remains on.
2. Just before the workout I connect my AirPods to the AppleTV: Settings -> Remotes and Devices -> Bluetooth -> My AirPods -> Connect Device
3. Then, from the Fitness app on the phone, I select the workout, AirPlay it to the AppleTV, and go.

I've had zero issues with this approach. I hope it helps you and others.

I did call Apple support. Had an engineer call me back. He said Apple is well aware of this and trying to get it fixed in the dot release. He said since Fitness is a new feature for them, it’s getting high priority. Cross our fingers.

BTW, I can continue to complete workouts as long as I don’t use my airpods.

@vicentefromaustin, I agree 100% and Apple needs to fix this. With that said, if you're still at all interested in staying with the service, this has been working for me (and I think others), flawlessly:

1. I don't change any settings on my phone, bluetooth remains on.
2. Just before the workout I connect my AirPods to the AppleTV: Settings -> Remotes and Devices -> Bluetooth -> My AirPods -> Connect Device
3. Then, from the Fitness app on the phone, I select the workout, AirPlay it to the AppleTV, and go.

I hope it helps.

@riche348 I agree 100% and Apple needs to fix this. With that said, if you're still at all interested in staying with the service, this has been working for me (and I think others), flawlessly:

1. I don't change any settings on my phone, bluetooth remains on.
2. Just before the workout I connect my AirPods to the AppleTV: Settings -> Remotes and Devices -> Bluetooth -> My AirPods -> Connect Device
3. Then, from the Fitness app on the phone, I select the workout, AirPlay it to the AppleTV, and go.

I hope it helps.

I have been able to replicate this pretty easily and it happens every time.

Apple Tv 4th Gen (Hd)

Apple Watch 6

AirPods Pro

Before this process started, my AirPods were in my ears listening to music from my iPhone.

• open fitness app
• connect Apple Watch
• find workout
• start workout
• slide up on trackpad and switch to “audio” section and select AirPods
• Music stops from iPhone and hear connection sound in AirPods when connecting to Apple TV.
• Wait 4-5 seconds, Apple Watch stats start erroring (time no longer increment if)
• Apple TV heart rate stops updating along with time into workout stops incrementing
• Wait 2-3 minutes and get “disconnected” message.

I had same issue with my Apple TV. Done a dozen workouts on my iPad Pro with my AirPods Pro and Apple Watch 5 with absolutely no issues. Tonight setup a TV with ATV 4 HD and the stats kept freezing. Solution for me was to pause my watch and using remote pause the ATV. Wait a couple seconds and then unpause using my watch, the tv started again and everything went back to normal. Happen 3 times in a 30min workout.