Cardio Fitness doesn't have Apple Watch as a data source

Due to an injury and subsequent surgery I do in fact have to get most of my workouts indoors right now. My walks are abbreviated for the time being. I’m sure there are many others who, for any number of reasons, are not getting their exercise from an outdoor walk or run. This should be obvious. I wonder how an indoor treadmill workout is recorded.

I am sorry for your injury but in reality cardio fitness is just an unreliable estimate which may be interesting but certainly not required in any sense that I understand. You will have access to so many other health metrics that not having Cardio fitness data is just not that big a deal. If for some reason you really feel you need this estimate you can always buy a relatively cheap Polar heart strap and use their fitness test to get the same information

I really hope that’s what it is, and if that’s the case, Apple should explain that in the instructions. None of their instructions and articles (that I’ve read) explain that it takes a few days to start working. Thanks tho 👍🏼

Generally speaking this issue appears to impact new Apple Watch 6 users who bought their watch after the latest update. People who used the watch before then understand that cardio fitness/VO2 Max does not necessarily show up immediately. These new users may also not be aware that there has been a change in the algorithm used to calculate the data. Part of the confusion may stem from the fact that the older algorithm required a certain intense activity whereas the new one just requires that you move around. Hence, it may have been easy to understand with the older algorithm that something more was required than just putting on the watch.

Anyway, let us know if it show up soon. If not, there may be other things that need to be checked.

I have an Apple Watch 5 with phone se 2020 and have done multiple outdoor walks over 20 min and can see that it tracked my route and all the settings ive read here seem to be correct and still no data source. So frustrating

yes but apparently it doesn't work. For me, the watch data source only appeared after checking and setting as I described it. When I train indoors, no cardio data is recorded. When I am walking or running outdoors, data is recorded. Perhaps the implementation didn't work out as promised and described.

Indoors versus outdoors is not the point but rather not being required to “exercise” is. Their statement is talking about “walking throughout the day.” I think it’s pretty clear that the meaning of “walking” would mean outside since most people don’t walk all that much inside. In any event, they clearly say that no high intensity exercise is required anymore..

Actually the link doesn't say anything about "run all day" it says "walk throughout the day":

"With watchOS 7, Apple Watch uses multiple sensors to estimate an expanded range of cardio fitness as users walk throughout the day, whether or not they are tracking a workout."

But anyway, nobody was claiming that you get cardio fitness measurements from indoor activity. What was being claimed is that you need to do "workouts" of a certain intensity which contradicts what Apple is saying

Thank you for sharing it with us, Osugrad85! I have also done everything that has been suggested here, but so far I couldn’t have Cardio Fitness data generated after several outdoor workouts using my Apple Watch series 5.

Where actually do you be expect to be informed of every aspect of how the watch works because they do pretty much say something like that in a support document. ? Also, I've been saying exactly that in multiple replies on this thread and nobody seems to have believed me anyway.

Yes, I guess a little guidance is too much to ask when when you are only paying over $600 for a device, right? — Why do people have to dig up the answers by going to going to random forums? The truth is, sgmerley, the information is not readily available and Apple could do a lot better for its loyal customers, by providing a little instruction.

First of all I really have to laugh when you complain about spending "over $600" on a device. I bought my first computer in 1985 for about $5000 which according to inflation calculators is about $13, 000 today. Looking at it that way, Apple is almost giving away computers. One of the many many ways they have brought down the cost is by not printing the giant manuals that used to come with computers and software and which nobody read anyway (I did :-) Today's computers and software are so simple that there really is very little need for such documentation and almost anything you do need can be found online. True, apple didn't put out something specifically on this aspect of the feature but is that really so surprising given the zillions of features that are documented?. Also, most people who have had Apple watches before understood that it takes time for VO2max readings to show up so this is an issue that impacts mostly new users.

I don't think Apple is a perfect company but its products are so far superior to the competition that I find it a bit much to excoriate them for this one thing no matter how much you are annoyed by it. As I said, if you had read the forum, I pointed out this time delay many times and that is what such forms are forums are for (free by the way).

((By the way I should add that my 1985 computer had a 20 MB hard drive and as I recall something like 600 kB of RAM. So for 5% of the real cost of a 1985 computer you are getting a super computer on your wrist that nobody could dream about 35 years ago.)

Apple has specifically said that you don't need to track any kind of workout in order to get readings and that they should come by just walking throughout the day. I seem to remember that my first one showed up without any kind of work out tracked. In any event, I assume they are relying on pace for the calculation and how would they get that indoors?

Have a watch 6 and 12 pro phone each with the updates that came out this past week. Today on the watch Workouts I did an outdoor walk for over two miles and watch is still not showing as a data source under Cardio Fitness & Cardio Fitness Notifications in the Health App. I went way beyond the 20 minutes that someone in this thread suggested as a possible fix to get the watch to be recognized. Is this a glitch or are we all missing some hidden setting?

So in this continuing saga of certain heart fitness / notifications / etc not showing up in the Health App it makes some sense that for certain of the fields the watch / health app needs time to compile a sort of profile or base line before populating the various fields. What makes absolutely no sense is the app not recognizing the watch as the source. Has Apple jumped in anywhere in this thread to help clear up the mystery?