Cardio Fitness not working on my Apple Watch Series 6 (or on my previous Series 5)

Hi All. Apple called me today with an update, but it wasn’t actually an update. They told me that the engineers are still looking into this problem using the diagnostic information they obtained from me and they hope to have an answer soon. They also told me that there have been other users who have reported this same problem, so it isn’t just me. They assured me that everything I was doing to get this feature to work was correct (settings are correct, workouts meet the feature’s requirements, etc.) and acknowledged that the problem was on their end. The promised to call me back once they have an answer, but I plan to check in with them regularly if they haven’t already contacted me. I will post here once I actually get an answer to this problem.

I’m the original poster. In spite of making numerous recalibrations and subsequently structured 20 minute + outdoor walks and outdoor runs (on level surfaces at even pace), and making sure that all of the appropriate setting are set properly, and after trying ALL of the suggestions posted here (thanks everyone), and after working on several occasions with Apple Support (which acknowledged that there is a problem with this feature which causes some people to NOT get Cardio Fitness data), and after talking Apple Care into swapping my existing Series 6 watch for a new Series 6 watch at no expense to me, and after updating to the latest IOS for both the watch (7.4) and my iPhone 11 (14.5), I still am not getting any Cardio Fitness data (no data source showing for this feature). Knowing that others are experiencing the same unresolved issue and knowing that Apple Support has admitted that there is a known issue with this feature (that hopefully will be fixed in a future update), I am giving up on this feature ever working for me.

Bill636, I’ve been through the list with Apple Support a couple of times and I already had everything set properly, but (without going through this entire thread again) here’s what I remember:

1. Must be outdoor activity (I have used both Outdoor Walk and Outdoor Run using Apple Watch Workouts);
2. Phone Settings: Privacy, Motion & Fitness, Fitness Tracking “on” and Health “on”;
3. Phone Settings: Privacy, Location Services “on” and Apple Watch Workout “while using the app” and Precise Location “on”;
4. Phone Settings:: Privacy, System Services, Motion Calibration & Distance “on”;
5. Watch Settings: Privacy, Heart Rate “on” and Fitness Tracking “on”;
6. Watch Settings: Workout, Power Saving Mode “off”;

That’s all the relevant settings I can think of right now.

Plus, I have recalibrated fitness data numerous times over the past year and a half, always followed by at least two 20 minute + outdoor walks or runs that were done on flat terrain, non-stop, at a steady pace.

And, I have had three Apple Watches (one Series 5 and two Series 6) that were Reset (Erase Apple Watch Content and Settings) several times, and I have reset my iPhone 11 (erase all content and settings) several times too.

Still no Cardio Fitness data ever.

And, I worked with Apple Support on three occasions where they first went over the settings with me, then had me install diagnostic profiles on both the watch and phone, then had me log numerous 20 minute + outdoor walks and runs, then they retrieved the diagnostic information from my devices. I also sent them screen shots from the Apple Activity App that showed good HR and GPS data throughout the workouts and they confirmed that the data looked good. I haven’t heard anything more from them and don’t expect to. When I last spoke with them (2 months ago), they said this is a know issue that some users are experiencing and they were working on a solution.

But any suggestions you have that I haven’t mentioned here are more than welcome.

Hi All. Long story short ... no answers from Apple yet, but they are working on it and I will post here when I hear something.

If you want the long story, here it is:

I have been working with Apple Support to find a solution to this problem since Wednesday last week. First they reviewed my watch and phone settings and agreed that all were set properly and we discussed my workout history and they agreed that I SHOULD be seeing VO2Max/Cardio Fitness data.

Next they performed a remote diagnostic on both my Series 6 watch and my iPhone 11 and said that everything appeared to be working properly. So, they had me load some diagnostic profiles onto both my watch and phone and then asked me to perform two outdoor workouts of at least 20 minutes (I did an outdoor walk for 22 minutes, rested for 3 minutes, then did a separate outdoor run for 22 minutes). They then remotely downloaded the diagnostic reports and I provided them with some screenshots of the individual exercises from the Activity app (along with some additional screenshots of other similar exercises).

They contacted me on Friday and said that the engineers wanted more data. So, we again loaded more diagnostic profiles on my phone and watch and over the course of this past weekend I logged a total of six more workouts for them (outdoor walks and outdoor runs, each in excess of 20 minutes). On Monday they accessed the diagnostic data and I provided them with screenshots of each of those six workouts. I was told to expect an answer by today.

But, I just got off the phone with my Apple Support agent who stated that he had NOT yet heard back from the engineers. He is hopeful that he will hear from them within the next two days and will call me when he has news. Hopefully they find a cause and solution for this problem.

Matt_SG, glad it is working for you (still broken for me). FYI, my most recent efforts to resolve this through Apple Support were due to Apple Support reaching out to me as a result of their seeing this thread. The support person who contacted me said that due to Apple Stores (Genius Bars) being closed do to the pandemic they are not hearing about issues like this as much as they normally would. So I encourage anyone still having problems getting Cardio Fitness to work (still not working for me) to call Apple Support and initiate a case/trouble ticket with them. Hopefully if they get enough cases generated this matter will be elevated even further and finally resolved. When I spoke with them last I pointed out that Cardio Fitness is an “advertised feature” of the Apple Watch so they should be doing everything they can to make sure the feature actually works ... for everyone.