Level 1

65 points

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

I have owned an Apple Watch (first series 5 and now series 6) since November of 2019. I frequently run or walk outdoors for much more than 20 minutes at a time and I always use the Apple Watch Workout app, selecting either Outdoor Walk or Outdoor Run, accordingly. In 14 months of this outdoor activity (hundreds of runs and walks by now), I have only had Cardio Fitness data recorded ONCE (December 5th, 2019, and called VO2Max then). Before and since that random single entry, NO DATA has been recorded for VO2Max or Cardio Fitness. I compared the other workout parameters (exercise time, heart rate information, active calories) for that single workout that recorded a VO2Max entry with the data from my hundreds of other workouts but I don’t see any significant differences, other than the fact that VO2Max data was NOT RECORDED. When I traded my series 5 watch for a series 6 this past November 2020 I had hoped that this feature would start working, but nothing has changed (NO DATA for Cardio Fitness, aka VO2Max). I don’t normally take my phone with me with I exercise outdoors, but even when I do, NO DATA is recorded for this parameter. I have reset my Fitness Calibration Data several times in an effort to get this feature to work, but still NO DATA is ever recorded. What really has me confused is that it did work ONCE, but has not worked before or since that one day and I didn’t do anything different on that one day. Any ideas? Is this a know bug?

Posted on Dec 29, 2020 6:24 PM

Top-ranking reply

swapnil303

Level 1

4 points

Posted on Jan 4, 2021 10:07 AM

Hello, i had a same issue, no data source etc. so i did the following, 1. Made My current watch as priority source 2. Recalibrated my watch 3. ( standard setting on watch) i had by default power saving mode on, which resulted into no continuous heartbeat tracking but sporadic( which is used to calculate VO2max) i switched it off in Watch app dock> Settings> workout> power saving mode 4. Then 2 outdoor walking workouts of approx 40 min each and today after 2nd workout vo2 max appeared and data source got updated.

hope it will help!

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150 replies

Bill636

Level 1

4 points

Apr 21, 2021 7:24 PM in response to giseledonovan

If you are getting 8:5 minutes per km then you are moving. When you start your walk in the “ outdoor walk” mode, did you make sure your heart rate was showing on the watch face?? I found that if my strap was too loose, then the heart rate wasn’t being read, and this may be why you walk is showing as yellow and not green. Not that I’m an expert by any means, but if you reread my earlier post you will see that “finally” I did get it to work.

all the best

bill

Osugrad85 Author

Level 1

65 points

Jan 3, 2021 3:07 PM in response to Osugrad85

One more update (but no solution): Looking further at the Health App, instead of showing either of my two Apple watches as a data source for Cardio Fitness, it instead lists Withings Health Mate app as a data source. Further looking at the Withings Health Mate app, I discovered that IT was the source for that lone Cardio Fitness data entry that was recorded on December 5, 2019. This confirms that neither of my Apple watches have ever been a data source for Cardio Fitness. So, the question remains: HOW DO I GET MY APPLE WATCH TO ACT AS A DATA SOURCE FOR CARDIO FITNESS? Having logged lots and lots of outdoor runs at varying intensities and lots of outdoor walks at brisk pace, my watch is NOT being triggered to record Cardio Fitness at all. So, when Apple says “watchOS 7 also allows Apple Watch to take cardio fitness measurements as users walk throughout the day, whether or not they are tracking a workout”, clearly this is NOT the case for me.

Jan 31, 2021 11:23 AM in response to km1117

I had Covid in December and since then have been intensely tracking my heart health and exercise. I educated myself on HRV, VO2Max, etc. when I realized that the last VO2 reading my Watch took was on October 24th. I had to reset it around that time and the "new" Watch is not listed as a Data Source for this. I just reset the fitness calibration data and unpaired/re-paired the Watch so I'll update if I get a reading within my next few outdoor walks or runs. This is a pretty terrible time to have major flaws like this, especially since I need this data.

Osugrad85 Author

Level 1

65 points

Feb 4, 2021 3:01 PM in response to km1117

I got a call back from Apple Support today (actually a voicemail as I was doing an Outdoor Run and had Workout Do Not Disturb turned on when they called). Anyway, they said that they are still “looking into the issue” and will reach out to me once they have an answer.

BTW, the outdoor run was for just over an hour, covered over 7 miles, recorded consistent heart rate with consistent gps readings, and still did not get any Cardio Fitness data (so more of the usual for me, 15 months and counting and no Cardio Fitness data from my watch). Also, I had Apple Maps open during the run (I tried this before, but figured I’d give it another shot today), and obviously it did not make a difference.

I’ve tried running while using the Outdoor Walk workout and walking while using the Outdoor Run workout (and obviously I’ve tried running using the Outdoor Run workout and walking while using the Outdoor Walk workout). Basically I’ve tried every combination of Outdoor Walk and Outdoor Run workouts I could think of, always at least 20 minutes long and most of the time much longer. And Apple Support confirmed that my settings are all set properly (precise location gps is on, power saving mode is off, etc).

I doubt I will hear back from Apple, but I will continue to contact them for an update regularly and will post here if anything changes.

SWAPNIL303, you suggested that I ask for a replacement watch. Is this what you did? And did it solve your problem? I’m actually thinking that the problem might be my phone, since it is the same phone I had when I got my Series 5 watch and I’ve since upgraded the watch to a series 6 and the problem has continued, so the constant here is my phone. I have no idea where the Cardio Fitness calculation takes place (on the watch, on the phone, or in the cloud).

Bill636

Level 1

4 points

Apr 22, 2021 5:28 PM in response to giseledonovan

running out of suggestions but

go to the health app ( heart symbol) on your iphone, and in the summary, the second line down should be 'Cardio Fitness'. click on that and scroll to the bottom and you should see a line 'Data Sources and Access". Click on that and it should show at least two sources - 1) the health app. and 2)your apple watch. If your apple watch is not showing, that is the reason that you are not recording your Vo2. You need to go to my first post to see what to do to activate the data source ie once you have done two 20 minute "out door walks" it should activate ( make sure the heart rate is working when you start your 20 minutes. At the end of your walk you go back to the 'outdoor walk" and end the walk, and scroll down and click on 'done'

Secondly, your heart rate at 118 bmp seems fine. My walk this morning was green and my heart rate varied from 80 - 145 ( small hill at the end, but i averaged 118 bmp for the 75 minutes. I averaged 8. I have just gone thru my previous walks, and in the history on my apple watch ( activity section) they are shown in yellow. Not sure if that means anything as they are shown in green on my iphone.

I do find that the reporting is inconsistent ie somedays i get my recovery heart rate showing and other days not. Oh well thats technology.

Good luck.

Osugrad85 Author

Level 1

65 points

Dec 30, 2020 6:26 PM in response to Osugrad85

Update (but no solution, only more failures): Saw elsewhere on this website that someone suggested using the Outdoor Walk for running to get the watch to record Cardio Fitness. I saw in another place on this website where someone suggested having the Apple Maps app open and running while exercising. I tried both today. Actually went for two “outdoor walks”, running non-stop during both of them (around 9 minute/mile pace), each more than 20 minutes, each with the Maps app open in the background. Good HR data recorded, along with active calories, and good map data. But NO DATA for Cardio Fitness. And, when I check the Health App under Cardio Fitness, “data sources and access”, my watch is NOT listed. So, I guess the big question is HOW DO I GET MY APPLE WATCH TO ACT AS A DATA SOURCE FOR CARDIO FITNESS?

Jan 5, 2021 9:19 PM in response to Osugrad85

Hello Osugrad85, Thanks for update. I hope it will work soon. Just curious , do you get heart rate map in your workout details? In activity? In other words does it track heart rate continuously or sporadically?

Jan 21, 2021 12:57 PM in response to Osugrad85

I have this problem with my Apple Watch Series 5 and iphone 11pro. My iphone fitness app stopped recording cardio fitness (VO2 max) on 10/1/2020. All my products are up to date with the latest OS. I read on another blog that it seemed to be around the time there was an upgrade for the iOS systems (in October of 2020) for the watches and phones. Really frustrating to see that this has not been resolved. I have been sharing with my running and fitness friends how cool the health app was about recording VO2 max up until 10/1/2020.

Osugrad85 Author

Level 1

65 points

Feb 3, 2021 6:51 PM in response to ravindra2

Hi. Just a reminder, I’m the OP. No updates from Apple Support for two weeks now. I tried contacting them today, but got an email in response saying that they had tried to call me but were unable to reach me. I doubt they tried very hard because my phone was right next to me as I waited for their call. I reached out to them again, but did not receive any response. Also, I have logged lots more outdoor runs and walks since updating to WatchOS 7.3 and iPhone IOS 14.4 but still no Cardio Fitness data. And, I play golf every day, walking the course, and yet no Cardio Fitness data (supposedly the newest version of the IOS does not require actual walk and run workouts to record Cardio Fitness ... see their press release from mid-December). I have seen others elsewhere saying it works for them, but there are plenty of us for whom it is not working. And, since the Apple Support person I spoke with said that the engineers are aware of the issue, there clearly IS an issue. I just hope that they are working on a solution (but it wasn’t in the latest IOS updates).

Matt_SG

Level 1

4 points

Feb 8, 2021 7:04 PM in response to Osugrad85

Just starting to read this Support case as I am having the same issue with Series 6 Watch and Iphone 12Pro. I've also logged a case with Apple Support and have been on the waitlist since end November/2020 when I initially logged a case with them. After the Upgrade to WatchOS7.3 and iOS 14.4 a couple of weeks ago Apple Support had also remotely received trace files from my phone and watch and since 30/Jan/2021 there has been no response.

In all cases shared with Apple Support I've been able to show either an outdoor walk / outdoor run that was tracking at less than 11min/km pace with workout at least 20mins segments where the workout was not paused. however I am still not able to get Cardio Fitness data captured.

I'm interested to continue to hear of your Apple Support progress as I'm getting frustrated as this feature of Cardio Fitness (VO2MAX) was a key driver for the Series6 upgrade. Thought I'd chip in here as it's not just you having this issue... and fast getting more frustrated with Apple Support when a key feature is still not working.

Matt_SG

Level 1

4 points

Feb 8, 2021 7:06 PM in response to Osugrad85

Just as a note on this, I did ask the Apple Support person on swapping the watch, however they are adamant it is a software issue rather than a hardware one which doesn't warrant a watch swap.... so the frustration continues...

Feb 22, 2021 6:15 PM in response to beachballz

I have a series 4 watch with a iPhone 7 that I have been using and recording cardio fitness / VO2 max since Dec. 2018. My cardio fitness / vo2 max level was consistent at 38 for two years.

In Dec. 2020 I noticed a steady decline over about 4 - 5 weeks down to 34. I was doing the same daily workouts of 50 minutes HIIT and a 4 mile walk. I was puzzled that the decline was happening.

I called Apple support several times and there were no answers. On a call last week I was connected to the Health App department.

That is when I was told that in Dec. 2020 the new update changed the program to only calculate OUTDOOR WALKS AND RUNS and it will no longer include any indoor workouts in the cardio fitness / vo2 max graphing.

Apple did not have an answer as to why this was done. I hope they fix this issue to at least let the user decide whether to include the indoor workouts into cardio fitness/ vo2 max graphing.

Hiraqal

Level 1

4 points

Feb 26, 2021 3:28 AM in response to Osugrad85

Please update to me. I am having the same issue. The first time i had it. I am curious whether my Apple Watch is having a problem after i accidentally dropped it or maybe it got something to do with the os. But, after i restart not my iPhone n the watch, it started to give me the details. And later on the other day, it stopped showing the data.idk what is actually happening to the Apple Watch

Markylux

Level 1

4 points

Mar 1, 2021 1:28 AM in response to ukskeptic

I rang Apple support yesterday and I told them I was using my Nike run app on my watch and it collected the data in January but he said I should be using the Apple app for the tracking and to go and use that one and see if it works. But I told him I used it on a 20k cycle last week and it didn’t work. He said it doesn’t calculate your cardio fitness for cycling???? The watch is useless. It should be able to calculate no matter what your doing.

Osugrad85 Author

Level 1

65 points

Mar 1, 2021 4:42 PM in response to Xavier99xyz

As the OP, I am glad that some people are finding a solution that works for them. Unfortunately, I have tried all of the solutions/suggestions made here and elsewhere and still can’t get Cardio Fitness data to populate. Apple Support has confirmed that all of my watch and phone settings are correct (and I have double checked these settings based on postings here), but still no Cardio Fitness data. Apple support also confirmed that my workouts meet the criteria to generate Cardio Fitness data. I have been using Apple’s Workout app and doing either “outdoor run” or “outdoor walk” workouts, but I also have tried using Nike Run Club and Runkeeper apps (since someone here posted that they had success using the Runkeeper app), but still nothing. Hopefully Apple is “really” working on a solution (and not giving us lip service). Since this is a feature that they advertise prominently in their marketing I hope that they have an interest in getting it to work for everyone.

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