Workout Apple Watch Siri not working

for the meantime ive just make a Shortcuts flow that has a single action, Starting a workout on my Apple watch. it’s a clunky and inflexible (you’ll have to create one shortcut per workout type, since you’ll have no way to specify), but at least it works no matter what device hears you. My current naming scheme is “[Workout type] bypass].” ie “Walking bypass” , “Running Bypass” but obvs that’s up to you!

Hey Mike, I noticed this problem too, but I just did some tests which hopefully works for you.

I spoke directly to my AW6 and said "hey Siri, start Outdoor Walk, on Workouts app on Apple Watch"

It did ! Then I said to AW "Pause Outdoor Walk on Workouts app on AW" It did ! Then I said "Hey Siri, end

Outdoor Walk on Workouts app on Apple Watch" It did !!! I think for me it was using the correct "ask"

I also put my iPhone in the other room so it was still connected, and thus couldn't hear me talking to Siri, as

the iPhone was responding and asking me to unlock it.

Bottom line is that the watch was responding to my voice, but I have to say "Hey Siri" and have that enabled on

AW. Hope this works for you ! Apple still needs to fine tune this !

Daniel,

Does that still persist after unpairing and then pairing your iPhone and Apple Watch back together? Unpair and erase your Apple Watch

If so, you’ll want to reach out to Apple Support so they can look into this behavior further: Contact Apple Support

Regards.

After my upgrade from iOS 14 to 15 I have the same issue. From what I can see the SIRI on the phone does not recognize the possible activity on the apple watch. Before I would say SIRI start a workout on my apple watch - cycling and it would then control the watch to start the activity (hearing the count down on the watch). Now it asks me which app on my phone to use and Ignores the Apple watch.

Same thing is happening to me. I say “Siri start an indoor walk” the watch says “workout starting” but it never starts. I look at my watch after I’ve walked for 30 minutes and the workout app opens on the watch but neither the workout count down or the workout itself actually ever started. I am also wearing AirPods. If I take the AirPods off then the workout will start on my watch. It’s definitely a problem between the watch and the AirPods.

I've had this same issue on my Apple Watch 5 (WatchOS 8.4), iPhone 12 Pro (iOS 15.3) and Airpods Pro for almost a year now. I don't recall exactly when it started but definitely was before iOS15 was released.

When I say "Hey Siri Start Exercise outdoor walk" into my phone or my airpods, It used to start it on my watch no prob with the "3, 2, 1" countdown on the watch. Now I hear Siri say "OK" before it cuts off and if i look at my phone, its showing the Fitness+ section of the Fitness app (which i do NOT subscribe to). It selects a "walk" track on the Fitness+ app on phone and wants me to "Try" it (that is the button available in the Fitness+ area). But that is not what I want.

I've tried restarting watch, unpairing/re-pairing, and erase and restore. Nothing fixes this issue. I have tried the suggestion below of telling Siri: "hey Siri, start Outdoor Walk, on Workouts app on Apple Watch" but it still tries to open Fitness+ App on the phone. I have also tried uninstalling the Nike Run App (that i never used) which some people have recommended but still same problem. If i remove my headphones and activate siri straight from phone (pressing crown button) the phrase "Hey Siri Start Exercise outdoor walk" works as I want and starts workout on the watch.

Any ideas?

Hi, same issue here! Apple watch 8.4.1, ios 15.3 and i can't anymore ask siri to start a workour with airpods, it only works if I directly speak with the watch.

Plus, Siri tells me "it seems there're connection issues, check if your device is connected to the same wifi network of this homepod" what? (maybe not these exact same words, because I have italian voice but the meaning is this)

Hello Daniel,

Thanks for reaching out through the Apple Support Communities about that difficulty with starting a workout using Siri on your iPhone.

Have you experienced a similar behavior with any other Siri requests?

Does that behavior still continue after restarting your iPhone? Restart your iPhone

How about your Apple Watch? How to restart your Apple Watch

Hopefully those details will help to further isolate this behavior.

Take care.

Same problem. Can't start or end a workout while using my AirPods Pro with Apple Watch 4 and iPhone XS. Siri said, that there is no app installed or can't find a running workout.

Using Siri directly on my Watch, starting a workout works. Using Siri on my iPhone XS to start a workout, Siri opens the acticity app on my iPhone or Siri said "OK", but no workout will start on my Watch.

Thats very annoying, because of autumn i wear gloves on my bike and can't use my Watch easily.

Exact same problem. I go out for a run while wearing my AirPods and when asking Siri to start a run, and I’ve even gotten quite specific to try and make sure it wasn’t me (which I’ve never had problems with in the past) like “start an outdoor running workout on my Apple Watch” and nothing happens, then if you open the iphone it opens the apple activity comes up. Super annoying, now I manually have to start it on the watch

I have the same issue. As far as I remember, starting a workout on the Apple Watch with Siri through AirPods used to work. But now (since upgrading to iOS 15??) it does not. On the AirPods, when I say, "Hey Siri, start an outdoor walk", Siri just states "OK" and nothing happens (maybe Siri thinks it should go for an outdoor walk?? ;-))

Trying the same on the iPhone opens the Fitness app. Only speaking directly in the Apple Watch actually starts the desired workout.

I really hope that this will be fixed (or is this desired behavior????).

I am STILL having this problem. About a month ago I unpaired/reset/restored my watch hoping that would help, but nope. Has anyone tried resetting their iPhone? I’d like to avoid doing that unless it has actually worked for someone.

Krutce, Thank you very much for that suggestion. As you said it’s not a solution but it’s a great interim fix to get me what I need. I mainly use it when I start outdoor walks especially in the cold weather when I don’t want to take my phone out. This works well.