Steps on watch face

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graham118 Author

Level 1

10 points

Steps on watch face

How do I get to show my daily steps on the face of my Apple Watch?

Posted on Apr 6, 2023 11:07 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

LD150

Level 10

90,265 points

Apr 10, 2023 9:54 AM in response to graham118

Steps (simulated from wrist movement) are available, you just need to tap the activity app or put the activity app as a complication. So you are only 1 tap from seeing your step total through the day.

I'm 72 and prefer Kcal, exercise minutes and heart rates personally!

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Answer 2

javaliga

Level 10

119,579 points

Apr 6, 2023 11:35 AM in response to graham118

Unless you have a 3rd party app this isn't possible. There are Pedometer apps in the app store that have a complication for the watch. Here's one:

https://apps.apple.com/za/app/stepsapp-pedometer/id1037595083

If you would like to make this feature request to Apple, use this link:

Feedback - Watch - Apple

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Answer 3

graham118 Author

Level 1

10 points

Apr 10, 2023 2:45 AM in response to javaliga

Many thanks javaliga. I'll get that App to trial it. I would also like to download some of my health data (e.g. steps, floors, distance, sleep) into a spreadsheet. I've followed the advice on Apple support to go to Health app on iPhone, click on my ID picture then, at bottom of drop-down menu, click Download Data. But not only does that yield vast quantities of every bit of health data my Apple watch collects (I can't select what I want to download) but also the data is in the form of a pair of .xml files which neither Numbers nor Excel can read. Any thoughts? The software for my previous activity tracker (a Fitbit) was infinitely more usable.

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Answer 4

LD150

Level 10

90,265 points

Apr 10, 2023 3:48 AM in response to graham118

To get usable information from Health app data export you need a third party app to convert the raw data into readable information.

Remember the iPhone Fitness app does exactly that. It summarises the data into quite a nice page including steps.

Activity app on the watch mirrors the iPhone fitness app and steps are easily viewable, just not on a face complication.

The difference here is that Fitbit concentrates on the rather nebulous and old fashioned concept of pedometer Steps, where the Apple Watch uses actual distance from the GPS - a far more accurate metric.

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Answer 5

graham118 Author

Level 1

10 points

Apr 10, 2023 8:32 AM in response to LD150

Thanks very much LD150. Do you know of a third party app that would export data as readable information?

I appreciate that pedometer steps might seem old fashioned but they do measure actual movement of the legs which, for a retired person, is useful!! Also, I did calibrate the step count with distance measured using a trekking GPS over several long walks over various topologies, so I got a good idea. I like all the other functions on my new Apple watch but I would also like to be able to link the step data it provides with all the Fitbit historical data I have.

Thanks again for your help.

G.

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Answer 6

LD150

Level 10

90,265 points

Apr 10, 2023 10:01 AM in response to LD150

That is to say, by the way, that all watches simulate steps from wrist movement, no wrist worn device can count leg movements. You will continue to count steps just moving your arms with any watch, and after the end of the day with say a 3 mile walk thrown in, you may have 4000 steps due to the walk and another 4000 due to doing jobs in your home.

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