Apple Watch not connecting to gym equipment

Hello Janellemcc,

Thanks for posting in the Apple Support Communities. We're happy to look into this with you.

It sounds as though you've tried all the recommended actions that can be done specific to your Apple Watch as outlined here: Use AirPods and other Bluetooth accessories with Apple Watch - Apple Support.

Get help

If you can’t connect your Bluetooth accessory or it won’t reconnect:

1. If you see  on your watch face, Airplane Mode is on. On your Apple Watch, tap Settings > Airplane Mode, then turn it off. 

2. Make sure your accessory is fully charged and powered on.

3. If you see the accessory in Settings > Bluetooth on Apple Watch, but you can’t connect, use the steps above to unpair the accessory.

4. Try to pair the accessory again.

If you need help connecting or using a Bluetooth accessory with your Apple Watch, contact the manufacturer.

If the actions from the article above haven't corrected the issue, it's possible the equipment you're using needs a firmware update to make it compatible with the watchOS. It's recommended that you speak with either the workout equipment manufacturer or the gym staff for assistance.

Best regards.

Same here. My watch worked with the Matrix treadmills at the gym 90 percent of the time before updating to 10.5. Now, the treadmill will beep, but nothing connects. I have restarted the watch, toggled detect gym equipment, restarted the treadmill. Also is happening on at least 3 other watches that I know of after updating. Series 7, 6 and SE.

I was having the same issue with my new Apple Watch. I just noticed in my Planet Fitness app, under settings, the Apple Health link was toggled off. Not sure if that will resolve our issues, but it’s worth a try.

I spoke to Apple and gave them every possible thing like model # day time etc. It got sent to the engineers and after a couple weeks of back and forth they said it is matrix who is working on an update to resolve this but here I’m seeing life fitness so it can’t be Matrix equipment at PF?! I also told them about all the complaints I see on the discussion forum and they told me they do not see these and need people to call them. Supposedly I was the only one who called which I find hard to believe! So the question here is…now what?

If we are all having the same problem detecting gym equipment since the 10.5 update I don’t understand how it could possible be the gym equipment itself! Different gyms…different equipment. This def sounds like a software glitch with new update

It was working yesterday at the gym, came home, the update installed and went to gym this morning - now won't connect. Tried what was mentioned above.Apple you broke this now fix it. do not shove this off to the gym equipment.

Yup same. Update to 10.5 last night it paired to the PF equipment yesterday today it won’t pair to anything I am ****** obviously it’s not the gyms equipment unless they magically replaced all 200 something machines with identical broken stuff overnight it’s Apple but they won’t acknowledge that any time soon so we’re just screwed…tried all their fix it “tricks” nothing works 🤷🏼‍♀️

I have the same issue. It says it’s connecting, but then the watch just flips back to whatever screen it was on. I followed the instructions here from Apple and tried to reconnect—doesn’t work. I tried moving to another piece of equipment. Still doesn’t connect. To ask everyone to tell their gyms to update the firmware in their equipment is ridiculous. Apple, please patch this ASAP on the watch itself!

Don’t give me that mess, you see all these people having the exact same issue so it’s a WIDESPREAD issue happening at ALL gyms. This is something Apple should fix and not expect the friggin customer to bug EVERY SINGLE GYM to upgrade firmware (that may or may not be the issue) on EVERY SINGLE piece of equipment in their gym. Please be realistic.

Same. After update, won't connect to my gym equipment anymore. Anyone get answers?

Mine started this exact thing with my ultra series 1. My girlfriends Apple Watch SE still works fine when connecting to the same PF equipment

Series 9 45mm stopped connect to gym equipment it’s gotta be in the watch somewhere because it worked and tons of gyms in more then one state then there’s a update and now it don’t work

I called Apple the said engineers working on it will get back to me

Just like mine. My ultra will actually think I’m trying to Apple Pay for something sometimes when trying to connect to the matrix PF treadmills

Same!! I’m so freaking irritated it’s going on 2 months now I can’t connect to any gym equipment