Why does the steps / calories vary widely?

I have a similar experience using only the phone app. The variance is caused by the intensity of the walking/running.

If I’m at work & walk 10k steps, I might not meet my move goal since it’s spaced out throughout the day. But if I go on a walk/run, I’ll burn more calories with fewer steps.

hope this helps :)

Welcome back Dmmorea,

Were you able to calibrate your Apple Watch using the steps we previously provided? We believe it may help as it mentions:

"Whenever you walk or run outside using the above steps, your Apple Watch continues to calibrate the accelerometer by learning your stride length at different speeds. Calibration can also improve the accuracy of your calorie calculations in the Workout app, and the calorie, distance, Move, and Exercise calculations in the Activity app. 

Improve your Workout and Activity accuracy

Your personal information, such as your height, weight, gender, and age, is one of the things your Apple Watch uses to calculate how many calories you burn and more. Learn how to update your personal information."

For reference, here's that article again: Calibrate your Apple Watch for improved Workout and Activity accuracy - Apple Support

Let us know if those steps helped.

Cheers!

Hello Dmmorea,

Thank you for reaching out in Apple Support Communities. If you're using an Apple Watch, you can calibrate it to help improve the accuracy for your daily activity. Here's how: Calibrate your Apple Watch for improved Workout and Activity accuracy - Apple Support

Following these steps can help.

Kind regards.

Hi Dmmorea,

If you're having an issue with not seeing accurate steps on your iPhone, we suggest that you reach out to Apple Support directly.

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Thanks for using Apple Support Communities.