Apple Fitness+ is not available without an Apple Watch. In order to access and use Fitness+—Apple’s premium subscription workout service—you must pair an Apple Watch (Series 3 or later) with your iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV. The service relies on data from your Apple Watch, such as heart rate and calorie burn, to personalize workouts and display real-time metrics during sessions.
However, the Fitness app itself can still be used on an iPhone without an Apple Watch, but with limited features. Without an Apple Watch, the app primarily tracks your activity through the iPhone’s motion sensors and GPS. You’ll be able to:
- View your Move ring progress (calories burned through movement).
- Track steps, distance, and flights climbed (via iPhone).
- See activity trends over time.
- Access limited workout summaries if workouts are tracked using the iPhone or third-party apps that integrate with Health.
But without an Apple Watch:
- You cannot track Exercise and Stand rings.
- You cannot close all three rings.
- You cannot use Fitness+ at all.
