You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

BUG: Exercise app time not showing in Activity app

First thing in the morning, I did an "OPEN" session of "indoor cycling" for 39 minutes, and while both time and calories burned shows in the Exercise app, in the Activity app, my calories burned are counted under "Move", but under "Exercise" did not count the time, still showing 0.


Is anyone else seeing this, or was it a fluke for me?

Posted on Apr 28, 2015 7:54 AM

Reply
159 replies

May 22, 2015 7:12 PM in response to hawkwood

I recently had a similar problem. My exercise ring was fine pre update and post wouldn't record exercise during the day normally or during walks. Last night I tried using the "other" activity in the workout app. All the activity was recirded and added to the exercise ring.


Today I have walked a tiny but and noticed it is now, correctly being added to the exercise ring. Without starting a workout.


So try an other workout and do a walk and then see if that fixed it.

May 27, 2015 7:28 AM in response to hawkwood

I have the same problem. When I use the exercise app the time does not show up in the activity app. It seems to happen most frequently with outdoor walking. The other problem is the heart rate monitor is not the least bit accurate. It is inaccurate for running, cycling, and outdoor walking. For me these were key features when purchasing the watch so I am very disappointed with an expensive purchase. This is a none problem and Apple's response has been lethargic and disappointing.

May 27, 2015 9:13 AM in response to hawkwood

I am having the same issue. Today I walked outside for 20 minutes, specifically to do the calibration Apple keeps talking about. Workout showed correct information and Activity showed 3 minutes of exercise. I opened a case with Apple Support about this as I find it very annoying that the two apps don't sync, even though it says they do all over the sales pages.

May 27, 2015 3:23 PM in response to Matthew Frederick

You know what if people tried things instead of whining for evidence...


Each of the set workouts use the sensors in different ways. Other forcibly uses all of them. I suspect there is a bug which turns off either some sensors or which breaks the connection between the workout app and the exercise ring. I further suspect that using other turns all the sensors on and fixes any connection issues.


Everytime I have had the exercise ring stop working I have fixed it by one short other workout.


I hope this works for you. Better to try and have success than have it not working and keep moaning about it?

May 27, 2015 3:43 PM in response to Nnooo

Using words like "whining" and "moaning" are not helpful. Yes, there are work-arounds as have been put forth here, and some have been helpful, but they are just that, ways to get the end result when the expected method does not work. What we as a community are trying to do is explain how we "expect" the device to work in order to either understand why it doesn't (user error) or point out to Apple that there are still significant issues with their device or code, whether or not they read these threads.


Thank you for noting that using "Other" has worked for you, and I look forward to other helpful insights.

May 27, 2015 4:07 PM in response to hawkwood

No one is denying that you should have expectations of what it does. Working as described should be the basic tenant of any device.


But people on here shouldn't just jump up and down demanding evidence from people trying to help.


It is pretty clear at this stage that there are bugs and unless you post to Apple's bug tracker or feedback sections then nothing will be done about it. So you can keep posting about being upset or you can try to work on finding a solution and work-a-round until such time as Apple fixes it.


The one thing they need to learn is that as devices become more personal and record more personal data they need to take their software updates much more seriously. It is one thing for Safari to say crash occasionally on use but it is quite another for a device which you rely on to record personal second by second data to not work as intended.


I for one will be taking more care on when I update my Apple Watch OS from now on.

May 27, 2015 8:47 PM in response to Nnooo

Do you recognize that you've made a giant assumption about me and anyone else with this problem, "Nnooo"? That you could be totally wrong but are being nasty to people anyway?


I have:

  • Done several different types of workouts
  • Reset my watch
  • Reset my phone
  • Re-paired my watch
  • Set my watch up as a new watch
  • Erased all content and settings on my watch and my phone and re-paired


And now I'm here "whining" because the **** thing still doesn't work.


Just because you've solved your problem and we haven't been able to doesn't mean you're right. At all.


EDIT: Oh, and yes, filed a radar. Doesn't mean it's not important to discuss it with other people having the problem. Seriously, just don't come here if you don't want to hear it, I promise that this isn't about you at all.

May 27, 2015 9:13 PM in response to Matthew Frederick

Firstly I'm sorry if I came across as nasty. That is definitely not the intention 🙂


I was, perhaps clumsily, trying to point out that asking people for evidence when not giving any details or information yourself is not helpful. It is just making statements.


I came here to post a potential solution and it is going to be difficult for Apple (if they are reading this) to track any correlations as very few people are posting any methodology to their issues or their solutions. So to lead by example:


Issue:

Exercise ring doesn't appear to update properly or appears to miss data

Method:

  1. Prior to OS Update
    1. Wearing watch during the day progresses exercise ring
    2. Wearing watch and walking to the supermarket with an "Outdoor Walk" workout on also progresses the exercise ring
  2. Following the OS Update

    Neither 1 nor 2 from the above work or if they do there is some issue with how the data is being passed through

  3. Steps
    1. Wear watch all day
    2. Move around office and home
    3. Note that no or very little change is being made on the exercise app
    4. Go for a 20 minute walk to the supermarket with "Outdoor Walk" workout on
    5. Note that no or very little change is being made on the exercise app
    6. Note that the Workout app records significantly different amounts of exercise to the Activity app


Potential Solution (temporary)

  1. Start an "Other" Workout and walk around for 1-5 minutes
  2. End workout and note that activity is being tracked and added to the exercise ring
  3. Repeat steps 1-6 from above and note that now the exercise ring is working


Thoughts:

Is the "Other" activity triggering something that forceably tracks data which the others are not and potentially getting the OS/Sensors/Exercise Ring out of a holding pattern?


Please comment if you have tried using other and if it has/has not worked. Please also comment in a similar manner so we can see if there is a pattern.


Thanks (and again sorry for any mis-construed intentions I am trying to help!).

May 28, 2015 1:41 AM in response to hawkwood

The work around did not work. The non-working feature is a main one that Apple hypes in ad campaigns, including the one with the British marathon runner chick. It is not like we are talking about a minor, no-name third party app. Apple spent years doing research on this feature. Now that this feature does not work and the heart rate monitor is incredibly erratic and undependble, does not bode well for the Apple Watch which is extremely expensive.

May 28, 2015 3:22 AM in response to Nnooo

I usually walk/run pushing a baby stroller, and not having my arm swinging seems to be a problem. while it seems to record distance/time/pace/calories/heart rate accurately- it does not give me "credit" on my exercise ring. Using "other" was the workaround that I had discovered that worked for me. But I have done another little "experiment" and found that it works perhaps TOO well.


Yesterday I parked my butt on my couch, started an "other" workout, and didn't move for half an hour. It said I burned 130 calories in 30 min with a heart rate of 65 (wouldn't that be nice if sitting on the couch burned that many calories), and it gave me 30min credit on my green exercise ring.


So, yes, it tracks my activity. It also tracks my NON activity, which isn't good either.


I had assumed other used your heart rate to determine calorie burn, but now that doesn't seem true. I read somewhere that "other" considers your activity a "brisk walk". So maybe it uses ZERO sensors, and just gives you a fixed rate of calorie burn, regardless of what you're doing?

BUG: Exercise app time not showing in Activity app

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.