how to display number of steps on apple watch

I would prefer to just see the steps directly on the Apple Watch face without having to open the activity app and the extra wasted actions to get there. Is that not possible?

Thanks. What I'm trying to get to is for the standard Apple Watch complication to simply show steps. Something like this would be great.

Hi

When viewing the time on your watch:

- Tap on the Activity app icon (rings) > swipe up to view steps taken > press the Digital Crown once when finished.

If your watch face does not include the Activity app complication:

- When viewing the time on your watch: swipe up on the display > swipe left / right to the Activity app Glance > tap on the screen (which shows the progress rings for each daily goal) > swipe up > view steps taken > press the Digital Crown once when finished.

If your watch face does not include the Activity app complication and Glances does not include the Activity app:

- When viewing the time on your watch: press the Digital Crown once > tap on the Activity app icon (rings) to open the app > swipe up to view steps taken > press the Digital Crown twice to return to the watch face.

More information:

Use the Activity app on your Apple Watch - Apple Support

I realize Apple has a myriad of experts involved in development of the health aspect of the Apple Watch. However, if your statement of their approach is correct, it would be shortsighted.

I'm over 50 and work behind a desk. My doctor told me to have a daily goal of 10,000 steps. And I'm sure I"m not the only one hearing this. So this capability would be a benefit.

Thanks.

Whilst it is not presently possible via the built-in apps, you can now add steps to the watch face (via a "complication") using a third-party app.

For example, Pedometer++ integrates with the Health app and offers watch face complications:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pedometer++/id712286167?mt=8

More information:

Change the watch face on your Apple Watch - Apple Support

To customise your watch face with complications (including the Activity app):

https://help.apple.com/watch/#/apdb0c5fb937

To customise Glances (including the Activity app Glance) on Apple Watch:

https://help.apple.com/watch/#/apdedc1bf135

Kingdaddy wrote:

Thanks. I just submitted a request. Not sure if it will do any good, though.

Apple doesn't seem particularly interested in steps as fitness metric. They have chosen a different approach (one I believe i more valid) based on, among other things, heart rate. So, I suspect you're correct. It doesn't sound like something they're likely to add.

Best of luck.

Kingdaddy wrote:

My doctor told me to have a daily goal of 10,000 steps. And I'm sure I"m not the only one hearing this.

You might want to take a look at this article.

http://www.livescience.com/43956-walking-10000-steps-healthy.html

It explains the marketing origin of the "10,000 steps" thing. It also describes the CDC's recommendation for number of minutes of activity per week. Apple does seem to be following the CDC recommendation of minutes of activity, which makes sense to me.

This is not presently possible via the built-in apps.

Feature requests can be submitted to Apple here:

https://www.apple.com/feedback/watch.html

http://www.imore.com/how-view-your-step-count-apple-watch

Thanks. I just submitted a request. Not sure if it will do any good, though.

Thanks, but it's just one article. And it doesn't say anything about heart rate being a better indicator.

Here's an excerpt from another: http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/21/health/ten-thousand-steps-better-health/

there's been plenty of other research proving that 10,000 steps a day — which equals about five miles — can help your health. "There are over 300 peer-reviewed articles with a focus on the 10,000 steps per day protocol," says Jinger S. Gottschall, associate professor of kinesiology at Penn State. One study, for example, found that people who take more than 10,000 steps a day have lower blood pressure levels and better cardiovascular fitness. Another determined that getting close to 10,000 steps helps lower blood glucose levels and cuts the risk of developing diabetes. Experts also say that this amount of activity can help you maintain your weight.

Apple does track steps, so making it available to those who use the metric makes common sense. And it doesn't matter if it's 10,000, 5,000, or 15,000, it's whatever the wearer wants to track. But giving them that option just makes good sense.

Kingdaddy wrote:

Apple does track steps, so making it available to those who use the metric makes common sense. And it doesn't matter if it's 10,000, 5,000, or 15,000, it's whatever the wearer wants to track. But giving them that option just makes good sense.

My point being that 10,000 is an arbitrary number. The goal is to be more active. It doesn't matter how you measure it. Apple has chose to focus on a different way to quantify being more active.