Hi
To credit progress towards your daily Exercise goal, the Activity app aims to identify activity that equals or exceeds the intensity of a brisk walk. This requirement applies both during general daily wear and when recording workouts via the Workout app.
Exercise credit is awarded for each minute during which this requirement is met. It is possible that, during your walking workouts, you are only meeting that requirement for part of the overall duration - or even not at all.
The definition of a brisk walk varies from person to person and depends on your personal information. To check that this is accurate - and to update it over time:
On your iPhone, in the Watch app, go to: My Watch (tab) > Health > Edit - tap and adjust items, then tap on Done.
Apple Watch uses different sensors and data sources to track the results of workouts, depending on the activity type.
With Apple Watch (1st generation) and Series 1 models, the watch can access GPS data from the paired iPhone if it is taken along during outdoor walking, running and cycling workouts. You have explained that you are doing this, so - subject to GPS reception - your actual speed is being taken into account for the purpose of awarding Exercise credit. During minutes when the brisk walk requirement is not being met, no Exercise credit will be awarded.
During general daily wear and when using the Workout app to record workouts when GPS data is either not relevant or not available (eg due to a lack of reception or during indoor workouts), the Activity app and Workout app track your arm motion (measured by the accelerometer) when estimating results including pace and progress towards the Exercise goal.
When pushing a stroller, it may not be practical to allow the arm on which you are wearing your watch to swing naturally during workouts.
To receive Exercise credit for the full duration of your workouts, regardless of their estimated intensity levels, you can instead track them via the Workout app using "Other" as the activity type. This credits one minute of Exercise for each full minute of the workout. Active calories are estimated at a rate equivalent to a brisk walk or based on data recorded by the heart rate sensor, whichever is higher.
For times when data from the accelerometer is taken into account, calibrating your watch can improve the accuracy of estimations made by Activity app and Workout app. More information and instructions for calibrating your watch are available via the link below. The article also includes instructions for resetting existing calibration data and starting afresh. (Resetting your calibration data will not erase your Activity history).
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