Apple Watch doesn't count steps when I'm on the treadmill. Also doesn't count steps if I'm on the elliptical.

Steps are recorded continuously throughout the time that you are wearing your watch, including during workouts.

Whilst steps are not reported as part of a workout summary, all steps taken during workouts are still added to your daily steps total in the Activity app.

To view your total steps so far for the day:

• Open the Activity app:
  • When viewing the time on your watch face, tap on the Activity rings icon / complication, or;
  • Or go the Home screen (via a single press of the Digital Crown) and tap on the Activity app icon (coloured rings).
• Scroll swipe up on the screen or turn the Digital Crown to scroll to the bottom of the day's results, where total steps and total distance are reported.

If you would prefer to keep track of your steps on the watch face, you can add a complication using a third-party app. Apps that you may wish to consider include, for example:

Pedometer++

• Integrates with the Health app and offers watch face complications:
• https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pedometer++/id712286167?mt=8

Watch My Health

• https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/watch-my-health/id1045023671?mt=8

HealthDash for Health App

• https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/healthdash-for-health-app/id984840234?mt=8

More information:

Change the watch face on your Apple Watch - Apple Support

Hi

For the most accurate results, record your treadmill and elliptical workouts using the Workout app (or a third-party fitness app) on your watch.

When recording a workout, also be sure to choose the activity type in the Workout app that most closely matches your workout, including Indoor Walk or Indoor Run for treadmill workouts and Elliptical for elliptical workouts. This enables your watch to use the most appropriate sensors and data sources when estimating the results, including using tailored calorie calculations for preset activity types.

During general daily wear and when using the Workout app to record indoor workouts when GPS data is not relevant (including treadmill and elliptical workouts), the Activity app and Workout app track your arm motion (measured by the accelerometer) when estimating results.

For the best results, allow the arm on which you are wearing your watch to swing naturally during general daily wear and to move as expected during relevant workouts.

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.

More information:

• Use the Workout app on your Apple Watch - Apple Support
• Use the Activity app on your Apple Watch - Apple Support
• Calibrating your Apple Watch for improved Workout and Activity accuracy - Apple Support

Steps are not included among the metrics reported by the Workout app for treadmill or elliptical workouts.

Nor are steps included among the daily goals in the Activity app. The goals and progress rings instead record:

• Move (active calories / kilojoules).
• Exercise (minutes).
• Stand (number of hours within which you have stood up and moved around for at least one minute within that hour).

Steps are recorded automatically by your watch during general daily wear and during workouts. Your daily steps total can be viewed by opening the Activity app on your watch and scrolling to the bottom of the day's results summary.

Use the Activity app on your Apple Watch - Apple Support

Technically in the Health app you can add steps for the day. But it won't calculate those as steps automatically.

I wouldn't want it to do anyway with it being a different exercise. It probably would throw your calories burned for the day off too. It's kind a like cheating saying you're working out and walking at the same time.

You said "red". Are you meaning your red ring calories burned a goal. Even though you are not taking steps it still will calculate your calories and affect your red ring.

I hope this helps. Take care

bertfromstafford wrote:

That's really annoying. Walking on a treadmill is not a different exercise than walking on the street.

The FITBIT can count them; the Apple Watch should too.

As I hoped to explain in my previous reply, once the Activity app has been set up: "Steps are recorded continuously throughout the time that you are wearing your watch, including during workouts."

That is the premise. It might show it as some crazy number of step if you didn't start said work out. It also would not be accurate, as it evaluates your steps by arm movement, cadence etc.

You're welcome! 🙂

That's really annoying. Walking on a treadmill is not a different exercise than walking on the street.

The FITBIT can count them; the Apple Watch should too.

Mine counts the steps I make on my treadmill.