How does apple watch count steps?

Question

Level 1

12 points

How does apple watch count steps?

I just recently purchased an Apple Watch (series 2). I'm a musician and was conducting a few days ago. I noticed that in that hour, my watch counted almost 5,000 steps in the activity app. However I never took a single step. I see that the watch is supposed to use movement and GPS. Is there something I need to do to set it up correctly so that it doesn't count false steps when I'm sitting on a stool flapping my arms?

I like the idea of measuring my movement and other things during the day so I don't really want to have to take it off.

Any advise is appreciated.

Apple Watch Series 2, watchOS 3.2

Posted on Mar 31, 2017 10:59 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Jonathan UK

Level 10

163,901 points

Apr 1, 2017 2:03 AM in response to fotoole235

Hi

During general daily wear and when using the Workout app to record workouts when GPS data is either not relevant (such as for Indoor Walk workouts) or unavailable (due to lack of signal), your Apple Watch tracks your arm motion, measured by the built-in accelerometer, when estimating results including steps and distance.

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

Calibrating your watch can improve the accuracy of estimations made by Activity app and Workout app. Calibration teaches your Apple Watch how your arm movements relate to your stride lengths at different speeds when you are walking and/or running. It does this - during outdoor walks and/or outdoor runs recorded via the Workout app - by comparing data from the accelerometer with GPS (Location Services) data.

More information and instructions for calibrating your watch are available via the link below. The article also includes instructions for resetting existing calibration data.

More information:

Reply