How to force sync  watch?

I’m running the latest iOS 11.2.1 and watch os 4.2 and notice that my watch at times just won’t sync to the activity app. I’ve tried rebooting the watch. Rebooting the phone. Force killing the activity app on both devices. Toggling airplane mode. Nothing seems to help. It just wony sync. Any thoughts would be appreciated. The phone is connected. Just issues with health and activity. Other apps communicate just fine from what I can tell. Watch is series 2 and iPhone 8plus

Posted on Jan 7, 2018 8:07 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jan 8, 2018 6:09 AM

Hi


As you know, Health and Activity data should sync automatically from your Apple Watch to the Activity app and Health app on your paired iPhone:



The following steps may help (I appreciate that you have already tried some of them):


If you are sharing an Apple ID with another user, then stop doing so.

  • For Activity tracking and reporting and various other features and services to work as intended, each person should each have a separate Apple ID and be signed in accordingly on their own devices.


If you have not yet done so, update your iPhone and Apple Watch with any available software updates, starting with your iPhone (begin by making a backup):


On your iPhone, go to: Settings > Privacy > Motion & Fitness - check that both Fitness Tracking and Health are enabled.


On your iPhone, in the Watch app, go to: My Watch > Privacy > check that both Fitness Tracking and Heart Rate are enabled.


Close certain apps and then restart (normally) both your iPhone and your Apple Watch:


If you use your Apple Watch separately when tracking workouts, then, after your Apple Watch is brought back into Bluetooth range of your iPhone after a workout, check that your devices are reconnecting via Bluetooth:


If you have previously used any third-party fitness tracking, sleep tracking or heart rate monitoring apps:

  • Check the developers' support resources and/or contact the developers to check for any known issues affecting how data is shared to the Health app on your iPhone.
  • Check whether there is an active or paused session within any of them.
    • If there is, then end that session from within that app on your Apple Watch.
    • If in doubt, it may help to remove any such third-party apps from your Apple Watch, at least temporarily.

  • If the issue persists, unpair and re-pair your Apple Watch again:


    If the issue still persists, then it may next help to unpair your Apple Watch, make an encrypted back up of your iPhone, restore it to factory settings (with a fresh copy of iOS) and then re-pair your Apple Watch:


    If the issue still persists, then I suggest that you contact Apple Support (remote diagnostics and/or mail-in service may be available, if required), make a Genius Bar reservation or visit an Apple Authorised Service Provider for assistance:


    3 replies
    Question marked as Top-ranking reply

    Jan 8, 2018 6:09 AM in response to darkfire.shadows

    Hi


    As you know, Health and Activity data should sync automatically from your Apple Watch to the Activity app and Health app on your paired iPhone:



    The following steps may help (I appreciate that you have already tried some of them):


    If you are sharing an Apple ID with another user, then stop doing so.

    • For Activity tracking and reporting and various other features and services to work as intended, each person should each have a separate Apple ID and be signed in accordingly on their own devices.


    If you have not yet done so, update your iPhone and Apple Watch with any available software updates, starting with your iPhone (begin by making a backup):


    On your iPhone, go to: Settings > Privacy > Motion & Fitness - check that both Fitness Tracking and Health are enabled.


    On your iPhone, in the Watch app, go to: My Watch > Privacy > check that both Fitness Tracking and Heart Rate are enabled.


    Close certain apps and then restart (normally) both your iPhone and your Apple Watch:


    If you use your Apple Watch separately when tracking workouts, then, after your Apple Watch is brought back into Bluetooth range of your iPhone after a workout, check that your devices are reconnecting via Bluetooth:


    If you have previously used any third-party fitness tracking, sleep tracking or heart rate monitoring apps:

    • Check the developers' support resources and/or contact the developers to check for any known issues affecting how data is shared to the Health app on your iPhone.
  • Check whether there is an active or paused session within any of them.
    • If there is, then end that session from within that app on your Apple Watch.
    • If in doubt, it may help to remove any such third-party apps from your Apple Watch, at least temporarily.

  • If the issue persists, unpair and re-pair your Apple Watch again:


    If the issue still persists, then it may next help to unpair your Apple Watch, make an encrypted back up of your iPhone, restore it to factory settings (with a fresh copy of iOS) and then re-pair your Apple Watch:


    If the issue still persists, then I suggest that you contact Apple Support (remote diagnostics and/or mail-in service may be available, if required), make a Genius Bar reservation or visit an Apple Authorised Service Provider for assistance:


    Jan 8, 2018 6:11 AM in response to Jonathan UK

    Thank you. I’ve done pretty much all of that. What I find is at times it just doesn’t sync for hours and hours. I was able to force it to sync by killing heart rate, workout and activity app on the watch.


    Not the easiest way and certainly a hack. But when it pauses syncing there isn’t a clean way to kick start it up. It’s very annoying.


    Apple has lost some of its “just works” street cred lately.

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