Watch 3 Not Tracking Steps

Hi

If your Steps (and potentially also other Activity app and/or Workout app estimations) have stopped being tracked or otherwise changed significantly for the same daily activities, then the following steps may help:

Check your personal information, which is used when your Apple Watch estimates Activity results:

• On your iPhone, in the Watch app, to go: My Watch > Health.
• Check and, if required, edit your data to ensure that it is accurate.
• If the setting for Wheelchair currently states "Not Set", then tap on Edit (upper-right) > tap on "Not Set" and change it to "No" (options are shown in the bottom area of the screen) > tap on Done (upper-right).

If you are not yet doing so, then use these settings and check that you are unlocking your Apple Watch after putting it on:

• On your iPhone, in the Watch app, go to: My Watch > Passcode:
  • Turn on each of Wrist Detection, Passcode and Unlock with iPhone.
• After putting it on your wrist, your Apple Watch will then unlock after whatever you do first: either unlocking your watch manually (by entering the passcode) or unlocking your iPhone.
• It will then remain unlocked (including when the screen is asleep) until you remove it from your wrist.
• When you remove your Apple Watch, it will lock automatically.

Check that you are wearing your Apple Watch sufficiently snugly on the top of your wrist (it may otherwise believe that it has been removed):

• Wearing your Apple Watch - Apple Support

Other issues that can impact sensor performance include skin perfusion and wrist tattoos:

• Your heart rate. What it means, and where on Apple Watch you’ll find it. - Apple Support
• Get the most accurate measurements using your Apple Watch - Apple Support

If you have ever (not necessarily recently) previously used the Workout app and/or any third-party fitness, sleep or heart rate tracking apps on your watch, then check on your Apple Watch to see whether there is an active or paused session within any of them.

• If there is, then end that session from within the app on your watch (not your iPhone).
• If in doubt, remove any such third-party apps from your Apple Watch, at least temporarily.

If you are using any such third-party apps, then also 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.

Follow this sequence of steps:

• On your iPhone, in the Watch app, go to: My Watch > Privacy - turn Fitness Tracking off.
• Close certain apps and then restart (normally) both your iPhone and your Apple Watch:
  • If an app unexpectedly quits, stops responding, or won’t open - Apple Support
    • Close the Watch app, Activity app and Health app (if open) on your iPhone.
    • Close the Workout app, Activity app and Heart Rate app on your Apple Watch.
  • Turn both devices off together, then restart your iPhone first:
    • Restart your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support
    • Restart your Apple Watch - Apple Support
• Re-enable Fitness Tracking and check other, related settings:
  • On your iPhone, in the Watch app, go to: My Watch > Privacy - turn on Fitness Tracking and Heart Rate.
  • On your iPhone, if the option is shown, go to: Settings > Privacy > Motion & Fitness - check that both Fitness Tracking and Health are enabled.

For more accurate tracking of outdoor workouts and to enable proper calibration for other circumstances, check your Location Services settings:

• On your iPhone, go to: Settings > Privacy > Location Services.
• Check that Location Services (the main setting at the top) is turned on.
• In the list of apps beneath, if the option is shown (depending on your Apple Watch model), then check that Apple Watch Workout is set to While Using.
• Also enable options under System Services including Motion Calibration & Distance, Wi-Fi Networking and Mobile Network Search.

Reset your existing calibration data and recalibrate your Apple Watch:

• Calibration can improve the accuracy of estimations made by Activity app and Workout app.
• More information and instructions are available via the link below:
  • Calibrating your Apple Watch for improved Workout and Activity accuracy - Apple Support
• Resetting your calibration data can be equally as helpful for Series 2 & 3 models and will not erase your Activity history.

Unpair and re-pair your Apple Watch:

• The Watch app on your iPhone takes a backup of your watch automatically when unpairing via the app.
• Initially choose to Restore from Backup during set up (most data and settings will be restored, with some exceptions, such as Apple Pay cards, passcode).
• If the issue persists, consider instead unpairing and setting it up as a new watch.
• Unpair your Apple Watch and iPhone - Apple Support
• Set up your Apple Watch - Apple Support

If the issue then persists, 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:

• US: Apple Watch Service Answer Center - Apple Support
• Elsewhere: Apple - Support

More information:

Get the most accurate measurements using your Apple Watch - Apple Support

Use the Activity app on your Apple Watch - Apple Support

Work out with your Apple Watch - Apple Support