Apple Watch Monthly Challenge Exercise minutes (February Challenge)

Hi

Exercise credit

To credit progress towards your 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 - when the Activity app tracks activity in the background - 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 you are not meeting that requirement and/or that your activity is not being tracked accurately.

If you have not yet done so, then it may help to first update your iPhone and Apple Watch to the latest software, starting with your iPhone:

• Update the iOS on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support
• Update your Apple Watch - Apple Support

Whilst Apple has not published details of the algorithm that determines when activity is deemed to meet the required intensity level, the definition does vary by person and depends on your personal information. To check that it is accurate:

On your iPhone, in the Watch app, go to: My Watch (tab) > Health > Edit - tap and adjust items, then tap on Done.

When recording specific fitness activities, be sure to use the Workout app (or a third-party app that shares data to Health) and to choose the activity type that most closely matches your workout, including choosing Other for any workouts that are neither included within nor sufficiently similar to those in the main list. This enables your watch to use the most appropriate sensors and data sources when tracking results:

• Work out with your Apple Watch - Apple Support
• About workout types - Apple Support

Note that Apple Watch can pair and sync with compatible gym equipment, by following the instructions here:

Use gym equipment with Apple Watch

For more accurate tracking of any 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 watch mode), 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.

Apple Watch Series 2 & 3 models have built-in GPS, so the paired iPhone does not need to be taken along during supported outdoor workouts in order for them to be able to access Location Services information. For other models, it may help to take your iPhone along, with Location Services enabled.

During general daily wear and when using the Workout app to record relevant workouts (ie where arm motion is involved) when GPS data is either not relevant or not available - including treadmill-based workouts - the Activity app and Workout app track your arm motion (measured by the accelerometer) when estimating results including progress towards the Exercise goal.

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

Resetting your existing calibration data and recalibrating your Apple Watch may help to improve the accuracy of activity-related estimations. More information and detailed instructions are available via the link below. Resetting your calibration data and following detailed instructions for calibrating your Apple Watch can be equally as helpful for Series 2 & 3 models and will not erase your Activity history:

Calibrating your Apple Watch for improved Workout and Activity accuracy - Apple Support

For the best performance from your Apple Watch - including the most accurate readings from the heart rate sensor, which is used continually during workouts - be sure to wear your Apple Watch snugly (but not too tightly) during general daily wear and during any workouts. Apple suggests tightening your Apple Watch band before workouts and loosening it again afterwards:

Wearing your Apple Watch - Apple Support

If you would prefer to receive Exercise credit for the full duration of workouts, regardless of their estimated intensity levels, then track them via the Workout app using "Other" as the activity type. This will credit one minute of Exercise for each full minute of the workout. Active calories will be estimated at a rate equivalent to a brisk walk or based on data recorded by the heart rate sensor, whichever is higher. However, note that neither distance nor a route map are recorded for outdoor workouts under this workout activity type.

Otherwise, if you are concerned that Exercise credit is not being awarded accurately, 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:

• US: Apple Watch Service Answer Center - Apple Support
• Elsewhere: Select your country for Apple Watch service and repair information

More information:

Track workouts and stay healthy with Apple Watch - Apple Support

Use the Activity app on your Apple Watch - Apple Support

Get the most accurate measurements using your Apple Watch

Activity Challenges

If you have met the requirements for an Activity Challenge, but the achievement has not yet been awarded, then Apple advises that you should allow nine days for it to be awarded:

Earn Activity achievements using your Apple Watch - Apple Support

The following steps may also help:

If you have not yet done so, then update your iPhone and Apple Watch to the latest software, starting with your iPhone (links are provided above):

• Update your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support
• Update your Apple Watch - Apple Support

Check your personal information:

• On your iPhone, in the Watch app, go to: My Watch (tab) > Health.
• If the setting for Wheelchair currently states "Not Set", then change it to "Yes" or "No" as appropriate and then restart both your iPhone and your Apple Watch, turning both off together, then restarting your iPhone first:
  • Restart your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support
  • How to restart your Apple Watch - Apple Support
• If this change was required, then still allow nine days for the achievement to be credited.

If the issue persists after that time, then I suggest that you contact Apple Support for assistance:

• Contact - Official Apple Support
• Apple Support (@AppleSupport) | Twitter
• Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple

If your Apple Watch indicates that you are earning further minutes and the information is not being synced to the Activity app, then I suggest that you follow the instructions here, if necessary including unpairing and re-pairing your Apple Watch - including if your devices indicate that they are connected, but do not behave accordingly:

• If your Apple Watch isn't connected or paired with your iPhone - Apple Support
• Unpair your Apple Watch and iPhone - Apple Support
• Set up your Apple Watch - Apple Support

i have the same problem. my challenge is to burn 26,270 calories and the app has stopped adding calories only to this award, which is stuck at 23,883. everything else syncs...from my screenshots, notice that the calorie wheel continues to go up (from 1,302 to 1,310), but the award calories stay the same. i went through and added all of my calories manually (because they are correct for the individual days) and the actual count is 26,963.

Wow, the February challenge just disappeared for me. What the heck!!! So like you guys, i did not earn it even though I completed goal way above. I needed 6 workouts of 15 minutes or more and I did 27 workouts in total of at least 15 minutes or more. Definitely a bug. I only got the move award. Really *****!!! I was working hard towards this award.

Now I see there's the normal move goal award and there's again a March challenge of doubling my move goal 28 times. I hope they don't mess this one up too. Will be observing...

Similar (but not same) issue for me. Must be something generally buggy with the February monthly challenge. My challenge was for miles walked, and I made a focused effort the last 3 days of the month to get me over the goal. Screenshot of me beating the goal last night below... but for some reason I did not receive the achievement yesterday. I figured I’d get it today (3/1), but when I woke up today the Feb challenge badge just disappeared—even though I met the goal. I know it’s just a virtual badge, but it’s kind of a bummer after the focus put in last week.

Anyone geting the same bug for March. So, below, the badge has counted by February challenge as a March achievement. So, 1 March i've already achieved the March move goal. This is really messing up achievements.

Hello Tai-kun. Your not the only one with this problem. I have the same problem. Mine says that i can earn this award by doing 6 workouts that lasts for 15 minutes at least or more. You've done 5 workouts so far this month. I do 15 minutes workout every day, Monday to Friday and then 30 minutes workout Saturday and Sunday. And it's just stuck at 5 workouts when i've done more than 10 workhouse of 15 minutes and more. Am thinking, is it an award that only comes at the end of February? So your not alone in this and wondering why mine is also stuck at 5 workouts.

For me the information is being synced for all other activities, just the February challenge. i close my rings and it syncs fine. Workout, move and stand all sync ok. Even doubling my move goal, longest move reached...etc all are synced. Just the February challenge. I have a hunch this will come through by 28 Feb or 1 March which will be strange.

I had that in February.

In the first days of feb I was more active and right away got the award after a day or two. Like it used last 30 day average.

In general all these challenges are as if it was the homework of some first year student, not engineered by the most expensive company in the world.

Same for me. Feb challenge award disappeared this morning (even though I had met the goal) and then showed up again like an hour ago... still feels like something funky is going on with their Challenge badging--but I'm good now.

I didn’t even have a February Challenge. I noticed the March Challenge and figured it was a

New thing for March. Was the February Challenge a calorie burn goal or a work out goal? In regards to not getting the Work Out credit, I figure the watch is only really good at tracking movements, so it can figure out based on heart rate and changes in location how fast u change location, but hitting the weights only your heart rate increases, and it can’t do much with only that information. I had a friend that hit the gym daily for weight training and would be ****** because he wouldn’t close the workout circle unless he did some cardio. Hope this helps....you think not being able to get this challenge is bad, imagine trying to get a perfect month, and you iPhone flips out just a little after midnight on Jan 31, having to order a new phone, getting it Feb 1, restoring from a backup that didn’t have a completed circle on the 30th, then having an issue pairing the watch to the phone where the watch is paired with Bluetooth, but still not connected, so I’m getting my circles, but the phone doesn’t know, so I have u pair again, on Feb 3 with no possibility of earning a perfect Feb month nor Jan month. Yeah that sucked!!!