Apple Watch Not Counting Steps Problem

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Apple watch has a wide variety of features and functions that makes it different and unique from all the other smart watches that are  available in the market today. That is why it is known to be the best smartwatch amongst the others. The Apple watch can do a lot of things from app installed. But aside from using it to tell time, it can also monitor your Physical Activity but there are instances wherein users experience Apple watch not counting steps on Activity App.

The Activity App on the Apple Watch allows you to keep track of your physical activity in terms of movements for an entire day and also suggests and encourages the user to somehow meet its goals for fitness and health. It basically keeps track and records the number of steps and even the how much calories are burned. It’s pretty much useful when you go for a walk in the park or go to the gym to do some workout. 

However, it can be very frustrating if suddenly your Apple watch is no longer tracking and counting your steps or perhaps not accurately tracking it for some reason. Say for example you’ve been doing a brisk walking for about an hour only to find out that only 10minutes of the entire walk was tracked and recorded. Lucky for you there potential solutions to try to fix the problem of Apple Watch no longer counting and tracking steps on your Physical activity, read on below to find out how.

SOLUTION 1: WEAR APPLE WATCH FIRMLY

Make sure to check that the Apple watch is firmly secured on your wrist. It means that the wrist band should neither be too loose or too tight on your wrist. It should be just the right fit. As Apple would say that A better fit can get better and good readings.

Apple watch comes with two wristband straps with different length upon purchase so that you can adjust the strap according to your own personal preferences to get that perfect fit. 

SOLUTION 2: GET A GOOD GPS RECEPTION

Having a good GPS reception allows you to accurately track and record your steps and allows it to a more accurate distance as well as speed of your Physical Activity on a daily basis most specially during an outdoor activity without the need of your iPhone that is synced to your Apple watch. 

SOLUTION 3: ENABLE LOCATION SERVICES

Make sure that Location Service on Apple watch is enabled so that your location can be used to track and record the steps on your Apple watch. It provides information based on your current and approximate location which can be accessed when enabling Location services on Apple watch. Enable Location services by following the steps below:

  1. Gently press the Digital Crown from the watch face to view apps

  2. Tap on Settings

  3. Then tap on Privacy

  4. Next, tap on Location Services

  5. Toggle ON Location services tab

SOLUTION 4: ENABLE MOTION CALIBRATION AND DISTANCE

Technically, if you want your device to keep track and record your physical activity the Motion Calibration and Distance feature should be enabled or turned ON. This feature is used in different fitness and workout activities that can be performed on both iOS and Apple watches devices. It allows you to keep track of your steps. If this isn’t enabled, it is probably the cause why your wearable is no longer counting and recording your steps. To enable motion calibration and distance feature on the iPhone paired or synced with Apple watch, do the steps below:

1. Go to Settings from the home screen of your iPhone

2. Tap on Settings

3. Then tap on Location Services (Should also be enabled by doing the steps below)

  • Go to Settings from the home screen

  • Tap on Privacy

  • Then tap on Location Services

  • Toggle ON Location services tab

4. Scroll down from the list of options and tap on System Services

5. Locate Motion Calibration and Distance tab, ang Toggle ON to enable it.

SOLUTION 5: ENABLE FITNESS TRACKING

Ideally, from the name itself, you have to make sure that Fitness Tracking feature on Apple watch is enabled so that it can track and record your physical fitness activities. It uses the movements of your body to accurately determine calories burned, count your steps and even determine your fitness level. Enable it by doing the following:

  1. Open Watch App from the home screen of your iPhone paired to Apple watch

  2. Scroll down from the list of options and tap on Privacy

  3. On the Fitness Tracking tab, Toggle ON to activate or enable.

SOLUTION 6: UNLOCKED APPLE WATCH

If you have set a passcode for your Apple watch, you also need to enable wrist detection so that when you wear your watch it will automatically unlock. However, if you have set your Passcode and Wrist Detection feature isn’t enabled, you may need to manually enter the Passcode on your Apple Watch to unlock it. 

You will also have the option to set your Apple watch to automatically unlock when the paired iPhone is also unlocked. To set this up, do the following steps below:

  1. Go to Watch App from the home screen of your iPhone

  2. Scroll down from the list of options and tap on Passcode

  3. Toggle ON ‘Unlock with iPhone’ tab

When ‘Unlock with iPhone’ tab is enabled, it will automatically unlocks Apple watch every time iPhone unlocks. 

SOLUTION 7: PERSONAL INFORMATION SHOULD BE ACCURATE

In order for Apple watch to accurately determine the number of steps as well as the calories burned, you have to make sure that the information on your Apple watch are accurate, also health information should also be as accurate as possible. To check accurateness of personal information, follow the steps below:

  1. Go to the Health App of your iPhone

  2. Tap on the Profile picture located at the upper right corner

  3. On the Medical Details category, tap on Health Profile

  4. Tap on Edit at the upper right corner of the screen

  5. Fill in the details completely and accurately

  6. Tap on Done to confirm action and changes made. 

SOLUTION 8: SET UP ACTIVITY APP

As previously mentioned, Activity App on Apple watch allows you to record and track your movements, daily exercises and even how much time you stand up on that day. Activity App can be set up and configured by doing the steps below:

  1. Go to Activity App from the home screen of your iPhone

  2. Next, tap on Set up Activity

  3. Then, enter personal information

  4. Tap on Continue

  5. Next, Set up your goals on Daily move by using the plus and minus buttons to adjust goals.

  6. Then, tap on Set Move Goal, Exercise and Stand goals.

SOLUTION 9: FORCE QUIT THIRD PARTY APPS

There are instances wherein too much third party apps running in the background can cause some errors with the other apps on your Apple watch. Make sure to force quit those running apps to allow more storage space on the system for Activity to accurately record and track. Force quit apps by: 

  1. Tap on the button located at the right side of your Apple watch, just below the Digital Crown to reveal running apps represented as an App card

  2. Slide App card from right to left to reveal and X option.

  3. Tap on the “X” to quit the running app.

SOLUTION 10: UPDATE TO THE LATEST SOFTWARE

Most of the time, whenever there are issues on your devices that maybe related to its software can cause errors on apps and features, hence in this case problem with Apple watch no longer counting and recording your steps. It is important and recommended to update your devices to the latest software. When Apple releases a new software update, it offers a new improvements on apps and features as well as fixes glitches and bug that may have caused the issue to occur. Both the iPhone and Apple watch should be updated:

On the iPhone:

  1. Go to Settings from the home screen of your iPhone

  2. Then, tap on General

  3. Tap on Software Update, Apple server will now Check for available updates. 

  4. If there is an available update for download, then tap on Download and Install.

  5. But if there is no available update to download, it simply means that the software running on your iPhone is up to date.

On your Apple watch:

  1. Press gently the digital crown of your Apple watch which is located at the right side.

  2. Then tap on Settings

  3. Afterwhich, tap on General

  4. Tap on Software Update, it will now check for available updates. If there is any, tap on install to update.

  5. A message appears “Apple watch is up to date” if your Apple watch is running on the latest software update.

SOLUTION 11: RECALIBRATE APPLE WATCH

In order to help improve the accuracy and correctness of the distance, calories measurements as well as your pace, you need to regularly Calibrate and recalibrate your Apple watch. It is likely possible that Apple watch just needs to be recalibrated for normal counting of steps will be back to normal and not causing any problem. To reset calibration, you may do the steps below:

  1. Go to Watch App from the home screen of your iPhone

  2. Tap on Privacy

  3. Then tap on Reset Fitness Calibration Data

  4. Prompt message will appear, then tap on Reset Fitness Calibration Data.

  5. Enable Motion Calibration And fitness by following the steps mentioned on Solution #4.

  6. Next, wear your Apple watch on your wrist and get a good GPS reception

  7. On your Apple watch, tap gently on the Digital crown.

  8. Then tap on the Workout app, an icon that looks like a running person colored green.

  9. Tap on either Outdoor Walk or Outdoor Run to start off. 

  10. Walk or Run around at a normal pace for about 20 minutes.

SOLUTION 12: UNPAIR AND THEN RE-PAIR APPLE WATCH

When the above solutions did not help fix problem with no longer counting steps on Apple watch, you may need to unpair your Apple watch from iPhone and to re-pair it again. It will reset its settings and you will need to set up your Apple watch again after you re-pair it. 

  1. Go to Watch app from the home screen

  2. Tap on the Profile name which can be found at the upper portion of the screen

  3. Next, tap on the “i” icon beside the profile name

  4. Then tap on Unpair Apple Watch

  5. Enter Apple watch Passcode to confirm action, when required

  6. To Pair again Apple watch, follow the onscreen instructions and set up an Apple watch. 

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