The Apple Watch is a popular fitness tracker that can help you stay on top of your fitness goals. However, sometimes Apple Watches may not track exercise properly. This can be frustrating, especially if you are using your Apple Watch to track your progress towards a fitness goal.

Apple Watch Not Tracking Exercise Properly

This article will provide you with a step-by-step guide on how to troubleshoot and fix Apple Watch exercise tracking problems. You will learn how to check your settings, restart your Apple Watch, update to the latest version of watchOS, calibrate your Apple Watch, and clean your Apple Watch.

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Why isn’t my Apple Watch not tracking my exercise accurately?

The most common causes of Apple Watch not tracking exercise properly are:

Incorrect settings: Make sure that your Apple Watch is set to track the type of exercise you are doing. You can check your settings in the Settings app on your Apple Watch.
Software glitches: Sometimes, minor software glitches can prevent your Apple Watch from tracking your exercise properly. Restarting your Apple Watch or updating to the latest version of watchOS can usually fix these glitches.
Calibration issues: Your Apple Watch needs to be calibrated in order to accurately track your distance and pace. You can calibrate your Apple Watch by going for a walk or run for at least 20 minutes at a brisk pace.
Sensor issues: Dirt, sweat, and other debris can interfere with the sensors on your Apple Watch. Make sure to clean your Apple Watch regularly.
Hardware problems: In rare cases, a hardware problem with your Apple Watch may prevent it from tracking your exercise properly. If you have tried all of the troubleshooting steps above and your Apple Watch is still not tracking your exercise properly, you may need to contact Apple support for further assistance.

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Check your settings

You need to check your settings because incorrect settings can prevent your Apple Watch from tracking your exercise properly. For example, if you have not set your Apple Watch to track the type of exercise you are doing, it will not be able to accurately track your progress. Additionally, if you have not turned on workout detection, your Apple Watch may not start tracking your workout automatically.

To check your settings, follow these steps:

Open the Settings app on your Apple Watch.
Tap on Workout.
Scroll down and tap on Workout Detection.
Make sure that the type of exercise you want to track is turned on.

You can also check your workout settings in the Health app on your iPhone. To do this, follow these steps:

Open the Health app on your iPhone.
Tap on the Workouts tab.
Tap on the three dots in the top right corner of the screen.
Tap on Settings.
Make sure that the type of exercise you want to track is turned on.

Checking your settings is a quick and easy way to troubleshoot Apple Watch exercise tracking problems. If you are still having problems after checking your settings, please try the other troubleshooting steps in the article.

Here are some additional tips for checking your Apple Watch settings:

Make sure that your Apple Watch is set to track the correct type of exercise. You can choose from a variety of exercise types, including running, walking, cycling, swimming, and strength training.
Make sure that workout detection is turned on. This will allow your Apple Watch to start tracking your workout automatically when you start moving.
Check your other workout settings, such as your heart rate zones and calorie goals. You can adjust these settings to match your fitness goals.

Restart your Apple Watch

Restarting your Apple Watch can fix a variety of problems, including exercise tracking problems. When you restart your Apple Watch, it clears out any temporary glitches or software conflicts that may be causing the problem.

In regards to the problem of exercise tracking, restarting your Apple Watch can:

Clear out any temporary glitches that may be preventing the sensors from working properly.
Reset the app permissions, which may sometimes fix tracking problems.
Free up memory on your Apple Watch, which may improve the performance of the Workout app.

To restart your Apple Watch, press and hold the side button until you see the Power Off slider. Then, slide the slider to the right to turn off your Apple Watch. Once your Apple Watch is turned off, press and hold the side button again to turn it back on.

If you have tried all of the other troubleshooting steps and your Apple Watch is still not tracking your exercise properly, restarting your watch is a good next step to try.

Here are some additional tips for troubleshooting Apple Watch exercise tracking problems:

Make sure that your Apple Watch is snugly but comfortably fitted to your wrist. The sensors need to be in good contact with your skin in order to accurately track your heart rate and movement.
Avoid wearing your Apple Watch over clothing. The sensors may not be able to work properly through clothing.
If you are doing indoor exercise, make sure that you are in a well-lit area. The sensors may not be able to work properly in low-light conditions.
If you are using a treadmill or other fitness machine, make sure that the machine is calibrated correctly. An incorrectly calibrated machine can throw off your Apple Watch’s tracking data.

Update your Apple Watch

You have to update your Apple Watch because software updates often include bug fixes and performance improvements that can resolve issues with exercise tracking. For example, an update may include a fix for a bug that was preventing the Apple Watch from accurately tracking your heart rate or distance.

Updating your Apple Watch is also a good way to ensure that you have the latest features and functionality. For example, a recent update to watchOS added new features for tracking outdoor runs, such as Pace Zones and Stride Length.

To update your Apple Watch, follow these steps:

Make sure that your Apple Watch is connected to a Wi-Fi network.
Open the Settings app on your Apple Watch.
Tap on General.
Tap on Software Update.
If an update is available, tap on Download and Install.

Your Apple Watch will download and install the update. Once the update is installed, your Apple Watch will restart.

If you are having trouble with your Apple Watch not tracking your exercise properly, updating to the latest version of watchOS is a good thing to try.

Here are some additional tips for updating your Apple Watch:

Make sure that your Apple Watch has at least 50% battery life before starting the update process.
Connect your Apple Watch to a charger while it is updating.
Keep your Apple Watch close to your iPhone while it is updating.

Calibrate your Apple Watch

You need to calibrate your Apple Watch because it uses a built-in accelerometer and gyroscope to track your movement. These sensors can become less accurate over time, so it is important to calibrate them regularly.

Calibrating your Apple Watch helps to ensure that it is accurately tracking your distance and pace. This is especially important if you are using your Apple Watch to track your progress towards a fitness goal.

To calibrate your Apple Watch, go for a walk or run for at least 20 minutes at a brisk pace. Your Apple Watch will use this data to calibrate its sensors and improve the accuracy of its tracking.

Here are the steps on how to calibrate your Apple Watch:

Open the Workout app on your Apple Watch.
Tap on Outdoor Walk or Outdoor Run.
Tap on Start.
Walk or run for at least 20 minutes at a brisk pace.
Tap on End.

Your Apple Watch will be calibrated and ready to track your exercise more accurately.

You should calibrate your Apple Watch regularly, especially if you notice that your distance or pace tracking is not accurate. You should also calibrate your Apple Watch after you change your watch band or if you start using a new fitness machine.

Clean your Apple Watch

You have to clean your Apple Watch because dirt, sweat, and other debris can interfere with the sensors on the back of the watch. These sensors are used to track your heart rate, movement, and other important fitness data. If the sensors are dirty or blocked, they may not be able to work properly, which can lead to inaccurate tracking data.

Cleaning your Apple Watch regularly can help to ensure that the sensors are working properly and that your fitness tracking data is accurate.

To clean your Apple Watch, follow these steps:

Remove your Apple Watch from your wrist.
Wipe the back of the watch and the sensors on your wrist with a damp cloth.
Avoid using harsh chemicals or abrasive cleaners, as these can damage the watch.
Once the watch is clean, dry it off with a soft cloth.

You can also clean your Apple Watch with a mild soap and water solution. Just be sure to rinse the watch thoroughly and dry it off completely before putting it back on your wrist.

It is important to clean your Apple Watch regularly, especially if you use it for workouts or other activities that cause you to sweat. Cleaning your Apple Watch can help to improve the accuracy of your fitness tracking data and extend the life of your watch.

Here are some additional tips for cleaning your Apple Watch:

Avoid using alcohol or other harsh chemicals to clean your Apple Watch, as these can damage the finish of the watch.
If you are using a soap and water solution to clean your Apple Watch, be sure to rinse the watch thoroughly and dry it off completely before putting it back on your wrist.
You can use a soft toothbrush to clean the sensors on the back of your Apple Watch. Just be sure to brush gently to avoid damaging the sensors.
Avoid cleaning your Apple Watch while it is charging.

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