How to track your steps with an Apple Watch
fancycrave1/PixabayYour Apple Watch is always tracking your steps.
- You can track the steps you've walked using the Activity app on Apple Watch.
- The Activity app for iPhone allows you to see how many steps you've walked on previous days, as well.
- Third-party apps are available for those who want to see their step count right on the Watch face.
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If you're a former Fitbit user or used to tracking your activity via steps walked in general, you're probably wondering where to find this number, as the rings on the Activity app for Apple Watch only show values for movement, exercise, and standing. Here's how it's done.
How to check the number of steps you've walked using the Activity app
Though the Activity app doesn't show it upfront, it is counting steps, and you can check its count at any time.
1. Open the Activity app on Apple Watch. Its icon has three concentric circles on it; red, green, and blue.
Abigail Abesamis/Business InsiderThe Activity app is on your Home Screen by default.
2. Scroll down by turning the Digital Crown or by swiping up on the Watch face to view your total step count for the day. You can also view your move, exercise, and stand progress for the day in percentages; how you've progressed in each of the rings during each hour of the day; your total distance; and flights of stairs climbed.
Abigail Abesamis/Business InsiderThe Apple Watch tracks numerous health-related stats.
3. If you have an Activity Watch face, you can view your steps by simply tapping on your rings. This will bring you to the same information, but saves you the step of having to go to the Home screen and opening the app from there.
4. View your weekly summary (which includes steps) by pressing firmly on the screen (when viewing your daily summary) and tapping Weekly Summary. Scroll down to see the total number of steps you've taken so far in the current week.
Abigail Abesamis/Business InsiderYour Weekly Summary gives individual readings for each day of the week.
How to view past activity in the Activity app for iPhone
While Apple Watch only shows your activity and steps for the day (plus a summary of the current week), you can see how you did on previous days using the iPhone app.
1. Open the Activity app on your iPhone.
2. Go to the History tab.
3. Tap on the desired date to view your Activity progress for each of the three rings, plus steps walked, distance traveled, and flights climbed.
Abigail Abesamis/Business InsiderThe Activity iPhone app lets you access your entire exercise history.
How to use a third-party app for more straightforward step readings
If opening an app and doing a little scrolling is more work than you want to do to check your steps, there are third-party apps that you can add as Watch complications - meaning all you'll need to do to view your step count is raise your wrist.
CNET contributor Matt Elliott, a former Fitbit user, found that the free app Pedometer++ better suited his step-tracking needs. Other free step-tracking apps include ActivityTracker, Accupedo, Argus, and Stepwise.
Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:
How to track your sleep with an Apple Watch
A beginner's guide to the Apple Watch: How to use its buttons and gestures, start workouts, and more
How to reset your Apple Watch and unpair it from an iPhone
How to update your Apple Watch and get the device's latest features