The Apple Watch is a dynamic gadget that works like your iPhone on your wrist. Its unique features with cutting-edge technology keep you aware of your health, office work, personal chores, communication, and daily news.

However, the Apple Watch sometimes behaves abnormally, especially with its Activity tracking feature. Since it’s a human-made electronic device, it makes sense that your watch might give you tough times.

So what should you do when you face the Apple Watch not tracking activity issue?

This guide will show you how to fix your Apple Watch Series 5/6/7.

What’s Activity in Apple Watch?

Before we move to the solutions, let’s know how Apple Watch understands the word “activity.”

The Activity App

The Activity app tracks your movement, including walking, standing, running, pulse rate, and calorie measurements. In addition, you will see three rings that summarize your daily activity in the Activity app.

Moreover, the Activity app takes your details and uses them to calculate your daily activity.

However, if you are not getting the tracking record on your Apple Watch, there could be several reasons:

  • The activity app is disabled
  • Old iOS/WatchOS version
  • Software bugs
  • Hardware issues

Therefore, we’ll go through the steps that will help you revive the activity tracking in your Apple Watch.

Update Software on Both Your iPhone & Apple Watch

Before taking any risky step, make sure that your iPhone and Apple Watch have the latest OS version installed. Follow these steps to verify that:

Update Your iPhone

  1. Connect your iPhone to a stable Wi-Fi network or turn on the cellular data.
  2. Go to the Settings app.
  3. Select General > Software Update.
  4. If you see that the latest iOS version is available, tap “Download and Install.”

Once you are done updating iOS on your iPhone, update your Apple Watch.

Update your Apple Watch

Your Apple Watch must have at least 50% battery to download and install the latest version of Watch OS. Therefore,

  1. Connect the Apple Watch to power. Make sure that you don’t disconnect your Apple Watch or the software update will fail, and that will affect the system settings.
  2. Connect your iPhone to a stable Wi-Fi network.
  3. Put your Apple Watch close to your iPhone.
  4. On your iPhone, open the Apple Watch app.
  5. Tap the My Watch tab > General > Software Update.
  6. If an update is available, tap “Download and Install.”
  7. Enter your Passcode if necessary.
  8. Click “Agree” if the Terms and Conditions page opens.

Once you have updated both the devices, the issue might get resolved. However, if your Apple Watch is still not tracking activity, try this method.

Check Fitness Tracking & Heart Rate Features

The Activity app on your iPhone and Apple Watch depends on multiple settings. Therefore, let’s check the most important ones and enable them before moving ahead.

Fitness Tracking & Heart Rate on iPhone

  1. Go to the Settings app.
  2. Select Privacy > Motion & Fitness.
  3. Check that the “Fitness Tracking” and “Heart Rate” features are enabled.

Now, repeat the same thing on your iPhone for Apple Watch.

  1. Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone.
  2. Select the My Watch tab > Privacy.
  3. Check that the “Fitness Tracking” and “Heart Rate” are turned on.

After checking these settings, let’s move to the Wrist Detection feature of your Apple Watch.

Wrist Detection

No doubt, your Apple Watch calculates and shows data on the Activity app through your arm’s movement and the accelerometer. Therefore, the Wrist Detection must be enabled and working fine on your Apple Watch.

Check whether this feature is enabled or not.

Enable Wrist Detection on Watch App

  1. Open the My Watch app on your iPhone.
  2. Enter the Passcode.
  3. Find Wrist Detection and make sure it’s enabled.

Now check if your Apple Watch is tracking activity or not. If the issue persists, let’s move to the next method.

Location Services on iPhone

The Location Services do create an influence on the Apple Watch Activity app. If you do not see the activity rings, try enabling the Location Services on your iPhone.

  1. Go to the Settings app.
  2. Go to Privacy > Location Services.
  3. Toggle on Location Services.

If this method doesn’t work for you, let’s try the next step.

System Services & Other Settings

In System Services, there are a few options that you have to turn on to make your Apple Watch start tracking your activity.

  1. Go to Settings > Privacy.
  2. Select Location Services > Tap System Services.
  3. Now turn on Wi-Fi Networking, Motion Calibration & Distance, Mobile Network Search, and Setting Time Zone.

After turning on these options, your Apple Watch is supposed to show you your activity again. However, if it doesn’t work, let’s try the next fix.

Update Personal Details

If you don’t know, your details play an important role in showing your daily activity on your Apple Watch. Therefore, it’s important to update your details frequently.

  1. Open the My Watch app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap the My Watch tab.
  3. Go to the Health tab > Edit.
  4. Update your Personal Details & tap Done.

After updating that, restart your iPhone and Apple Watch.

Restart iPhone

  1. Press and hold the Power Button.
  2. If a slider appears for confirmation, drag the slider. It will turn off your iPhone.
  3. Now press and hold the Power Button again until the Apple logo appears to turn on your iPhone.

Restart Apple Watch

  1. Press and hold the Side Button. You will see the Power Off slider.
  2. Drag the slider to power off the Apple Watch.
  3. Press and hold the Side button again until the Apple logo appears to turn it on.

According to the Apple Watch users, restarting both devices fixes the problem.

Calibrate Your Apple Watch

  1. Wear the Apple Watch on your wrist.
  2. Select Open Outdoor Area. This will improve the GPS signals.
  3. Tap Outdoor Walk/Run.
  4. In the upper right corner, tap the three dots for more options.
  5. Start walking/running for 20 minutes like you normally walk/run.

Reset Calibration Data

The calibration data is vital in tracking your activity via your Apple Watch. Therefore, follow these steps to reset calibration data.

  1. Launch Apple Watch app on your iPhone.
  2. Select the My Watch tab.
  3. Go to Privacy.
  4. Tap on Reset Fitness Calibration Data.

When you select the “Reset Fitness Calibration Data” option, all fitness tracking and motion calibration in the workout app reset.

Re-Pair & Unpair Apple Watch

In this method, make sure that the distance between your iPhone and your Apple Watch is not more than 20 feet.

  1. On your paired iPhone, open the Apple Watch app.
  2. Tap the My Watch tab.
  3. You will see your Apple Watch when it pops up on your screen.
  4. Tap the “i” symbol next to your Apple Watch.
  5. Select “Unpair Apple Watch.”

Once you successfully unpair your watch, you will see the message again to re-pair your Apple Watch again. Do that and see whether it fixed the issue or not.

Conclusion

These methods will surely fix the activity rings on your Apple Watch. However, if your Apple Watch is still having the same problem, contact Apple Support and let them fix the issue for you.