This Long-Awaited Feature Is Finally Coming to Apple Watch.
We expect fitness trackers to count our steps—an idea Fitbit borrowed from pedometers long ago. In recent years, even Oura and Whoop have added step-tracking features. But the Apple Watch has never made it easy to view your step count, even though it keeps count in the background. Apple is finally changing that.
On the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra product pages, Apple boasts that the new watches offer more accurate step counting—which is interesting, as step counting wasn’t previously a key benefit. Then comes the big news: “Now you can more easily check your step count right on your watch face.”
Until now, getting a step counter on your watch has been extremely difficult. It seemed like it could be easily added to a watch widget (a widget is a small data field on the watch face), but no—if you want a small step counter displayed on the watch face, you’ll have to install a third-party app.
I can partially understand why: Apple wanted to differentiate itself from devices like Fitbit. You’re supposed to close rings , and rings are based on movement, exercise, and time spent standing. I can imagine someone at Apple saying, “No, step counting is stupid,” and they might be right. But the idea has become ingrained in the public consciousness; we now expect step counting, and Apple is finally going to deliver.
How to count steps on Apple Watch
First, your Apple Watch already counts your steps. You can see your step count by going to the Health app on your phone and searching for “Steps.” Scroll down to the “Steps” screen and tap ” Add to Pinned.” This will now be the first thing you see when you open the Health app. (Surprised the Health app can do this? You have no idea how many hidden features it has to offer.)
To get step counts on your Apple Watch right now , without updating the device, you’ll need to install a step-counting app. Duffy is a popular (free) app; there are many others, so choose the one you like. These apps usually include a widget that lets you add your step count to your favorite watch face.
What about using Apple’s new step-counting feature? Apple says it will be available on the Series 12 and Ultra 4 watches. It seems like a very simple software change, so I’m betting step-counting will arrive in watchOS 27 , which is expected to be released any day now and will work on the Series 9 and newer, the Ultra 2 and newer, and the SE 3. I’m currently using the public beta of watchOS 27, and step-counting isn’t available yet, but I’m keeping an eye on it.
I also noticed step counting in Apple’s screenshots demonstrating the upcoming Health app redesign . The app is installed on a phone, and the screenshot showed a small icon with Apple Watch rings, with a step count displayed underneath the rings. Apple states that the updated Health app design will be available on devices that support Apple Intelligence, meaning the iPhone 15 Pro and newer models.
Once this feature arrives on your watch, step counting will likely be available on the cards you see when you swipe up from the main watch face. Currently, you can pin a card showing your daily distance (I walked 0.65 miles from waking up to my house), but step counting isn’t available yet.