Best Fitness Hacks Every Apple Watch User Should Know
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The Apple Watch is a powerful tool for tracking and tracking exercise. We’ve already shown you 10 hacks for all Apple Watch usersbut I’m here with tracking on the aptitude features, in particular. With these lesser-known settings, apps, and features, you can get the most out of your workouts and health data.
Give your Apple Watch rings a “day off”
Credit: Beth Skwarecki
The Fitness app on Apple Watch has three rings (Move, Exercise, Stand) that you can close during activity throughout the day. Not only should you change your movement and exercise goals to numbers that work for you (increasing or decreasing them as needed), but you can also program different goals for each day.
Originally, your movement, exercise, and standing goals were the same every day, but these days you can change your ring closing goals, including adding rest days. Go to Fitness application and tap the icon Activity Rings map, then tap the “+/-” icon next to each objective. You can create a weekly schedule so that you have lower goals on certain days. You can also temporarily change a goal just for today, such as reducing your stand hours goal on a day when you’re taking a road trip.
Wear your Apple Watch on your arm (or ankle)
The Apple Watch is intended to be worn on the wrist, but that doesn’t mean you to have to take it there. If your workout requires you to snatch kettlebells or bench press with wrist bands, consider wear the watch on your upper arm. Or if you’re using a standing desk, your steps may not be recorded unless you put the watch on your ankle. Both of these locations will likely require a larger strap than the one that came with the watch. Fortunately, you can buy an extra-long group, like this.
Change the Apple Watch app display for easier use during a workout
Credit: Beth Skwarecki
It’s a small hack, but one that makes using your watch while working out much easier: press the crown and you’ll see all your installed apps. By default, they appear as small icons grouped together. You can rearrange them if you want, but no matter the arrangement, it’s difficult to operate them accurately when running down the street. Make your life easier by scrolling to the bottom of this screen and tapping List view. This places your apps in an alphabetical list, with the name next to each icon. Now it’s much easier to harness everything you might need during your workout.
Use Bevel to bring data from your Apple Watch into one convenient dashboard
Credit: Beth Skwarecki
The Apple Watch collects a lot of data, but Apple doesn’t give you a convenient way to view it all in one place. The Fitness app has workout data and the Health app stores everything else, but the Health app isn’t as user-friendly as you might like. Third-party applications have stepped in to fill this gap. Bevelfor example, provides recovery scores and collects data in the same way you would see on a Whoop or Oura ring. There are other apps that do the same thing, like Athlytic, but I recommend Bevel because it has a free level (and most of its features are at this level). If you like the experience, consider shopping around to see if you prefer other apps.
Create custom intervals on your Apple Watch
The Workout app on Apple Watch has evolved a lot from its original format as a simple tracker with a start and stop button. The current version of the Fitness app has a small timer icon in the corner of each workout type, under the Workouts tab. Tap it and you can view and edit custom workouts. Schedule yourself an interval workout or a workout of a specific duration. You can do it more easily from your phone: Apple has instructions here.
Use your Apple Watch to run yourself
If you often run or cycle the same route, try the Race course functionality. Routes are automatically generated after completing the same trip twice. On the watch itself, navigate to the Training application and choose one Run Or Cycling workout, then tap the timer icon to view options, including running routes. You can choose to achieve your personal best on this route, or simply your last workout on this route. During the activity you will see if you are keeping pace with the previous workout.
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Do a workout even without an Apple Watch
It may appear empty, but it has been followed.
Credit: Beth Skwarecki
One of the best upgrades in iOS 26 is that the Fitness app can now track workouts even without the Apple Watch. If you left your watch at home but still want to run, you can track it directly from your phone. Just go to Fitness application, then Trainingthen tap the type of workout you want to perform. If you choose an outdoor workout like a run, your phone will track your distance and pace with the phone’s GPS. If you choose an indoor workout, the app can still record the workout with a timer, but it won’t be able to collect any data. You’ll get a record of the time spent training and an estimate of your calorie burn, and you’ll be able to rate your effort so the workout counts toward your training load. If you have a device that can measure your heart rate, such as a chest strap or headphones like the Powerbeats Pro 2– you can pair this device directly to your iPhone, without involving the watch, and track your workout via the Fitness app with heart rate data intact.
Connect your Apple Watch to a treadmill
The Apple Watch is pretty good at judging distance and speed outdoors when you’re running, and your iPhone can do a good job, too. But once inside on a treadmill, only the treadmill knows how far you run. The Apple Watch’s distance estimates aren’t always very good. That is, unless you’re using a treadmill that can transmit data directly to your watch. The treadmills in many commercial gyms have this feature through a system called Gym kit. In your Settings under the watch, go to Training and turn on Detect gym equipment. When using a compatible gym machine, there will be a place on the console to press your watch. You will hear a beep, then the data from your watch will be synchronized with that of the machine.
Install WorkOutDoors on your Apple Watch for more running data and mapping
Credit: Beth Skwarecki
We’ve seen that the original workout app has a lot of great features for running and other workouts, but many runners and hikers prefer a different option. Apple Watch WorkOutDoors app delivers Garmin-level mapping and data analytics while you run. It takes a little time to get familiar with all the features, but it’s an incredibly powerful tool for a small investment ($8.99 one-time fee).
Charge the Apple Watch battery before sleeping
If you use the Apple Watch to track your sleep, you don’t have the option to charge it while you sleep. But don’t worry if it’s close to bedtime and your battery is low: Apple Watches, especially newer models, are designed to charge quickly for precisely this reason. The Apple Watch series 11 only needs five minutes of charging for eight hours of sleep tracking.
