If you want your treadmill workouts to count in your Apple Health app, you’re in the right place. Learning how to add treadmill to Apple Health is simpler than you might think, and it ensures all your fitness data is in one spot. This guide will walk you through the different methods, whether you use a smart treadmill, a third-party app, or even manually log your sessions.
How to Add Treadmill to Apple Health
There isn’t a single “add” button inside Apple Health for treadmills. Instead, data flows into the Health app from connected apps and devices. Your main goal is to get a compatible app or device to write your treadmill workout data to Apple Health. Once permission is granted, it happens automatically.
Method 1: Sync from a Smart Treadmill or Wearable
Many modern treadmills and fitness watches can sync directly with Apple Health. This is often the most seamless way to get accurate data.
- Check Your Treadmill’s App: Brands like Peloton, NordicTrack, and Sole usually have their own apps. Download your treadmill’s app and look for Apple Health integration in its settings.
- Connect via Bluetooth: Ensure your iPhone’s Bluetooth is on. Open the Health app, go to your profile picture, then select “Devices.” If your treadmill is compatible, it should appear here when it’s trying to connect.
- Grant Permissions: When you first open a connected app, it will ask to read and write data to Apple Health. You must tap “Turn All Categories On” or individually allow “Workouts” and other relevant data like “Distance” and “Active Calories.”
Method 2: Use a Third-Party Workout App
If your treadmill is “dumb” or doesn’t connect, a third-party app on your iPhone or Apple Watch is your best friend. You start the workout on the app while you run, and it saves the data to Health.
- Choose a reputable fitness app like Strava, Nike Run Club, or even the native Apple Watch Workout app.
- Install the app and open it. During the initial setup, it will prompt you to connect to Apple Health. Always allow “Write” permissions.
- Before your treadmill workout, open the app on your phone or watch and select “Indoor Run” or “Treadmill” as the activity type.
- Start your run. The app will use your phone’s or watch’s sensors to estimate distance, pace, and calories.
- When finished, save the workout. It will automatically appear in your Apple Health workout history within a few moments.
Method 3: Manually Add a Treadmill Workout
Forgot to track a session? You can add it manually. Note that manually added workouts won’t have the same detailed metric data, but they keep your record complete.
- Open the Health app on your iPhone and tap the “Browse” tab at the bottom.
- Search for “Workouts” and select it.
- Tap “Add Data” in the top right corner.
- Choose “Indoor Run” as the Activity Type.
- Enter the start/end time, the total distance if you know it, and any calorie burn. You can also add optional notes.
- Tap “Add” in the top right. The workout will now appear in your Health and Fitness app logs.
Troubleshooting Common Sync Issues
Sometimes, data doesn’t show up. Here’s what to check:
- App Permissions: This is the #1 cause. Go to Health app > your profile > Privacy > Apps. Tap the app and ensure all toggles for writing data are ON (green).
- Update Everything: Make sure your iPhone, Apple Watch, and the third-party app are all running the latest software versions. An old update can break the connection.
- Restart Devices: Simply restarting your iPhone, Apple Watch, and even the treadmill can clear up temporary glitches.
- Check Data Sources: In Health, go to Workouts > scroll down > tap “Data Sources & Access.” Your preferred app should be at the top of the list. You can tap “Edit” to reorder them.
Making Sense of Your Treadmill Data in Apple Health
Once your workouts are flowing in, you can view them in a few places. The Fitness app on iPhone shows your workout rings and a list of recent sessions. The Health app itself stores the raw data. You can view trends over time by going to the “Browse” tab, selecting “Activity,” and then tapping on a metric like “Walking + Running Distance.”
It’s helpful to know that different apps might report slightly different calorie burns or distances. Apple Health uses the data from the priority source you set in “Data Sources.” If you use multiple apps, you might notice small discepancies between them.
Why Connecting Your Treadmill Matters
Having all your workouts in Apple Health gives you a complete picture of your fitness. It accurately closes your Move and Exercise rings on your Apple Watch. It also helps with long-term goal setting, as you can see your progress over weeks and months. Plus, it saves you from having to look in several different apps to remember what you did last week.
FAQ: Adding Treadmill Workouts to Apple Health
Q: Can I connect any treadmill to Apple Health?
A: Not directly. A treadmill needs either Bluetooth/BLE connectivity and a compatible app, or you need to use your iPhone/watch sensors via a third-party app to record the workout for you.
Q: My treadmill data isn’t showing up. What should I do?
A> First, verify the app’s write permissions in the Health app’s Privacy settings. Then, check for updates and restart your devices. Ensure your treadmill’s app is running in the background or is connected during the workout.
Q: What’s the difference between adding a workout manually vs. automatically?
A: Automatic syncing from an app or device includes rich data like heart rate, elevation, and splits. A manual entry is basic, often just containing the activity type, duration, and calories you input yourself.
Q: How do I add treadmill to Apple Health from my Apple Watch?
A: Use the Workout app on your watch. Select “Indoor Run.” When you finish and save, it automatically syncs to the Health app on your paired iPhone. No extra steps are needed.
Q: Will this work with my Peloton Tread or NordicTrack machine?
A: Yes, absolutely. Both the Peloton App and NordicTrack’s iFit app have Apple Health integration. You just need to enable it within those app’s settings menus after installing them on your phone.
Q: Can I edit or delete a treadmill workout I added by mistake?
A: Yes. In the Health app, find the workout in the Workouts section. Scroll to the bottom of the workout details and tap “Show All Data.” You can then swipe left on any entry to delete it. For edits, you may need to delete and re-add it correctly.
By following these steps, you can ensure every mile you log on the treadmill contributes to your overall health tracking in Apple’s ecosystem. It keeps your records accurate and motivates you by showing all your hard work in one convinient location.