Using a smartwatch on iOS
Steps & Beasts does not pair with your watch. On iPhone we read steps from the Health app (Apple Health).
Your watch never writes to us directly. The manufacturer’s app on the phone is the missing link.
An Apple Watch is the exception that feels automatic: it writes to Apple Health as soon as Fitness Tracking is on. Every other brand needs a toggle in its own app.
Menu names move around when apps update. If a label below does not match, search for “Apple Health” or “Health” inside the companion app.
Get set up
If your watch’s companion app writes steps into Apple Health, we pick them up automatically. If it does not write them there, we cannot see the watch - only the iPhone’s own step sensor.
Apple Health is built in. You do not install it.
Give Steps & Beasts permission to read steps:
- Open Health.
- Tap your profile picture (top right).
- Under Privacy, tap Apps.
- Tap Steps & Beasts.
- Turn on Steps.
You can also do this from iPhone Settings → Health → Data Access & Devices → Steps & Beasts, or from the permission screen inside Steps & Beasts.
The iPhone itself already counts steps. That is fine. We also read the phone sensor and take the higher of the two for the day.
Connect your brand
Do this in the manufacturer’s app - not in Steps & Beasts. Always allow that app to write Steps. After you connect it, open Health → Search → Steps → Data Sources & Access. The companion app should appear as a source. If it is there and showing today’s walk, we can read it.