Connecting an external heart rate monitor (HRM) to Apple Fitness primarily involves pairing the HRM with your Apple Watch. Once connected to the watch, the heart rate data from the external monitor will be used for workouts tracked through the Apple Watch's Workout app, which then syncs with the Apple Fitness app on your iPhone.
Steps to Connect Your Heart Rate Monitor
Here’s how you can connect most Bluetooth heart rate monitors to your Apple Watch for use with Apple Fitness:
- Prepare Your Heart Rate Monitor: Ensure your HRM has a fresh battery and is turned on (if it has a power button) or is being worn correctly to activate it (many chest straps activate upon detecting a heartbeat).
- Open Settings on Your Apple Watch: Press the Digital Crown to go to your app list, then tap the Settings app icon.
- Access Bluetooth Settings: Scroll down and tap on Bluetooth.
- Scan for Devices: Your Apple Watch will automatically scan for nearby Bluetooth devices.
- Find and Select Your HRM: Look for your heart rate monitor in the list of devices under "Health Devices" or "Other Devices." Its name might be the brand name (e.g., "Wahoo TICKR") or a generic identifier. Tap on your HRM's name when it appears.
- Pair the Device: The watch will attempt to pair. Once successfully connected, it will usually move to the "My Devices" list, often showing a "Connected" status.
| Step | Action | Location on Apple Watch |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Activate HRM | Wear or turn on HRM | External |
| 2. Open Settings | Tap Settings icon | App List |
| 3. Go to Bluetooth | Scroll and tap Bluetooth | Settings App |
| 4. Scan | Watch scans automatically | Bluetooth Screen |
| 5. Select HRM | Tap your HRM's name | Bluetooth Device List |
| 6. Confirm Connection | Verify "Connected" status (if shown) | My Devices List (Bluetooth) |
Using Your Connected HRM with Apple Fitness
Once your heart rate monitor is connected to your Apple Watch, it will automatically be prioritized for heart rate data during workouts tracked via the Apple Watch's Workout app.
As shown in the provided reference, after your heart rate monitor is connected, you can start an activity (such as cross training, as demonstrated). During the activity, your Apple Watch should use the HR readings from the connected monitor. This data is then sent to the Apple Fitness app on your iPhone, providing more accurate heart rate tracking for your workout summaries.
During a Workout
- Open the Workout app on your Apple Watch.
- Select the desired workout type (e.g., Running, Cycling, HIIT).
- Start the workout.
- The watch should now be receiving heart rate data from your external HRM instead of its built-in optical sensor.
- The heart rate displayed during the workout will come from the connected HRM.
This seamless integration ensures that if you prefer the accuracy or comfort of a chest strap or arm-based HRM, that data is used within the Apple Fitness ecosystem when tracking activities.
For troubleshooting, ensure your HRM is fully charged or has a good battery, is correctly worn, and is not connected to any other devices (like a phone or other watch) concurrently. You may need to unpair and re-pair if connection issues persist.
