Google Fit not tracking activities? Here’s how to fix it

Google Fit is undoubtedly one of the most useful apps for tracking your fitness activity. But, just like most apps out there, it also has its fair share of bugs and issues that can come out depending on the circumstances.

If your Google Fit is not tracking activities, then that’s just one of the problems that can come up – and we’re here to help you fix it. 

Before troubleshooting, wait for at least an hour or two and see if your activity shows up.

So, without any further ado, let us get right into it!

Related reading:

Try this quick tip first!

If Google Fit isn’t syncing your activities from third-party apps, including Apple’s Health app, you can manually force Fit to refresh your data.

  • Open Google Fit on your phone.
  • Choose the Journal tab at the bottom (it looks like a notebook with writing lines.)
    • For Android, tap the reload button in the top right. reload Google Fit data on Android
    • For Apple devices like iPhones, swipe down from the top of the Heart Points graph to the middle of the screen–you should see the refresh circle. Refresh data in Google Fit on iPhone

1: Fix Google Fit’s permissions

One of the most common causes of this particular problem is wrong permissions. When you first set up the app, it usually asks for specific permissions like GPS, notifications, etc.

If you refuse to grant one of these permissions, that can create problems down the line, with one of them tracking activities correctly.

So, to fix it, you need to go back to the app’s settings and re-grant all the permissions that it needs.

  1. Go to Settings > Apps > All apps.
  2. Select Google Fit.
  3. Choose Permissions.

Then give it access to everything it needs, including location, physical activity, and storage.

Now give it another try, and hopefully, it’ll now work correctly.

iPhones are a bit different. To change permissions, you need to go to:

  1. Settings > Privacy. Make sure Location Services is on.
  2. Go back to Settings and scroll down to choose Google Fit
  3. Toggle on Background App Refresh.

If you use the Apple Health app and want to connect it to Google Fit, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Google Fit app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap the Profile tab at the bottom.
  3. Choose the Settings icon (gear) at the top.
  4. Tap Track your activities with Health.
  5. Turn on Connect Google Fit with Health and follow the instructions to sync Fit with the Health app. Google Fit on iPhone connect to Health app
  6. Open your iPhone’s Health app and choose Summary > your profile icon or picture.
  7. Scroll down and select Apps, then choose Google Fit. Allow Google Fit to read Apple Health app data from iPhone
  8. Turn on the data you want to allow Google Fit to read or turn everything on (recommended.)

Enter your height and weight for more accurate info

If you don’t enter your height and weight in Fit, the app bases your calories and other information on default measurements.
 
For a better estimate of calorie burn, you must update your info, especially if you’ve recently lost or gained weight (or height.)
  1. Open Google Fit and tap the Profile tab.
  2. Scroll down to the About you section and add or tap to update your height and/or weight. You can also adjust your gender or age via Birthday on some devices.Google fit change height and weight or age in Fit app
  3. Tap Done or OK to save your changes.

2: Make sure you turn on Google Fit’s Track Your Activities

Under Google Fit’s settings, you should find an option called “Track your activities.” This allows Google Fit to use your phone’s sensor to track steps and distance.

If you somehow accidentally turned that option off, this is the root of the tracking issues.

  1. Open Google Fit and choose the Profile tab (bottom right corner of the screen.)
  2. Tap the Settings icon (Gear icon at the upper right part.)
  3. Scroll down to Tracking Preferences and toggle on both “Track your activities” and “Use your location” or “Include maps for all activities.” Follow the steps listed above to Connect Google Fit with Health for iPhones.

Google fit not tracking activities

If your GPS toggle is in the status bar, drag it down and tap on “Location.” If not, you need to go to:

  1. Settings > Location and toggle to Use location. Android Use Location settings
  2. Next, choose to see all apps and select Google Fit.
  3. Make sure that Google Fit itself has access to location permissions and that you set it to Allow all the time or Always allow.  
    1. When the app isn’t open, Google Fit tracks your location, logging your activity any time you’re active. Not choosing Allow all the time is one of the main reasons Google Fit is not tracking activities. Location permissions for Google Fit on Android
  4. For iPhones, Google Fit uses the Apple Health location data. Open Settings > Privacy > Location Services > Health and choose While Using the App. Location access and permissions on iPhone Health app
    1. We also suggest toggling on Precise Location.

3: Google Fit not tracking activities? Have you tried turning it Off and On?

Software/apps are highly complicated. The slightest thing goes wrong, and they can stop working for seemingly no reason.

And while there are a plethora of possible solutions to every problem, one of the most common ones to try that often works is to turn it off and on. In this case, you can try rebooting your device.

The exact process can differ from device to device. But, more often than not, all you have to do is:

  1. Hold down the power button and tap on “Reboot” or “Restart” or anything similar.

Google Fit not tracking activities

After that, try using Google Fit again, and, hopefully, this time, you’re not going to run into any tracking issues.

4: Clear Google Fit’s cache 

If you use an Android phone, it’s easy to clear Google Fit’s cache. When other troubleshooting steps fail, clearing the cache often works to get your activity data to show up.

  1. Open Settings > Apps and choose Google Fit or Fit.
  2. Scroll down to Storage and tap it. Google Fit settings on Android
  3. Choose Clear cache NOT clear Storage. Clear Google Fit cache on Android phone

Is Google Fit tracking non-existent activities?

Sometimes, you may notice that Google Fit is tracking activities correctly – but it also tracks activities that were never done in the first place.

This often happens when you accidentally press “Add activity” through the app’s home screen. And the same goes if you forget your phone unlocked while it’s in your pocket.

The simple fix to that is to, well, be more careful.

And if you want to remove an activity that was added by accident, you can do so if you:

  1. Open Google Fit and go to the “Journal” tab at the bottom.
  2. Find the activity which you think was accidentally added.
  3. Select “Options” (3 dots at the upper right corner of the screen.)
  4. Then tap on “Delete.”

Google fit not tracking activities

Do also check your connected devices as they may be adding tracking data. But, that should be the correct data since step trackers like the MiBand or anything similar are fully automated anyway.

Is Google Fit not syncing with linked apps?

If you see different data on your tracking app and different data on Google Fit, you’re likely dealing with a syncing issue.

You need to ensure that your 3rd party apps and devices are connected and synced correctly to fix that. And while we’d love to guide you through it step by step, the exact process can significantly differ from device to device.

For a point of reference, to sync the Zepp Life app (formerly named MiFit) with Google Fit, you need to:

  1. Make sure that Zepp Life(MiFit) is connected with your Mi device.
  2. Head over to “Profile.”
  3. Add accounts. Choose Google Fit.

Then log in to your account, and you should be good to go.

Google fit not tracking activities

Sometimes it only syncs everything that happens after the first sync – not before that. And even after successfully syncing, it can take some time before you start seeing the same data.

Again, the exact process will differ depending on the app you want to connect. So, refer to your manual for this.

Wait for an app update Google Fit app update in App Store

Sometimes, Google Fit is not tracking activities due to wrong settings or anything similar. However, there are also times when the app is just bugged.

In which case, you can’t much more than sit back, wait, and hope that the next update fixes Google Fit.

If the issue came up immediately after updating the app, then there’s a good chance this is going on.

And you can’t revert to an older version of the app without looking outside of Google Play or Apple’s App Store, in which case, you’re also risking installing malware.

So, we can only recommend waiting for another update that fixes the problem that the previous update introduced.

Is Google Fit Not Tracking Distances Correctly?

If you go cycling or running and the distance covered looks odd, this is probably not a problem with Google Fit but with your GPS signal instead.

GPS signal strength and stability can significantly differ depending on your phone, location, tall buildings, satellite location, and weather. So, there’s not much you can do about it in this case.

You could try working out away from buildings and when the weather is sunny if you can. But that’s about it.

FAQ FAQ frequently asked questions

What works With Google Fit?

Google Fit works with almost everything that has to do with health and well-being. Step trackers, heart-rate monitoring tools, and anything like that. It even connects to Apple Health!

If you own anything that has to do with health, chances are there is an option for connecting it with Google Fit.

Some of the most popular apps and devices include:

  • Oura 
  • Fossil
  • Withings
  • Polar
  • Zepp/MiFit/Mi Band
  • Mobvoi TicWatch pro
  • Samsung Galaxy Watch 4
  • Strava
  • Wahoo
  • Nike Training Club
  • MyFitnessPal

And more. See Google Play Store for a list of apps that Works with Google Fit.

How to connect apps with Google Fit

To get your data from an app into Google Fit, you need first to connect that app with Fit, so they share data. You do that within the third-party app, not in Google Fit.

While each app has a different process to connect it, here are some general steps:

  1. Open the app you want to connect. For example, Strava (link Strava to Apple Health for iPhones and then link Apple Health to Google Fit.)
  2. Find the Settings menu. 
  3. Look for an option that allows you to connect to other apps and devices.
    1. Such as ‘Link other services,’ ‘apps & devices,’ ‘manage connections,’ or something similar. 
    2. For Strava, choose your profile, then Settings > Services > Link Other Services. You can only link Google Fit to Strava using an Android phone. Connect Sträva and Google Fit on Android
  4. Turn it on and follow the on-screen instructions to link the app to Google Fit. 

How Does Google Fit Count Steps?

Google Fit uses your phone’s/watch’s sensors and GPS to count how many steps you take and how much distance you cover.

You can also rely on 3rd party apps and devices for even more accurate readings or additional features. For example, MiBand devices, apart from being able to count steps accurately, can also monitor your sleep quality and heart rate.

Google Fit can be an excellent choice if you own multiple such devices as it brings everything under a single place.

Is Google Fit Accurate?

Google Fit tracks distance covered in two different power modes:

  1. Background
  2. Active tracking

When the app is working in the background, it keeps up with your location relatively low frequency. That’s the only way for it to conserve battery, or your battery would die in no time.

However, Google Fit can be highly accurate when manually tracking an exercise, and the GPS signal is good.

Google Fit Not Actively Tracking Activities Fixes: Wrapping Up

This is all about what we can find at the moment. If you’ve encountered another issue that we’ve yet to mention here, feel free to let us know about it in the comments section below, and the MyHealthyApple team will get back to you as soon as possible.

If you liked this article, feel free to hang around as often publish content on healthy news, gadget reviews, how-to guides, and more.

12 COMMENTS

  1. I’m using Google Fit on an iPhone. It worked fine on my Android phone. I’ve followed all steps multiple times. Nothing works. It records steps but doesn’t track my runs or bike rides. Getting rid of it.

  2. For some reason there’s no Track Activity option in Google Fit on iPhone at all, but I definitely had it on Samsung. Tried above steps, did not help

    • Hi Olga,

      For Apple devices, including iPhones, look for the option in the Profile tab > Settings in Google Fit to Track your activities with Health > Connect Google Fit with Health.

      That links Google Fit to Apple’s Health app. And then connect third-party apps to Apple Health.

  3. I also tried all of these steps many times. It worked great on my android phone, but will not work on the iPhone. Doesn’t track my runs or bike rides. Only tracks steps.

    • Hi Tom,

      Are you using a smartwatch or tracker or just using your iPhone to track your ride? Do you use a particular app like Strava, MapMyRide, and others?

      Google Fit is definitely optimized for Android, but many functions work on iPhones when connected to the Apple Health app.

      A couple of things to check:

      1) On your iPhone, open Settings > Google Fit. Make sure that Background App Refresh and Cellular Data are both on. It’s also a good idea to allow notifications.

      2) Open Google Fit, tap the profile icon at the bottom, then tap the Settings gear icon. Under activity tracking, tap Track your activities with Health. Toggle Connect Google Fit with Health on (or if it’s already on, toggle it off and on.) Then open the Journal tab at the bottom of Google Fit and then once it appears pull down from the top of the screen to reload–this helps refresh your data.

      3) Open the Apple Health app on your iPhone. Tap your profile picture or icon at the top of the Summary tab. Under Privacy, tap Apps. Choose Google Fit and toggle everything on or toggle it off, wait a few minutes, and toggle it back on.

      If you use a third-party app to track your ride, check Profile > Settings > Manage connected apps to see if you enabled Google Fit for that app. If not, open that app and connect it to Google Fit, if possible. Some apps do not offer Google Fit integration with iPhone like Strava.

  4. Aw, this was an exceptionally nice post. Finding the time and actual effort to make a superb article… but what can I say… I procrastinate a whole lot and never manage to get anything done.

  5. Google fit keeps stealing distance from me – tonight It showed I had walked 5.55km when I stopped to do something. 5 minutes later when I started walking again this ahd dropped to 4.8km – that break cost me over 10% of my activity 😮 Same things happens if I don’t check my distance as soon as I get home from a walk – boom, 10 – 15% knocked off.

  6. Google fit no longer tracking my steps from my Michael Kors smart watch ?! I’ve tried everything suggested too ?! What’s going on?!!

  7. My Google Fit was working just fine and now its not. The Home page does not register my steps taken and the journal is also not working now. I tried all of the things you suggested above.

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