Apple offers a neat Health app for monitoring and tracking your basic health data. It includes walking distance, steps count, energy spent, sleeping schedule, etc. However, it is not possible to add the steps counts as a widget on your Lock or Home Screens. This means, you need to open the Health app every time to check the steps count to keep track of your goals. Here comes the third-party pedometer apps to make your monitoring easy right from the Lock or Home Screens and avoid missing out your tracking.
Install Pedometer++ App
Go to App Store and search for “pedometer”. You will be surprised to see the large number of free and premium apps available only for measuring steps count when you use your iPhone. Install Pedometer++ app, which offers the following free features:
- Set a daily steps count limit and monitor the progress.
- Add a widget showing steps count, walking distance and the goal limit.
- You can add the widgets both on Lock Screen as well as Home Screens.
- Get achievement badges as an encouragement for reaching your walking goals.
- The app will automatically integrate with iOS Health app to get the steps count data.
After installing, open the app and provide the permission to access “Motion & Fitness” activities.
Go to “Settings” section of the app to set your daily goal for steps count and the distance measurement unit (Mile or Kilometer). That’s all and you are ready to go!!! Go to “Steps” section to view the daily chart, which is similar to the Health app.
Adding Home Screen Steps Count Widget
Long press on the Pedometer app icon on your Home Screen and select the widget size. This will automatically replace the app icon with the selected size widget.
If you want to keep both the app icon and the widget, then you can add the widget separately by following the below steps:
- Long press on the Pedometer app icon and select “Edit Home Screen” option.
- Tap the “Edit” button on top left corner and select “Add Widgets” option.
- Use the search box to find the “Pedometer” widget from the list and tap on it to open.
- You will find various widgets in dark and light modes for viewing steps count, goal limit and walking distance. Find the item you like and tap on “Add Widget” button.
You can add multiple widgets in different sizes or long press on the widget and change its size.
Adding Lock Screen Steps Count Widget
This is the best part as you can view the steps count without unlocking your iPhone.
- Lock your iPhone, long press on the Lock Screen and select “Customize” button.
- Tap on “Add Widgets” option showing on the preview screen.
- Scroll down and tap on “Pedometer” app (unfortunately, you don’t have a search box here).
- Tap on the widgets you like to add them on the Lock Screen.
- Close the widget pop-ups and tap on “Done” button on to right corner.
- Now, you will see the widgets showing your steps count on the Lock Screen. You can also view the walking distance and track your daily goal limit.
Final Words
Till the time Apple adds such features to the Health app, you can use the Pedometer++ or any similar app for tracking your steps count from Lock and Home Screens. You can also import the old data from Health app to keep your history in Pedometer++ app. As mentioned, the app needs permission to access your fitness activities. If you don’t see the count, open iPhone Settings app and go to “Privacy & Security > Motion & Fitness” section and turn on “Fitness Tracking”. If it is already turned on, make sure the “Pedometer” app is turned on from the list of apps.
