Apple Fitness+ Works on iPhone and iPad Without an Apple Watch

Apple designed the new Fitness+ service to work with a paired Apple Watch as the Apple Watch is meant to allow you to track your metrics while you follow along on a workout, but as it turns out, an Apple Watch isn't strictly necessary to use the Fitness+ app on an iPhone or iPad.

fitness plus workout without watch
When starting a Fitness+ workout on ‌iPhone‌ or ‌iPad‌ when you're not wearing an Apple Watch, the app asks if you want to begin a workout without the watch. You can do the entire workout sans watch, but of course no metrics show up on the ‌iPhone‌ or ‌iPad‌'s display.

This is not, however, possible on Apple TV. When using Fitness+ with the ‌Apple TV‌, Apple requires a synced and connected Apple Watch. Attempting to do a workout on ‌Apple TV‌ without the watch will only let you preview a workout, rather than begin one.

It's not clear why Apple is allowing workouts to be done on an ‌iPhone‌ or ‌iPad‌ without an Apple Watch while that same functionality does not work with the ‌Apple TV‌, but the service was meant for an Apple Watch and isn't ideal for non-Apple Watch owners.

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Top Rated Comments

nutmac Avatar
59 months ago
While I understand how Apple Watch could enhance Apple Fitness+ experience, I am not sure why it has to be required. I would like to see Fitness+ open up to wider audience without this arbitrary limitations. Fitness+ should be exposed whether or not you have Apple Watch.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
movieator Avatar
59 months ago
What I would like, watch or not, is the ability to watch a workout on my MacBook Pro.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macfacts Avatar
59 months ago
It's cause if using apple tv app only, apple doesn't get a cut.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Appleman3546 Avatar
59 months ago
It was meant for Apple Watch users, which is why Fitness+ will be too small of a market and flop like News+
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
xyz01 Avatar
59 months ago

It's cause if using apple tv app only, apple doesn't get a cut.
Sure they do, you pay for the service - Apple gets all of it.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
critter13 Avatar
59 months ago
the app did not come with 14.3. must only be able to install if you have a watch. LAME
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)