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Have multiple Apple Health data sources? Here’s how to get the best results

Apple’s Health app is a great place to see a summary of your activity and other health data. But if you have multiple devices that are acting as sources for the same data, you may get the best results by choosing which devices are prioritized for different measurements like steps, heart rate, distance traveled, and more.

You may want to prioritize Apple Health Data sources permanently or change them based on your needs. For example, if you’re thinking of running a marathon, you may want to make an external heart rate monitor your primary data source so your Apple Watch battery lasts longer (with Power Saving Mode).

There are lots of other scenarios where prioritizing your health sources can be beneficial, especially if you know that one device in particular is the best fit for tracking a certain measurement. By default, the priority ladder is manually entered data → iPhone and Apple Watch data → Bluetooth device data.

Here’s how Apple describes health source prioritization when adding new devices or apps:

If multiple sources contribute the same data type, then the data source at the top will take priority over other sources. Any new apps or devices that you add go to the top of the list automatically, above your iPhone or iPod touch.

How to prioritize Apple Health sources on iPhone

  1. Open the Health app on iPhone
  2. Choose the Health Data tab at the bottom
  3. Now choose a category like Activity, then a type of data like Steps
  4. Tap Data Sources & Access, then choose Edit in the top right corner
  5. Use the three-line icon to prioritize a different source (top = priority)
  6. Tap Done in the top right corner

Here’s how the process looks in iOS 12:

Prioritize Apple Health sources iPhone walkthrough

After choosing Data Sources & Access, tap Edit in the top right corner to choose a source to prioritize by dragging it to the top of the list.

Prioritize Apple Health sources on iPhone walkthrough 2

Note: If you’re running the iOS 13 beta, these steps look a bit different. Tap on a data type from the Summary screen, swipe to the bottom, and look for Data Sources & Access.

Read more about managing your health data on iPhone in this Apple Support document.

For more help getting the most out of your Apple devices, check out our How to guide as well as the following articles:

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