Your iPhone already keeps a record of how far you walk. The Health app counts your steps and your walking and running distance automatically, with no Apple Watch or extra app required. To see the number, open Health, tap Browse, tap Activity, then tap Walking + Running Distance. You’ll see today’s distance plus a chart you can switch to weekly, monthly, or yearly totals.
If you’d rather see distance next to your activity rings, the Fitness app shows your daily totals on its Summary tab. This guide covers both apps, how to switch between miles and kilometers, how to get more accurate numbers, and what to check if your distance stays at zero.
Quick Answer
- Open the Health app on your iPhone.
- Tap the Browse tab at the bottom of the screen.
- Tap Activity, then tap Walking + Running Distance.
- Read today’s total, or switch the chart to a week, month, or year to see longer totals.
- Optional: pin the data type to the Summary tab so it’s the first thing you see when you open Health.
In This Guide
- Before you start
- Method 1: See miles walked in the Health app
- Pin walking distance to your Health summary
- Method 2: Check distance in the Fitness app
- Show distance in miles or kilometers
- If you also wear an Apple Watch
- How to get more accurate distance numbers
- Health or Fitness: which should you use?
- Troubleshooting
- Frequently Asked Questions
Before You Start
These steps apply to iPhone models running a current version of iOS, as of September 2026. Apple’s instructions describe the Health app on both iPhone and iPad, but walking distance is recorded by the device you carry, so in practice the iPhone is what matters here.
What you need:
- An iPhone that you carry while you walk. The iPhone uses its built-in motion sensors to count steps and estimate distance. If the phone sits on a desk while you walk, those steps aren’t counted, unless an Apple Watch is recording them.
- The Health app. It’s built into iOS. Its icon is white with a red heart.
- Optional: the Fitness app. It shows activity rings and daily totals. It works on iPhone even without an Apple Watch.
- Optional: an Apple Watch. A watch adds more detailed tracking and GPS-based distance during workouts.
A quick definition: Walking + Running Distance is the name of the Health data type that adds up how far you moved on foot. It combines walking and running into one number, so a jog around the block counts toward the same total as a stroll to the store.
Method 1: See Miles Walked in the Health App
The Health app is the most complete place to look, because it keeps your history going back as far as your iPhone has been recording. According to Apple’s guide to the Health app, Health automatically counts your steps and your walking and running distances.
- Open the Health app. Expected result: The Summary tab opens and shows your pinned data and highlights.
- Tap Browse at the bottom of the screen. Expected result: You see a list of health categories, such as Activity, Body Measurements, and Heart.
- Tap Activity. Expected result: A list of activity data types appears, including Steps and Walking + Running Distance.
- Tap Walking + Running Distance. Expected result: A chart shows your distance, with today’s total at the top.
- Use the time options above the chart (such as day, week, month, and year) to change the view. The exact labels can vary by iOS version. Expected result: The chart updates, and the total or average for that period appears above it.
- Touch and hold a bar on the chart, or drag your finger across it, to see the distance for a specific day or hour.
If you want to see individual entries rather than a chart, scroll down to Options on the same screen and tap Show All Data. Apple describes this path for viewing the records stored for any data type. You’ll see a list of entries with dates and the device or app that recorded them.
You can also check your step count the same way: Browse > Activity > Steps. Steps and distance usually rise and fall together, which is a handy way to spot a problem. If steps are counting but distance is zero, or the other way around, jump to the Troubleshooting section.
A tip for finding things quickly: the Browse tab usually has a search field at the top. Typing “distance” brings up Walking + Running Distance along with any other distance types, such as cycling distance, that apps or devices have added.
Pin Walking Distance to Your Health Summary
If you check your distance often, add it to the Summary tab so you don’t have to browse for it each time.
- Open Health and stay on the Summary tab.
- Tap Edit next to Pinned. Apple’s Health app guide uses this label for customizing the pinned list.
- Find Walking + Running Distance in the list (it’s usually under the existing data or Activity section, depending on your iOS version) and tap the star or add control next to it.
- Tap Done. Expected result: A Walking + Running Distance card now appears on the Summary tab with today’s total.
Depending on your iOS version, the data type screen itself may also offer an Add to Favorites or pin option near the bottom. Either route puts the card on your Summary tab.
Method 2: Check Distance in the Fitness App
The Fitness app focuses on daily goals. On iPhone, it shows your Move ring (active calories) and daily movement totals, and it can do this without an Apple Watch because the iPhone’s motion sensors supply the data.
- Open the Fitness app. If it’s your first time, follow the setup prompts to enter your details and set a Move goal.
- Tap Summary at the bottom of the screen. Expected result: Your activity ring and today’s totals appear.
- Look for the steps and distance information on the Summary screen. Card names and layout can vary by iOS version, and Apple lets you customize which metrics appear in the summary.
- To look back at another day, tap the Activity rings, tap the Calendar button, then tap a date. Apple describes this path for viewing your activity history. Expected result: That day’s rings and totals appear.
After you’ve tracked activity for at least six months, Fitness can also show Trends, which compare your recent activity with longer-term averages. According to Apple’s Activity guide, trend data includes walking distance, walking pace, and other metrics. It’s a good way to see whether you’re walking more or less than you used to.
Show Distance in Miles or Kilometers
Your iPhone picks a default unit based on your region, so US users usually see miles and many other regions see kilometers. You can change the unit if it doesn’t match what you want.
In the Health app
- Open Health and go to Browse > Activity > Walking + Running Distance.
- Scroll to the bottom of the screen, in the Options area.
- If you see a Unit option, tap it and choose miles or kilometers. The exact label can vary by iOS version.
Expected result: The chart and totals switch to the unit you chose. The change applies to how the data is displayed; the underlying distance doesn’t change.
In the Fitness app
Apple lists unit of measurement preferences among the settings you can change for Fitness on iPhone. Look for a units option in the Fitness app’s settings, or in the iPhone Settings app under the Fitness entry. Menu names can differ between iOS versions, so if you don’t see it in one place, check the other.
On Apple Watch
If you track walks with a watch, set its workout units separately. On the watch, open Settings, tap Workout, scroll down, then tap Units of Measure. Apple’s Workout settings guide notes that you can change units for walking and running workouts there.
If You Also Wear an Apple Watch
An Apple Watch adds a second source of distance data, and it often records walks you take while your phone is elsewhere. Here’s how it fits in:
- On the watch: Open the Activity app and turn the Digital Crown. Apple says you’ll see your ring progress, then your total steps, total distance, flights climbed, and activity history.
- On the iPhone: Watch data flows into the Health app automatically. You don’t need a separate step to combine it.
- No double counting: When both your iPhone and your watch record the same walk, Health uses a priority list of data sources rather than adding the two together. According to Apple’s guide to managing Health data, data you entered manually comes first, then data from iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch, then data from apps and Bluetooth devices.
To see or change which source Health trusts first:
- In Health, go to Browse > Activity > Walking + Running Distance.
- Scroll down and tap Data Sources & Access.
- Tap Edit.
- Touch and hold the reorder handle next to a source, drag it up or down, then tap Done.
If you use a different tracker, such as a Fitbit, its data can appear in Health as another source once the companion app is allowed to share with Health. See our guide on how to sync your Fitbit with your iPhone for that setup. Watch owners who also log body measurements may find it useful to track weight alongside activity on Apple Watch.
How to Get More Accurate Distance Numbers
Step-based distance is an estimate. Your iPhone counts steps and uses details about you to work out how far those steps took you. A few settings make a real difference.
Keep your personal details up to date
Apple notes that personal information such as your height, weight, gender, and age feed into activity calculations. On iPhone, open Health, tap your profile picture, and check your health details there (labels can vary by iOS version). If you have an Apple Watch, open the Watch app on your iPhone and go to My Watch > Health > Health Details > Edit.
Turn on the location setting used for calibration
Apple lists this path for motion calibration: Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > System Services > Motion Calibration & Distance. Location Services itself must be on. If you haven’t turned it on before, our guide to enabling location on iPhone walks through it.
Calibrate your Apple Watch (watch owners)
Apple’s calibration guide recommends this routine:
- Wear your Apple Watch and go to a flat, open outdoor area with good GPS reception and clear skies.
- Open the Workout app and start an Outdoor Walk or Outdoor Run.
- Walk or run at your normal pace for about 20 minutes. You can split the 20 minutes across several outdoor workouts.
- If you walk or run at different speeds, calibrate for about 20 minutes at each speed.
Calibration helps the watch learn your stride, which improves distance accuracy when GPS is limited. If your numbers seem off after a change such as a new stride or an injury recovery, you can reset calibration in the Watch app on iPhone: My Watch > Privacy > Reset Fitness Calibration Data. After resetting, calibrate again.
Carry your phone consistently
If your iPhone is your only tracker, keep it on you, such as in a pocket or a bag you’re wearing. Walks you take without the phone won’t show up.
Health or Fitness: Which Should You Use?
| If you want to… | Use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| See exact miles for today, a week, a month, or a year | Health | The Walking + Running Distance chart covers every time range with totals and averages. |
| See every recorded entry and which device logged it | Health | Show All Data and Data Sources & Access list the details. |
| Track a daily goal with rings | Fitness | The Summary tab focuses on today’s progress toward your Move goal. |
| Spot long-term changes | Fitness (Trends) | Trends compare recent activity with your longer-term averages after six months of data. |
| Get GPS-based distance for a single walk | Apple Watch Workout app | An Outdoor Walk workout records distance for that session. |
Most people check Health for the number and use Fitness for motivation. Both read from the same stored data, so the totals should broadly agree.
Troubleshooting
Walking + Running Distance shows no data
First, confirm the iPhone was with you while you walked. Then check that motion tracking is allowed on the iPhone. In recent iOS versions, this is under Settings > Privacy & Security > Motion & Fitness, where Fitness Tracking should be on. Labels can vary by iOS version. Also make sure the Health app is allowed to use motion data in the same area.
Steps are missing when I wear an Apple Watch
Apple’s fix for Health not tracking steps is to turn on Fitness Tracking for your watch: open Health, tap your profile button, tap Devices, tap your Apple Watch, then tap Privacy Settings and turn on Fitness Tracking.
The distance looks too high or too low
Update your height and weight in Health Details, turn on Motion Calibration & Distance, and, if you have a watch, calibrate it with a 20-minute outdoor walk. Also check Data Sources & Access to see whether a third-party app is ranked above your iPhone or watch.
The numbers are in the wrong unit
Change the unit on the Walking + Running Distance screen in Health if a Unit option appears, check Fitness settings for a units preference, and on Apple Watch go to Settings > Workout > Units of Measure.
I entered a walk by mistake
Go to Browse > Activity > Walking + Running Distance, scroll to Options, tap Show All Data, and remove the manual entry. Apple’s guide describes deleting data you entered from this list.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need an Apple Watch to see how many miles I walked?
No. The Health app on iPhone counts your steps and walking and running distance automatically, as long as you carry the phone. A watch adds more tracking, but it isn’t required.
Can I see how far I walked on a specific day in the past?
Yes. In Health, open Walking + Running Distance, switch the chart to a week or month, and touch a bar to see that day’s total. In Fitness, tap the Activity rings, tap the Calendar button, and pick a date.
Does running count toward my walking miles?
Yes. The data type is called Walking + Running Distance, so walking and running are combined into one total.
Why don’t my iPhone and Apple Watch distances add up?
Health doesn’t simply add the two. It uses a source priority list, so an overlapping walk is counted once. You can see and reorder the sources under Data Sources & Access.
How do I see my total miles for the year?
Open Walking + Running Distance in Health and switch the chart to the year view. The figure above the chart shows the total or daily average for that period, depending on your iOS version.
Can I add a walk that my iPhone missed?
Many Health data types let you add data manually from the data type screen, often with an Add Data button at the top. If you see it on Walking + Running Distance, tap it and enter the date, time, and distance. Manually entered data takes top priority in Health.
Summary
- Open Health, tap Browse, tap Activity, then tap Walking + Running Distance.
- Switch the chart between day, week, month, and year to see totals.
- Pin the data to the Summary tab with Edit next to Pinned.
- Use the Fitness app’s Summary tab and Calendar for daily totals and history.
- Change units in the data type’s Options (Health), in Fitness settings, or in Workout settings on Apple Watch.
- Improve accuracy with up-to-date Health Details, Motion Calibration & Distance, and watch calibration.
Next step: open Health now, pin Walking + Running Distance to your Summary tab, and check the week view to see your recent walking total.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.