Apple’s iOS 26 and watchOS 26 launched a brand new health companion known as Workout Buddy. This function makes use of Apple Intelligence to present spoken suggestions throughout exercises and give motivation primarily based in your exercise historical past. Workout Buddy analyzes your tempo, coronary heart fee, distance and different metrics to ship real-time encouragement and efficiency insights instantly by means of related Bluetooth headphones. It works in conjunction with the Workout app on Apple Watch and is partially managed by means of the Fitness app on iPhone. This information walks you thru every thing wanted to arrange and use Workout Buddy successfully throughout exercises.
What Workout Buddy does
It’s vital to be aware that Workout Buddy just isn’t a full teaching program. Instead, it provides to your exercise with spoken cues that replicate how your session goes. Workout Buddy can remind you of your weekly exercise totals, provide you with a warning to private bests or efficiency milestones and present an outline once you’re completed. It is designed to really feel like a supportive coaching accomplice fairly than a strict coach.
The function operates in English by default and makes use of a text-to-speech mannequin educated on voices from Apple Fitness+ trainers. It is offered for a subset of exercise varieties, together with operating, strolling, biking, high-intensity interval coaching (HIIT) and power coaching. It requires on-device Apple Intelligence, which implies you’ll want to preserve one of many newest iPhones operating up to date software program close by throughout exercises.
Supported fashions embody iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max and any iPhone 16 mannequin. You’ll additionally want an Apple Watch operating watchOS 26.
Requirements earlier than you start
Before Workout Buddy seems in your Fitness app or Workout app you have to guarantee a couple of issues are in place. First, your Apple Watch should be operating watchOS 26 or later and paired to an iPhone with iOS 26 put in. Second, your iPhone should be able to on-device Apple Intelligence, that means you have to personal one of many supported iPhone fashions we talked about above and have Apple Intelligence enabled within the cellphone’s settings.
You’ll additionally want Bluetooth headphones paired with both your iPhone or your Apple Watch. Workout Buddy’s audio suggestions can not play by means of the watch speaker so headphones are important. Lastly, your machine language should be set to English, not less than initially. If any of this stuff are lacking, the choice to allow Workout Buddy might not seem.
How to activate Workout Buddy from iPhone
While a lot of the interplay with Workout Buddy occurs on Apple Watch throughout exercises, you possibly can allow it and select voice choices from the Fitness app on iPhone.
Open the Fitness app in your iPhone and faucet the (*26*)Workout tab on the backside. Scroll by means of the checklist of exercise varieties till you discover one you propose to use with Workout Buddy. Tap the waveform bubble icon related with that exercise. This will convey up settings the place you possibly can activate Workout Buddy. Flip the toggle to allow it and select a voice from the out there choices. Once you have got chosen a voice, shut that display and your alternative is saved. When you begin this exercise kind on Apple Watch, Workout Buddy will activate.
Enabling Workout Buddy for a exercise kind on iPhone means you do not want to toggle it on individually on Apple Watch every time for that particular exercise. However, you should still regulate it from the watch interface for extra granular management.
How to activate Workout Buddy on Apple Watch
To use Workout Buddy throughout a session, open the Workout app in your Apple Watch. Turn the Digital Crown to scroll by means of and choose the exercise you need to do, resembling Outdoor Run, Outdoor Walk, Outdoor Cycle, HIIT or Strength Training. If you need to see all out there exercises, faucet the (*26*)Add button on the backside.
Once the exercise kind is chosen, search for the Alerts button on display. Tap (*26*)Alerts then scroll till you see Workout Buddy. Tap (*26*)Workout Buddy and flip the change to on. You will then be requested to select a voice if one just isn’t already chosen in your iPhone. After choosing the voice, return to the earlier display and faucet Start. Workout Buddy will start working as quickly because the exercise does.
Using Workout Buddy throughout a exercise
Once you begin an train in your Watch or iPhone, Workout Buddy will converse to you thru your related headphones. The suggestions is designed to be encouraging and related to your tempo, efficiency or milestones. It might point out your present progress towards exercise objectives, tempo, splits, private bests or different highlights out of your health knowledge. At the top of your session Workout Buddy will provide a abstract of key metrics like period distance and calorie burn.
While a exercise is energetic, you possibly can briefly mute the audio in case you want silence. On Apple Watch throughout the session, swipe proper to reveal controls then faucet (*26*)Mute. This pauses Workout Buddy’s spoken commentary with out disabling the function fully.
Customizing and managing Workout Buddy settings
Workout Buddy is enabled on a per-workout-type foundation. If you favor voice suggestions for operating however silence for power coaching, you possibly can allow it for one and depart it off for the opposite. The Fitness app on iPhone permits you to set a default voice desire for every exercise kind. On Apple Watch you possibly can shortly toggle the function on or off earlier than beginning a session.
If Workout Buddy doesn’t seem as an choice for a specific exercise kind, you might want to examine compatibility. Apple’s documentation signifies that solely sure varieties* are supported initially and that the choice won’t seem for unsupported exercises.
*Apple Watch SE (2nd technology), Apple Watch SE 3, Apple Watch Series 6, Apple Watch Series 7, Apple Watch Series 8, Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra, Apple Watch Ultra 2, Apple Watch Ultra 3
Troubleshooting widespread points
If Workout Buddy fails to activate make sure that your gadgets meet the necessities outlined above. Confirm that your iPhone with Apple Intelligence is close by and that Bluetooth headphones are related. If audio suggestions is lacking, guarantee headphones are paired accurately and that the language is ready to English. Some customers have reported that if the headphones are paired solely to the Watch fairly than the iPhone, it might probably intrude with suggestions. Switching to the iPhone typically resolves that challenge.
For exercise varieties the place Workout Buddy beforehand labored however instantly doesn’t seem, you might attempt toggling the function off and on once more within the Fitness app or rebooting each gadgets. In uncommon circumstances eradicating and re-adding the exercise kind on Apple Watch can refresh the settings.
