Well being Join can now monitor your steps utilizing your Android cellphone

[ad_1] <img class="e_3g" decoding="async" loading="eager" sizes="(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw" title="android health connect" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/android-health-connect.jpg 2000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/android-health-connect-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/android-health-connect-1000w-563h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/android-health-connect-1920w-1080h.jpg 1920w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/android-health-connect-1536w-864h.jpg 1536w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/android-health-connect-675w-380h.jpg 675w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/android-health-connect-300w-170h.jpg 300w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/android-health-connect-1280w-720h.jpg 1280w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/android-health-connect-840w-472h.jpg 840w" alt="android health connect" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/android-health-connect.jpg"/> Rita El Khoury / Android Authority

TL;DR

Google is formally including native step monitoring to Well being Join, as confirmed by Android 16 QPR2 Beta 2. The corporate introduced the change as we speak, and a brand new banner and “Gadgets” web page throughout the app now explicitly state Well being Join will monitor your cellphone’s steps for different apps to make use of. This marks a major shift for the platform, turning it from a easy information hub right into a health monitoring service.

Final week, we reported that Google was bringing native step monitoring to Well being Join, permitting the app to depend your steps utilizing your cellphone’s sensors. This marks a major shift for the app, which presently doesn’t monitor any information by itself and as a substitute acts as a hub for info from different well being and health companies. Whereas that was its authentic objective, it appears Google has greater plans for the platform. This modification suggests Well being Join may remodel from a easy information hub right into a full-fledged monitoring platform, with native step counting being simply step one.

After we first reported on this characteristic, although, we famous some uncertainty. Our proof got here from an evaluation of the APK within the 2508 Android Canary launch, however the characteristic itself wasn’t practical but, and there was no concrete proof throughout the app itself. With the discharge of Android 16 QPR2 Beta 2, nonetheless, there is no such thing as a longer any doubt. Google has confirmed that it's including native step monitoring to Well being Join.

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In its weblog submit, Google says that “Well being Join now routinely tracks steps utilizing the gadget’s sensors.” Apps that maintain the READ_STEPS permission will see this step information as showing from the “android” package deal, which is the title given to the Android Framework. Google says it made this transformation to simplify the code builders want so as to add to help step monitoring whereas additionally making it extra energy environment friendly as nicely.

Certainly, opening up Well being Join within the QPR2 Beta 2 launch reveals a brand new banner on the prime, asserting that the app will now monitor your cellphone’s steps for different related apps to entry. Tapping the “Evaluate” button takes you to the brand new “Gadgets” web page we beforehand noticed. This web page lists all units contributing information to Well being Join; in my case, my Pixel cellphone was listed (albeit as an “unknown” gadget). Deciding on it opened a “gadget information” web page confirming it had permission to write down step information.

<img class="e_3g" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="calc(min(calc(100vw - 1.875rem), 51.25rem) / 2)" title="Step tracking banner in Health Connect" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Step-tracking-banner-in-Health-Connect-scaled.png 1147w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Step-tracking-banner-in-Health-Connect-29w-64h.png 29w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Step-tracking-banner-in-Health-Connect-1000w-2231h.png 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Step-tracking-banner-in-Health-Connect-645w-1440h.png 645w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Step-tracking-banner-in-Health-Connect-484w-1080h.png 484w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Step-tracking-banner-in-Health-Connect-387w-864h.png 387w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Step-tracking-banner-in-Health-Connect-170w-380h.png 170w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Step-tracking-banner-in-Health-Connect-538w-1200h.png 538w" alt="Step tracking banner in Health Connect" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Step-tracking-banner-in-Health-Connect-scaled.png"/><img class="e_3g" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="calc(min(calc(100vw - 1.875rem), 51.25rem) / 2)" title="Health Connect notification about step tracking" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Health-Connect-notification-about-step-tracking-scaled.png 1147w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Health-Connect-notification-about-step-tracking-29w-64h.png 29w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Health-Connect-notification-about-step-tracking-1000w-2231h.png 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Health-Connect-notification-about-step-tracking-645w-1440h.png 645w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Health-Connect-notification-about-step-tracking-484w-1080h.png 484w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Health-Connect-notification-about-step-tracking-387w-864h.png 387w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Health-Connect-notification-about-step-tracking-170w-380h.png 170w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Health-Connect-notification-about-step-tracking-538w-1200h.png 538w" alt="Health Connect notification about step tracking" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Health-Connect-notification-about-step-tracking-scaled.png"/> The app can even inform customers of this new functionality by way of a notification that mirrors the message within the banner, as seen above.

Whereas step monitoring is a primary characteristic obtainable on nearly any Android cellphone, its addition to Well being Join has profound implications for the platform’s future. At the moment, Well being Join is a lackluster various to Apple Well being, held again by poor information syncing and an absence of its personal native monitoring capabilities. By including these foundational options, Google can create a a lot stronger baseline platform for extra sturdy companies like Fitbit to construct upon. In the event you’re curious to be taught extra, we mentioned the significance of this information in larger element on the most recent episode of our Authority Insights Podcast.