Two devices, one place
How do I change data source priority in Apple Health?
Updated · 3 min read
- Steps
- Cardio
- Heart
- Sleep
Short answer
On iPhone, open Health Browse then category then data type then Data Sources & Access, tap Edit and drag a source to the top. Health uses the top source first.
To choose whether Apple Watch or Oura comes first in Apple Health on iPhone, open the Data Sources & Access screen of a data type, tap Edit and drag a source to the top. When two sources write the same data type, Health gives priority to the source at the top of that data type's list.
The order Health starts with
| Default rank | Source |
|---|---|
| 1 | Data that you enter by hand in Health |
| 2 | Your iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch |
| 3 | Apps and Bluetooth devices, such as Oura or a weight scale |
Apple's page also says that a new app or device is listed at the top automatically, above your iPhone or iPad. These two parts of Apple's page do not agree, so check the order in Data Sources & Access after you add a device.
What Apple Watch and Oura both write
| Data type | Apple Watch | Oura, with Connect to Health on |
|---|---|---|
| Steps | Records them automatically | Writes them |
| Heart rate | Sends periodic measurements automatically | Writes them in one-minute intervals |
| Active energy | Records it automatically | Writes activity calories, without BMR (the calories that keep your body working at rest) |
| Sleep | Only with Track Sleep with Apple Watch on, worn at least 1 hour each night | Writes sleep duration, start and end times, and sleep stages |
Each data type has its own list, so you can put Apple Watch first for one data type and Oura first for another.
Set the order for one data type
- Open the Health app on your iPhone. Tap Browse.
- Tap a category, such as Activity. Tap a data type, such as Steps. To find a data type by name, tap the search field and type its name, such as Heart Rate.
- Scroll down. Below Options, tap Data Sources & Access. This screen lists the apps and devices that write this data type, in order of priority.
- Tap Edit. Touch and hold the Change Order button, the icon next to a source. Drag the source up or down. Tap Done.
- To stop Health using a third-party source for this data type, tap Edit. Tap the checkmark next to the source. Tap Done. A third-party source is an app or device other than your iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch.
- In the Health app, tap the Profile button in the upper corner. Under Privacy, tap Apps. Tap the app. Turn on the health categories that you want the app to track.
If it still doesn't work
- A source is missing from the list
Data Sources & Access shows only the sources that write that data type. Check that the app shares this data type, as in step 6. For Oura, open the Oura app. Under Data sharing, tap Apple Health, then tap Connect to Health. Apple says you might also need to open the app and change its settings before it shares data with Health.
- An app is not under Apps
Apple says that an app that does not show there might not be compatible with Health.
- Your order changed after you added a device
Set it again, as in step 4.
- A wrong entry that you typed comes first
In the Health app, tap Browse. Tap the category, then the data type. Below Options, tap Show All Data. Swipe left on the record and tap Delete. If your Health data syncs over iCloud, the deletion also removes the entry from your other synced devices.
Questions
Does Apple Health double count steps from Apple Watch and Oura?
It can. Oura says that putting Oura at the top of Data Sources & Access for Steps lessens the problem of steps counted twice when you wear more than one fitness device at the same time.
Where is Data Sources in Apple Health?
In the Health app, tap Browse. Tap a category, then a data type. Below Options, tap Data Sources & Access. Oura's page calls this list Data Sources.
Sources
- 1Manage Health data on your iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch, Apple Supportsupport.apple.com (opens in a new tab)
- 2View your data in Health on iPhone, Apple Supportsupport.apple.com (opens in a new tab)
- 3Intro to Health data on iPhone, Apple Supportsupport.apple.com (opens in a new tab)
- 4Track your sleep on Apple Watch and use Sleep on iPhone, Apple Supportsupport.apple.com (opens in a new tab)
- 5stepCount, Apple Developer Documentationdeveloper.apple.com (opens in a new tab)
- 6activeEnergyBurned, Apple Developer Documentationdeveloper.apple.com (opens in a new tab)
- 7Apple Health Integration, Oura Helpsupport.ouraring.com (opens in a new tab)