Moving your data
Polar Flow and Apple Health: what syncs and what doesn't?
Updated · 5 min read
- Steps
- Cardio
- Heart
- Sleep
Short answer
In Polar Flow, turn on Apple Health in More > General settings. It sends workouts, steps, sleep times, energy and weight, and imports nothing from Health.
On iPhone, the Polar Flow app sends Apple Health your workouts, heart rate during workouts, sleep, steps, active energy, resting energy and weight once you turn the connection on. It does not send continuous heart rate, the heart rate your watch records all day, and it imports nothing from Health.
What syncs and what doesn't
Polar lists what Polar Flow writes to Apple Health:
| Data type in Health | What Polar Flow sends |
|---|---|
| Workouts | Type, duration, distance, start and end time, total active energy and average heart rate |
| Heart rate | Heart rate during workouts only |
| Sleep | Sleep duration, the time you fell asleep and the time you woke up |
| Steps | The steps that your Polar device measures |
| Active Energy | Calories burned during workouts |
| Resting Energy | Calories burned when you are not working out, such as BMR (basal metabolic rate) calories |
| Weight | The weight saved in the Polar Flow app settings |
Steps
- Open the Polar Flow app. Tap More in the bottom right. Tap General settings.
- Turn on the Apple Health toggle.
- Choose the categories to sync, or tap Turn All Categories On. Tap Allow in the top right. After this, Polar Flow syncs all new data to Health.
- Your iPhone also counts steps, and a paired Apple Watch can track your activity. Choose which source Health uses first for steps. Health uses Polar's steps when Polar Flow is first. It uses your iPhone's or Apple Watch's steps when one of them is first. Polar says Health might not use all of Polar's data while Polar Flow is not first.
- To change the order for steps, open the Health app. Tap Browse then Activity then Steps. Scroll to the bottom.
Step 5
Where to tap
- Browse
- Activity
- Steps
- Tap Data Sources & Access: the list of apps and devices that write this data type, in order of priority. Tap Edit.
- Touch and hold the Change Order button next to the source that you want first. Drag it to the top. Tap Done.
- If an Apple Watch also tracks your sleep, choose which source Health uses first for sleep. Health uses Polar's sleep times when Polar Flow is first. It uses the watch's sleep data when Apple Watch is first.
- To change the order for sleep, open the Health app. Tap Browse then Sleep then Sleep. Scroll to the bottom.
Step 9
Where to tap
- Browse
- Sleep
- Sleep
- Tap Data Sources & Access. Tap Edit.
- Touch and hold the Change Order button next to the source that you want first. Drag it to the top. Tap Done.
If it still doesn't work
- You are not sure that the data arrived
Open Data Sources & Access for Steps, as in steps 5 and 6. Apple says only the sources that contribute to that data type appear there, so Polar Flow is in the list once its steps arrive.
- New data stops arriving
In Polar Flow, tap More then General settings. Tap Sync now under the Apple Health toggle. Polar says this syncs the last two weeks of data to Health again.
- A category is missing
In the Health app, tap your profile picture in the top right. Under Privacy, tap Apps then Polar Flow. Turn on each category that is off.
- The latest workout is not in Polar Flow yet
Polar Flow sends the new data that is in the app, so sync the watch to the app first. Check that Bluetooth is on, that airplane mode is off on the watch and the phone, and that the watch is paired with your phone. Sign in to the Flow app. Press and hold the BACK button on the watch. Wait for Syncing completed. Polar gives these steps for the Vantage V3 and Grit X2 Pro. On another Polar watch, check the sync steps for your model on Polar's support site.
- Steps differ from Polar Flow
Check the order from steps 4 to 7. Polar says you can turn off the iPhone's own Fitness Tracking if you want only the data from Polar Flow. Polar's page gives the path Settings then Privacy then Motion & Fitness, which may differ on your version of iOS. Turn off Fitness Tracking there.
- The app is out of date
Open the App Store. Tap your profile picture in the top right. Install all updates.
- Nothing else works
Uninstall Polar Flow. When the iPhone asks about the Health data from Polar Flow, tap Keep. Reinstall Polar Flow from the App Store and sign in. Turn on the Apple Health toggle again in More then General settings. Tap Sync now.
Why Health may not use all of Polar's data
When two sources write the same data type, Health uses the source at the top of the list for that type. By default, Health ranks data from your iPhone and Apple Watch above data from apps such as Polar Flow. Apple also says that a new source appears above all apps and devices when you add it, and that you can change the order at any time. So Polar Flow can end up above or below your iPhone, and steps 5 to 7 show you how to check.
Questions
Does Polar send sleep stages to Apple Health?
No. Sleep stages are not on Polar's list of the data that Polar Flow syncs to Apple Health. Polar Flow sends sleep duration, the time you fell asleep and the time you woke up. Polar says devices with Sleep Plus Stages give light, deep and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep stages.
Does Polar Flow send HRV to Apple Health?
No. HRV (heart rate variability) is not on Polar's list of the data that Polar Flow syncs to Apple Health.
Can Polar Flow import workouts from Apple Health?
No. Polar says that syncing data from the Health app to Polar Flow is not possible.
How do I stop Polar Flow writing to Apple Health?
In the Health app, tap your profile picture in the top right. Under Privacy, tap Apps > Polar Flow. Tap Turn All Categories Off.
Sources
- 1Connecting Polar Flow with Apple Health, Polar Supportsupport.polar.com (opens in a new tab)
- 2How do I sync my Polar watch with the Polar Flow app?, Polar Supportsupport.polar.com (opens in a new tab)
- 3Sleep Plus Stages FAQs, Polar Supportsupport.polar.com (opens in a new tab)
- 4Manage Health data on your iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch, Apple Supportsupport.apple.com (opens in a new tab)
- 5Track your sleep on Apple Watch and use Sleep on iPhone, Apple Supportsupport.apple.com (opens in a new tab)