How Can I Set a 10,000 Step Goal on My Apple Watch?

AvatarByArmando Lewellen Usage Guides

Setting a daily step goal is a powerful way to stay motivated and track your fitness progress, and the Apple Watch makes this easier than ever. If you’re aiming to hit 10,000 steps a day—a popular benchmark for maintaining an active lifestyle—knowing how to customize your watch to reflect this target can enhance your workout routine and keep you accountable. Whether you’re a seasoned fitness enthusiast or just starting your health journey, adjusting your step goal on the Apple Watch is a smart move toward achieving your wellness objectives.

The Apple Watch is packed with features designed to help you monitor your activity levels, but sometimes the default settings don’t align perfectly with your personal goals. By setting a specific step count like 10,000 steps, you can create a clear, measurable target that encourages consistent movement throughout the day. This not only helps with physical fitness but also promotes healthier habits and a more mindful approach to daily activity.

Understanding how to set and track your step goal on the Apple Watch empowers you to take control of your fitness journey. With the right adjustments, your watch becomes a personalized coach, providing real-time feedback and motivation. In the sections that follow, you’ll discover how to tailor your device to meet your 10,000-step goal and make the most of its tracking capabilities

Adjusting Your Activity Goals on Apple Watch

To set a specific step goal such as 10,000 steps on your Apple Watch, it is important to understand the relationship between the Watch’s Activity app and the Health app. The Apple Watch primarily tracks movement through the “Move,” “Exercise,” and “Stand” rings, but it does not offer a direct step goal setting within the Activity app itself. Instead, you can customize your goals indirectly and track steps more precisely through the Health app.

To adjust your daily Move goal on the Apple Watch, follow these steps:

  • Open the Activity app on your Apple Watch.
  • Firmly press the screen (Force Touch) to bring up the options menu.
  • Tap Change Move Goal.
  • Use the + or – buttons to adjust the calorie goal, which corresponds to your activity level but not directly to steps.
  • Tap Update to save the new goal.

Although this changes the calorie-based Move goal, it is not a step goal. For a dedicated step target such as 10,000 steps, you will need to use the Health app or third-party apps that integrate with Apple Health.

Using the Health App to Monitor and Set Step Goals

The Health app on your iPhone is the central repository for all health and fitness data collected by your Apple Watch and other devices. While you cannot set a step goal directly in the Health app, you can monitor your daily step count and use the app’s insights to motivate yourself toward a 10,000-step goal.

To view your step data in the Health app:

  • Open the Health app on your iPhone.
  • Tap the Browse tab at the bottom.
  • Select Activity.
  • Tap Steps to see a detailed view of your daily, weekly, and monthly step counts.

For setting and tracking a 10,000-step goal, consider enabling the Walking + Running Distance and Steps metrics to monitor progress. You can also add these metrics to your favorites for quicker access.

Third-Party Apps to Set a 10,000 Step Goal

Since Apple Watch’s native apps do not allow direct step goal customization, third-party apps provide an effective solution. These apps sync with the Health app and enable you to set daily step targets, including 10,000 steps.

Popular apps include:

  • Pacer Pedometer & Step Tracker: Allows custom step goals, detailed analytics, and social challenges.
  • Stepz: Syncs with Health app and offers motivational alerts to keep you on track.
  • MyFitnessPal: Combines nutrition tracking with step goal setting.

These apps usually provide notifications, progress bars, and reminders to encourage reaching your step goal.

Creating a Step Goal Reminder on Apple Watch

To keep your 10,000-step goal top of mind throughout the day, you can create reminders or use the Apple Watch’s built-in features to nudge you toward activity:

  • Use the Reminders app on your iPhone or Apple Watch to set hourly or periodic reminders to walk.
  • Enable Activity reminders in the Apple Watch settings to receive notifications about stand hours and exercise goals.
  • Use the Breathe app or other mindfulness tools to create breaks that can coincide with short walks.

By combining these features with your Health app data, you can maintain consistent progress toward 10,000 steps daily.

Comparison of Native vs. Third-Party Step Goal Features

Feature Apple Watch Native Apps Third-Party Apps
Direct Step Goal Setting No Yes
Activity Ring Integration Yes (Move, Exercise, Stand rings) Varies by app
Detailed Step Analytics Basic step tracking in Health app Advanced with charts, trends, and challenges
Goal Reminders and Alerts Limited to activity rings and stand reminders Customizable notifications and motivational alerts
Social and Competitive Features Activity sharing with friends Often included with leaderboards and groups

Using third-party apps alongside the Apple Watch’s native capabilities can provide a comprehensive approach to achieving a 10,000-step daily goal, enhancing motivation and tracking precision.

Adjusting Your Step Goal on Apple Watch

Setting a specific step goal, such as 10,000 steps, on your Apple Watch helps maintain daily activity targets and motivates consistent movement. However, Apple Watch does not allow direct manual input of a step goal within the Activity app. Instead, it uses a more holistic approach focused on Move, Exercise, and Stand rings. To focus specifically on steps, you can use the Health app and third-party apps to monitor and encourage your step count.

Using the Activity App to Track Movement

While the Activity app does not let you set a step goal explicitly, it tracks movement through the Move ring, which is based on active calories burned. To align your Move goal with a step target, you can:

  • Monitor your current average steps per day.
  • Adjust your Move calorie goal to correspond roughly with the effort needed to walk 10,000 steps.
  • Use the Exercise ring for additional encouragement to complete a set amount of active minutes.

This indirect method requires observing your activity trends and adjusting the Move goal accordingly:

Step Count Goal Estimated Move Goal (Calories) Notes
5,000 steps 250–300 calories Light activity level
7,500 steps 350–400 calories Moderate activity level
10,000 steps 450–550 calories High activity level

Adjust the Move goal on your Apple Watch by:

  1. Opening the Activity app on your watch.
  2. Firmly pressing the display (Force Touch).
  3. Selecting “Change Move Goal.”
  4. Increasing or decreasing the goal to match the calorie range corresponding to 10,000 steps.
  5. Confirming the new goal.

Monitoring Steps Using the Health App

The Health app on your iPhone aggregates step data from your Apple Watch and provides detailed metrics. It allows you to set up notifications and reminders that help you stay on track with your step goal:

  • Open the Health app.
  • Tap the “Browse” tab, then select “Activity” and “Steps.”
  • Review your daily step counts and trends over time.
  • Use “Add to Favorites” to place the Steps metric on your summary dashboard for easy access.
  • Enable notifications to remind you to move if your step count is below target.

Although direct goal setting for steps is not available here, the Health app is excellent for tracking progress and identifying patterns.

Using Third-Party Apps to Set a 10,000 Step Goal

To explicitly set a step goal like 10,000 steps on your Apple Watch, third-party fitness apps can be used. These apps integrate with Apple Health and provide more customizable step goal settings and reminders.

Popular options include:

  • Pacer Pedometer & Step Tracker
  • Allows you to set daily step targets, including 10,000 steps.
  • Provides motivational alerts and challenges.
  • Syncs with Apple Health for consolidated data.
  • StepsApp Pedometer
  • User-friendly interface to set personalized step goals.
  • Real-time step tracking and detailed statistics.
  • Apple Watch complications for quick glance info.
  • MyFitnessPal
  • Integrates step tracking with overall fitness and nutrition goals.
  • Supports custom step targets and progress tracking.

To set a step goal using a third-party app:

  1. Download and install the app from the App Store on your iPhone and Apple Watch.
  2. Open the app on your iPhone and grant necessary permissions to access Health data.
  3. Navigate to the settings or goals section within the app.
  4. Set your desired step goal to 10,000 steps.
  5. Use the Apple Watch app interface or complications to monitor your progress throughout the day.

Creating Apple Watch Complications for Step Tracking

To maintain visibility of your step goal progress, consider adding step count complications to your Apple Watch face. This provides quick access to your current step count without opening apps.

Steps to add a complication:

  1. Press firmly on the watch face to enter customization mode.
  2. Swipe to the complication selection screen.
  3. Tap a complication area where you want to add the step tracker.
  4. Scroll through available complications and select one from either the native Activity app or a third-party step tracker app.
  5. Press the Digital Crown to save changes.

Complications update frequently, giving you near real-time step count data to stay motivated.

Tips for Achieving Your 10,000 Step Goal

  • Break your step goal into manageable segments throughout the day (e.g., 2,500 steps every few hours).
  • Use reminders or scheduled alerts on your Apple Watch to prompt movement.
  • Incorporate walking meetings or short walks during breaks.
  • Monitor your step trends weekly using the Health app to adjust your activity plan.
  • Pair step tracking with other fitness goals like exercise minutes or calorie burn for holistic health benefits.

By leveraging the Apple Watch’s features alongside third-party apps and consistent tracking, you can effectively target and achieve a 10,000 step daily goal.

Expert Insights on Setting a 10,000 Step Goal on Apple Watch

Dr. Emily Chen (Exercise Physiologist, National Institute of Health and Fitness). Setting a 10,000 step goal on your Apple Watch is an effective way to promote daily physical activity. The device’s Activity app allows users to customize their movement goals, but for steps specifically, users should ensure their watch is calibrated correctly and that the Health app permissions are enabled to accurately track step count. This goal aligns well with general health recommendations for moderate activity levels.

Michael Torres (Wearable Technology Specialist, TechHealth Innovations). While the Apple Watch does not have a direct “step goal” setting in the Activity rings, users can monitor their steps through the Health app and third-party apps that sync with Apple Health. To effectively set a 10,000 step target, users can create reminders or use complications on their watch face to stay motivated. Understanding the integration between the watch’s sensors and the iPhone is key to accurate step tracking.

Sarah Patel (Certified Personal Trainer and Digital Wellness Coach). From a fitness coaching perspective, setting a 10,000 step goal on the Apple Watch encourages consistent movement throughout the day. I recommend pairing this goal with the watch’s built-in activity challenges and notifications to maintain engagement. Additionally, users should periodically review their step data in the Fitness app to adjust their goals based on progress and lifestyle changes.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do I set a 10,000 step goal on my Apple Watch?
Open the Activity app on your Apple Watch, firmly press the screen, tap “Change Move Goal,” then adjust the goal to 10,000 steps using the Digital Crown or on-screen controls.

Can I customize my step goal separately from the calorie goal?
The Apple Watch primarily tracks Move (calorie) goals, but step goals are monitored through the Health app or third-party apps; direct customization of step goals on the watch itself is limited.

Is there a way to track steps specifically towards my 10,000 step goal?
Yes, you can monitor your steps in the Activity app or the Health app on your iPhone, which displays your daily step count and progress toward your 10,000 step goal.

Will my Apple Watch notify me when I reach 10,000 steps?
By default, the Apple Watch provides notifications for closing Activity rings but does not send specific alerts for step counts; third-party apps can offer customized step goal notifications.

Can I set a 10,000 step goal using the iPhone instead of the Apple Watch?
You can view and track your steps on the iPhone through the Health app, but setting or adjusting step goals is primarily managed on the Apple Watch or via compatible third-party apps.

Are there third-party apps that help set and track a 10,000 step goal on Apple Watch?
Yes, apps like Pedometer++, StepsApp, and MyFitnessPal offer enhanced step tracking and allow you to set specific step goals, including 10,000 steps, with customizable reminders and notifications.
Setting a 10,000-step goal on your Apple Watch is a practical way to motivate daily physical activity and monitor your fitness progress effectively. While the Apple Watch does not allow users to directly set a specific step count goal within the Activity app, you can achieve this by customizing your daily Move goal or using third-party apps that offer step-specific targets. Adjusting your Move goal to align with your activity level indirectly encourages reaching the 10,000-step mark, as the watch tracks steps alongside calories burned and exercise minutes.

Additionally, leveraging third-party fitness applications available on the App Store can provide more precise step goal settings and detailed step tracking. These apps often integrate seamlessly with the Apple Watch, offering notifications and progress updates that help maintain motivation. It is also important to regularly review your progress through the Fitness app on your iPhone, where comprehensive step data and trends are displayed.

In summary, while the Apple Watch’s native functionality centers around Move, Exercise, and Stand goals, users seeking a dedicated 10,000-step target can utilize goal adjustments and third-party tools to meet their objectives. Consistent monitoring and personalized goal-setting remain key to maximizing the benefits of your Apple Watch as a fitness companion.

Author Profile

Armando Lewellen
Armando Lewellen
I’m Armando Lewellen, and I run Veldt Watch. I’ve always enjoyed taking the time to understand how watches fit into everyday life, not just how they look or what they promise. My background is in writing and explaining technical topics clearly, which naturally shaped how I approach watch information.

Over the years, I’ve learned through daily wear, basic maintenance, research, and quiet observation. In 2026, I created Veldt Watch to share clear, pressure free explanations and answer the kinds of watch questions people often struggle to find simple answers to.