How to set up Apple Fitness Plus workout service to get moving

Apple’s workout service Fitness Plus can help you get your sweat on at home with the help of your Apple Watch ($409 at eBay). CNET’s Vanessa Hand Orellana tried it out for a week and said it was “easy to use and beginner-friendly” — you can check out her full Apple Fitness Plus review here. The service also includes a Time to Walk feature that has celebrities like Dolly Parton telling stories as they themselves are on a walk, and includes a few songs to listen to as you stroll. 

The workout service costs $10 (£10, AU$15) a month, or $80 (£80, AU$120) a year. It can be combined with Apple Music, Apple TV Plus, Apple Arcade, Apple News Plus and 2TB of iCloud storage as part of the Apple One Premier subscription bundle for $30 (£30, AU$40) a month. You can share your Fitness Plus membership with up to five other people. 

Here’s how to download Apple Fitness Plus and get everything set up so you can start working out. 

Read more: Apple Fitness Plus vs. Peloton: Which streaming workout service is better?

How do I download Apple Fitness Plus?

To get Apple Fitness Plus, you’ll need to be running at least iOS 14.3, WatchOS 7.2, iPadOS 14.3 and TVOS 14.3 — all of which are available now. Fitness Plus does require an Apple Watch Series 3 ($199 at Apple) or later with WatchOS 7.2, paired with an iPhone 6S or later, or an iPhone SE, and iOS 14.3. 

On your Apple Watch, Fitness Plus will automatically appear as a new tab in the Fitness app on your iPhone. If you’re using an iPad ($356 at eBay), you can download the Fitness app from the App Store. And if you’re using an Apple TV ($180 at Target), the Fitness app will automatically appear after you upgrade to TVOS 14.3. 

Read more: Best workout subscription apps for 2021

How do I set up Apple Fitness Plus?

To sign up for Apple Fitness Plus, go to apple.com/apple-fitness-plus. Or, open the Fitness app on any of your Apple devices, and select the Fitness Plus tab. You can sign up for a one-month free trial, or get three months free if you buy a new Apple Watch. 

Once you’re signed up, when you open the Apple Fitness Plus app on your Apple TV or other device, a notification will pop up on your watch asking if you want to connect. Tap yes. At the top of the app, filter through different types of workouts, difficulty levels, trainers, durations and music. You’ll find 10 different workout types to choose from, including HIIT, strength, yoga, dance, core, cycling, treadmill and rowing, along with cooldowns. 

Read more: How Apple’s Fitness Plus solves the Netflix forever-browsing problem

Each workout will tell you what equipment you need (if any), like weights or a treadmill. When you select one, you can click Let’s Go (or watch a preview first). A play button will appear on the screen and on your Apple Watch. Push either button to begin your workout. The two devices will stay in sync throughout your workout. You can also use your Apple Watch as a remote control to play or pause your workout. 

In the upper left corner of the screen, you’ll see the elapsed time, your current heart rate and the number of calories you’ve burned. After one workout ends, you have the option to tack on another workout or a guided cooldown. After your workout, you’ll see a summary screen pop up summarizing your activity. The workout will also appear in your Fitness app. 

That’s it! Happy sweating. 

For more, check out the best smartwatches of 2021, and all the best hidden iOS 14 features.