I wear an Apple Watch every day, and this is the free app I use all of the time

As a fitness editor, I review some of the best smartwatches for a living, but it’s the Apple Watch I find myself returning to time and time again. Not only down to the fact that those rings have me hooked, but also because it’s like an extension of my iPhone on my wrist.

Yet one bugbear I’ve always had is, unlike some of the other best fitness trackers out there, I can’t glance down at my Apple Watch and see how close I am to completing my daily step goal. Sure, I can see my movement ring at a glance, but not my steps.

Luckily, my colleague Kate fixed this problem for me, telling me how to see my step count on my Apple Watch, and as January rolls around, and everyone sets new fitness goals, I’m here to share this secret watch hack, lucky readers!

How to see your step count on your Apple Watch

All you have to do to add your daily step count goal to your Apple Watch home screen is download a third-party step-counting app. I personally use the Pedometer++ app, which you can download for free from the Apple Watch app store. I’ve used Pedometer++ on my Apple Watch 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3, but it works with all Apple Watches running watchOS 26, and can run in the background without you having to use it to count your daily walks.

• Download Pedometer++ (free)

Once you’ve downloaded the app, you can add it as a shortcut to your Apple Watch home screen. In the edit interface, tap on the complication you want to use for step counting. Scroll until you find the name of your pedometer app to see the complication choices. Pedometer++ has options for daily progress, progress and steps, steps and distance, floors climbed, and more.

While you'll be able to see your selected data at a glance, you can click on the complication to see all the movement data tracked by the pedometer app.

Of course, counting steps isn’t the be-all and end-all when it comes to improving your overall health and fitness, but it’s a great place to start. Whether you’re simply getting off the subway earlier and walking some of your commute, or trying the Japanese walking method to improve your cardiovascular fitness, walking is a fantastic way to get fit, without any expensive equipment. Check out some of the best walking workouts to try here, as well as three pairs of slip-in shoes I recommend for your 2026 walking workouts.

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