How is MyFitnessPal Tracking My Steps?

October 31, 2025 •

4 min read

MyFitnessPal does not track steps directly but rather pulls data from integrated health platforms like Apple Health and Google Fit, or dedicated wearable devices. This syncing process allows the app to use information from your phone's motion sensors or an external tracker to provide an exercise-based calorie adjustment in your diary.

Quick Summary

MyFitnessPal tracks steps by syncing with a primary step source, such as a smartphone's motion sensors or a connected wearable device like a Fitbit or Apple Watch. The app uses this aggregated step data to calculate a calorie adjustment based on your activity level.

Key Points

Indirect Tracking: MyFitnessPal doesn't track steps directly but syncs with a primary device or platform you choose, like your phone's built-in sensors or a wearable.
Calorie Adjustment: The app uses your synced step data to calculate a dynamic calorie adjustment, comparing your tracked activity to your predicted burn to either add or subtract calories from your daily goal.
Source Selection: Users must designate a single step source in the MyFitnessPal settings to prevent inaccurate or duplicate entries.
Phone Sensors: iPhones use the HealthKit framework and their M-series chips, while Androids rely on Google Fit or Health Connect, to passively collect step data using accelerometers and gyroscopes.
Wearable Syncing: Dedicated devices like Fitbit, Apple Watch, and Garmin sync their data to their own cloud platforms, from which MyFitnessPal retrieves the information.
Troubleshooting Sync Issues: If steps are not updating, verify your selected step source, confirm matching time zones, and consider disconnecting and relinking your accounts from the MFP website.

How MyFitnessPal Connects to Step Data Sources

MyFitnessPal operates as a data aggregator, relying on a single designated source for step-tracking information. Instead of using its own internal hardware or software to count steps, the app connects to the platforms where this data is natively stored. This centralized approach ensures you don't receive duplicate step counts from different devices. Users select their preferred source within the app settings, with common options including smartphones, smartwatches, and fitness trackers.

The Smartphone as a Step Tracker

For many users, their smartphone is the primary step source for MyFitnessPal. Modern smartphones, including the iPhone (5s and later) and Android devices, contain sophisticated motion coprocessors and sensors that passively track movement throughout the day.

iPhone: MyFitnessPal links with Apple's HealthKit framework to pull step data collected by the phone's M-series motion co-processor. The iPhone uses a combination of an accelerometer and gyroscope to accurately count steps when the device is in a pocket or armband.
Android: Similarly, Android devices can use Google Fit or Health Connect as the step source. The Android operating system's built-in platform collects step data from the phone's sensors, and MyFitnessPal syncs with this platform to retrieve the count.

Syncing with Wearable Devices

For greater accuracy, many users opt to sync a dedicated wearable device. These trackers, worn on the wrist, are often more consistent in their step counting as they are with you constantly, unlike a phone that may be left on a desk.

Fitbit: To sync a Fitbit, users connect their Fitbit and MyFitnessPal accounts. MyFitnessPal then pulls the step count and calorie burn information from the Fitbit cloud servers. For this to work correctly, the Fitbit device must first sync its data to the Fitbit app, which then sends the data to the cloud.
Apple Watch: An Apple Watch relies on Apple Health as the intermediary platform. Users enable MyFitnessPal to read and write data from Apple Health, and the Health app consolidates the most accurate data from the Watch and phone before sharing it with MFP.
Garmin: Garmin devices connect through Garmin Connect. After linking accounts, Garmin Connect sends the aggregated step and activity data over to MyFitnessPal.

How Step Data Translates to a Calorie Adjustment

One of the most valuable features of MFP's step tracking is the calorie adjustment. The app doesn't simply give you a set number of calories for every thousand steps. Instead, it compares your tracker's reported calorie burn with its own projection of your daily activity level.

Predicted Burn: When you set up your MyFitnessPal profile, you select an activity level (e.g., Sedentary, Lightly Active). This sets your initial calorie goal, including a predicted number of calories you will burn in a day, also known as your basal metabolic rate (BMR) plus daily activity.
Actual Burn: As your connected step tracker records your movement, it sends a more accurate picture of your actual daily energy expenditure to MyFitnessPal.
The Adjustment: MyFitnessPal calculates the difference between its predicted burn and your tracker's actual burn. If you were more active than predicted, it adds bonus calories to your daily budget. If you were less active, the adjustment might be zero or even negative if enabled via the website.

Common Troubleshooting for Sync Issues

If your steps aren't syncing correctly, it is likely a connection or setting issue, not an app malfunction.


Comparison of Syncing Mechanisms	Feature	Smartphone Tracking (iPhone/Android)	Wearable Tracking (Fitbit/Apple Watch)
Primary Data Source	Internal motion sensors (accelerometer, gyroscope).	Dedicated fitness device and its accompanying app.
MyFitnessPal Connection	Syncs with Apple Health (iOS) or Google Fit/Health Connect (Android).	Links directly to the device's cloud-based app (e.g., Fitbit.com).
Sync Frequency	Can be less frequent or less real-time, depending on phone settings and platform.	Syncs reliably whenever the device is connected to its companion app.
Accuracy	Varies depending on phone placement (pocket vs. bag) and activity.	Generally considered more accurate due to consistent placement on the wrist or body.
Calorie Adjustment Basis	Based on the motion data relayed from the phone's health platform.	Based on the tracker's full daily calorie burn projection compared to MFP's estimate.

Resolving Data Discrepancies

If you see different step counts between your device and MyFitnessPal, check these points:

Verify the selected step source. Ensure only one device is selected as your primary step source in the MFP app under More > Settings > Steps. Having multiple trackers connected to MyFitnessPal or its intermediary health app can cause confusion and inaccurate data.
Confirm time zone alignment. Ensure your time zone settings are identical on your MyFitnessPal profile and your connected device's app.
Force a manual sync. Open your device's native app first (e.g., Fitbit app or Apple Health) to ensure the data is synced from the device to its cloud service. Then, open MyFitnessPal and manually refresh your diary page.
Perform a full reconnection. As a last resort, disconnect and reconnect your accounts entirely. For some devices, it is most effective to disconnect through the MyFitnessPal website rather than the app.

Conclusion

In summary, MyFitnessPal tracks your steps indirectly by integrating with an external, user-selected data source. Whether you use your phone's built-in sensors via Apple Health or Google Fit, or a dedicated wearable like a Fitbit, MFP receives the raw step data and uses it to provide a dynamic calorie adjustment. The key to reliable tracking is ensuring that the correct step source is selected, permissions are granted, and that your devices are syncing correctly. By understanding this process, you can troubleshoot discrepancies and utilize the feature to its full potential for your fitness journey.

Tip for iOS Users: To ensure seamless sync with your Apple Watch, make sure MyFitnessPal is installed on both the Watch and iPhone and that 'Background App Refresh' and 'Motion & Fitness' access are enabled in your iOS settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

MyFitnessPal can use your phone's built-in sensors to track steps, but it does so indirectly by syncing with your phone's native health app. For iPhones, it connects with Apple Health, while on Android, it uses Google Fit or Health Connect to pull the step data gathered by your phone.

Differences can occur due to varying data sync times or slightly different counting algorithms. MyFitnessPal pulls data from the Fitbit servers, not directly from the device. Ensure both apps are updated, the time zones match, and that your Fitbit app has synced with your device before checking MFP.

To select your step source, go to the 'More' menu in the MyFitnessPal app, then navigate to 'Steps.' From there, you can choose from a list of compatible options, such as your phone, a Fitbit, or another connected tracker.

MyFitnessPal avoids double counting by overriding your step-based calorie adjustment with the specific calorie burn from a manually logged cardio exercise. This ensures you don't receive credit for both the steps and the manually entered activity during the same time period.

A negative calorie adjustment means you were less active than the activity level you set in your MyFitnessPal profile. This feature can be enabled on the MyFitnessPal website and allows the app to subtract calories from your daily goal to accurately reflect your lower-than-expected activity.

First, ensure your device is synced to its own app. Then, verify that your step source is correctly selected in MFP. If problems persist, disconnect and reconnect your accounts, preferably using the MyFitnessPal website for a cleaner reset.

No, you should only connect one device as your primary step tracker in MyFitnessPal. Using multiple sources can lead to data conflicts, duplicate entries, and inaccurate calorie adjustments.