Workouts not pausing like they should? Use this checklist.
The Apple Watch is a great tool for tracking your workouts, but it can be frustrating when it automatically pauses mid-activity or doesn’t stop when you want it to.
There are several reasons why your Apple Watch may be inadvertently pausing your workout, and there are also a few things to verify if the feature isn’t functioning properly.
In this guide, we’ll explain how to disable the Apple Watch’s auto-pause feature and offer a checklist if you’re encountering issues. Let’s get started.
Top tip: Apple’s Auto-Pause feature differs from the reminders to resume/end your workout if the watch detects you’re idle. However, you can also disable/enable these in the same settings menus discussed below.
Turn off Auto-Pause via the iPhone
The ‘Auto-Pause’ feature is behind the Apple Watch automatically halting during workouts. If you only desire manual control over workouts, you can turn this off by following these steps:
1. Go to the Watch app on your iPhone.
2. Go to ‘My Watch’ in the app and then scroll down to ‘Workouts’.
3. Under ‘Auto-Pause’, toggle the switch to off.
Turn off Auto-Pause on the Apple Watch
You can also control the Auto-Pause setting from the smartwatch itself. Follow these steps:
- Go to the ‘Settings’ app.
- Scroll right down to the bottom and select ‘Workout’.
- Find ‘Auto-Pause’ and tap through.
- Disable the ‘Auto-Pause’ switch—or, alternatively, toggle for individual workout types.
Eight ways to fix Auto-Pause on the Apple Watch
Auto-Pause may work well most of the time, but it’s prone to the odd issue. For those encountering issues wishing to keep Auto-Pause turned on, check the list below for eight ways to help things work as intended.
1. Check the fit of your Apple Watch
This is the most likely cause of accidentally pausing workouts—or ones that don’t pause when they should.
If the Apple Watch is too loose, it might not be able to track your heart rate accurately, which could cause it to pause your workout.
2. Check your wrist detection settings
If wrist detection is enabled, your Apple Watch will pause your workout if it detects that you’ve taken it off your wrist. You can disable wrist detection in the Apple Watch app on your iPhone.
3. Make sure the Apple Watch is up to date
Apple regularly releases software updates that can improve the performance of your Apple Watch. Check for updates in the Watch app on your iPhone – and learn how to update the Apple Watch with this guide.
4. Restart your Apple Watch
Sometimes a simple restart can fix problems with your Apple Watch.
To restart your Apple Watch, press and hold the side button until you see the power off slider, then drag the slider to turn off your Apple Watch. After a few seconds, press and hold the side button again until you see the Apple logo.
You can also try resetting the Apple Watch if this doesn’t work.
5. Check connectivity issues between your watch and iPhone
If your watch is not properly connected to your iPhone – or if there is interference with the Bluetooth signal – it may cause the workout to pause.
6. Your watch is low on battery
If your Apple Watch’s battery is low, it may cause the workout to pause. Ensure your watch has a decent level of charge before starting a workout.
Check these tips for extending the battery life of the Apple Watch, if you encounter this issue regularly.
7. Check clothing isn’t accidentally pausing workouts
It’s an easy thing to miss if you work out in jackets or long sleeves. Ensure nothing interferes with the Apple Watch display during workouts and accidentally pauses your sessions.
This can happen if your arms move in a way that accidentally triggers the pause button. To avoid this, try adjusting the position of your watch or tightening the strap.
8. Contact Apple Support
If the sensors aren’t registering movement correctly, your Apple Watch may be faulty. Contacting Apple Support will help you determine whether the problem is with the Apple Watch.
Whether wrist raises work or not is a good way to check whether the accelerometer is faulty. If not, auto-pause likely won’t work, either.
