You need an Apple Watch to sign up for Apple Fitness Plus, but not for every workout - here's why

• You need an Apple Watch Series 3 or later to subscribe to Apple Fitness Plus.
• After subscribing, you don't need to use the Apple Watch for every workout, but it'll help save your performance metrics.
• To workout with an Apple Watch, just tap "Work Out Without Watch" when starting a workout.

Apple Fitness Plus is Apple's subscription exercise service, similar to the model pioneered by Peloton for its elliptical and indoor bikes. You pay a monthly or annual fee for access to a selection of workout classes coached by a human trainer.

The classes include treadmill, cycling, rowing, yoga, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and more. They're pre-recorded, but new ones are added weekly.

Just like Peloton, though, you'll need some equipment before you can start an Apple Fitness class. The Fitness app can be accessed on an iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV - but to sign up for an account, you need to have an Apple Watch.

You need an Apple Watch to sign up for Apple Fitness Plus

To sign up for Apple Fitness Plus, you need an Apple Watch Series 3 or newer - you can't sign up without owning a Watch. In addition to the Watch, you need to own an Apple device like an iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV.

This is because the service intends for users to track their heart rate, burned calories, and daily performance using the Watch. This lets you see how you're improving over time, and have quick access to your health metrics.

But while the Watch is required to make an account, it's not required to perform a workout.

How to use Apple Fitness Plus without your Apple Watch

Using Apple Fitness Plus without your Apple Watch is simple. Just select the workout you want to perform as you normally would and tap "Let's Go."

Fitness Plus will warn you that the Apple Watch is unavailable. If you want to proceed anyway, tap "Work Out Without Watch." The workout will proceed, though you won't be able to track certain elements of your workout.

Once you've got the right devices, you can sign up for Apple Fitness Plus easily.

How to sign up for Apple Fitness Plus

A subscription to Apple Fitness Plus costs $9.99 per month or $79.99 per year, and comes with a one-month free trial. There are occasionally better deals available.

For example, you may be able to take advantage of a three-month free trial after you purchase an Apple Watch.

To sign up for Apple Fitness Plus, start the Fitness Plus app on your device and follow the instructions. You'll need to decide if you want to subscribe monthly or annually.

You'll need to be running iOS 14.3 or higher on your iPhone, iPadOS 14.3 or higher on your iPad, or tvOS 14.3 or higher on your Apple TV. If you're using your iPad, you also need to install the Apple Fitness app from the App Store (it should already be installed on both the iPhone and Apple TV).

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