iOS FAQs

iOS FAQ

This page is specifically for iOS users. For Android FAQ, go here.

How does the app work?

Walk the Distance reads your walking distance from the Apple Health / Fitbit / Garmin and updates your virtual position on the map of the Appalachian Trail. It applies daily walking totals captured by these input sources.

The app doesn't work well yet to track specific walking/workout activities (hitting activate/deactivate at the start/end of a walk). If this feature is important to you, please email me: walkthedistanceapp@gmail.com

You know the app is working properly if the total daily walking distance in the input source (Health App, Fitbit, or Garmin) matches the distance of "So Far Today" in Walk the Distance.

Where are the videos? I want to see myself walking down the trail.

My app doesn't have virtual reality videos, it simply shows you your progress over time on a map of a big route such as the Appalachian Trail. Try Treadmill Trails if you want to experience videos on your treadmill.

Why doesn't Walk the Distance record my walking?

1. Make sure the app is "activated". Open the map you want to do and click the "Activate" button. Accept permissions to read from Apple Health

2. Check if you have distance recorded under "Walking + Running Distance" in the Health App.

2a. If you DO NOT have distance in the Health App, you probably need to give the Health App permission to listen to your motion from the device. Go to Settings -> Privacy -> Motion & Fitness and turn on the Health app.

2b. If you DO have distance in the Health App, verify that WalkTheDistance app has permission to read from the health app. First "activate" your walk if you have not done so, then open the health app, and go to Browse -> Activity -> Walking + Running Distance -> Data Sources & Access" then enable WalkTheDistance.

How do I sync my Fitbit?

Walk the Distance integrates directly with Fitbit. Change the "input type" in settings. This feature is available for premium members ($2.99 USD / month), which includes all the paid walks as well.

The best way to integrate with Fitbit is to use the built-in integration, but if you don't want to pay, you can use the "Power Sync" app to sync your Fitbit data to Apple Health (which you can integrate with for free in Walk the Distance). The one caveat is that syncing with this app doesn't happen automatically, you have to open and manually sync each time.

How do I sync my Garmin?

Walk the Distance integrates directly with Garmin. Change the "input type" in settings. (see above screenshot for Fitbit). This feature is available for premium members ($2.99 USD / month), which includes all the paid walks as well.

The best way to integrate with Garmin is to use the built-in integration (see above screenshot for Fitbit), but if you don't want to pay, you can sync Garmin Connect to Apple Health, which Walk the Distance will read for free.

Warning: Due to a bug by the Garmin developers, you will get credit for more miles than you have actually completed. The reason is because when Garmin syncs to the Health App, it always adds that data with a timestamp of 10:59 pm, no matter what time the activity was recorded. (screenshot 2) This prevents the Health App from detecting and removing duplicate entries. For example - if you tracked distance while carrying your phone and Garmin at the same time, you would get double credit for those miles.

I highly recommend the Walk the Distance premium membership to integration with Garmin. It works very well- your virtual progress is updated immediately every time your device syncs to Garmin Connect and you will get checkpoint notifications, etc in the background.

How do I manually add miles?

Walk the Distance reads from the Health App. To add miles, manually add data in the Health App. Open the health app, and go to Browse -> Activity -> Walking + Running Distance. Then click "Add Data" in the upper right. Note: Walk the Distance currently only syncs the current day, so add any missing miles to the current day in Health.

If all else fails...

Email me: walkthedistanceapp@gmail.com.