How to change your Activity goals on an Apple Watch

2 min read · 6 steps · Updated 2 October 2026

The three rings stand for Move (calories), Exercise (minutes) and Stand (hours). The goals the watch suggests at the start are not fixed. Set them so that they are a stretch on a normal day but reachable.

These steps are for recent versions of watchOS. The pictures are simplified diagrams of the watch screen, not screenshots.

Step by step

1. Open the Activity app

   Press the Digital Crown and tap the icon with the three rings.

   Done

2. Scroll to a ring

   Turn the Digital Crown. Each ring has its own page: Move, Exercise, Stand.

   Done

3. Tap the Change Goals button

   It is on the page of the ring.

   Done

4. Choose for today or for every day

   Change for Today only alters today's goal, for example on a sick day. Change Daily Goal alters it from now on.

   Done

5. Adjust and tap Set

   Tap minus or plus until the number fits, then tap Set.

   Done

6. Set different goals for different days

   On the goal screen, tap the Goal Type button in the top right corner and tap Schedule. You can then give each weekday its own goal, for example a lower one on rest days. Finish with Set Schedule.

   Done

Good to know

To take a break without losing your streak, tap the Activity rings, tap Pause Rings and choose a duration. Tap the rings again and tap Resume Rings to continue.

The Move goal is the one to raise slowly as you get fitter. The Exercise goal starts at 30 minutes and the Stand goal at 12 hours.

If the rings do not seem to fill correctly: Apple Watch not counting steps or tracking activity correctly: 6 fixes.

In short: Activity app, turn the Crown to a ring, Change Goals, today or daily, plus or minus, Set.