Can you use Apple Fitness+ without an Apple Watch?

Your Apple Watch can miss Fitness+ a session

Typically, when you're getting your sweat on with Apple Fitness+, you're going to want your best Apple Watch strapped to your wrist to take all of your metrics. But, if for any reason your Apple Watch is not around or not charged up, you can do a workout Fitness+ workout session.

When you start a workout with Fitness+ on iPhone and iPad, the device will look for your paired Apple Watch before beginning the workout. If it does not detect your watch, it will ask you to pair it. However, users will also get an option to start the workout with the Apple Watch (see screenshot above). You can tap on the option to start Fitness+ without an Apple Watch, and the session will start. This, of course, means that none of your Apple Watch metrics will be displayed on the screen, and your Apple Watch won't log it as a workout, but you can still watch the class and follow along.

Only works on iPhone and iPad

While you can do this on your iPhone and iPad, it seems that the Apple TV is another story. Just like with the iPhone and iPad, your Apple TV will look for your Apple Watch when you try to load the Fitness app on your Apple TV, but if it doesn't find it, you'll be prompted to pair your Apple Watch (see screenshot below).

There's no way to start Fitness+ without an Apple Watch on Apple TV; you need to have your Apple Watch with you when you want to start a Fitness+ session.

New Apple Watches get extended free trial

Fitness+ is available now and costs $9.99 a month or $79.99 annually. There is a one-month free trial for any user, but if you buy a new Apple Watch through Apple, you'll get a three-month free trial of the new service.