Pixel Watch 3 – Elliptical workouts no longer contributing steps after March 2026 update

[nathanmillson]

I’m looking for clarification and possibly reporting a bug related to Pixel Watch 3 step tracking after the March 2026 update.

Before the update, my elliptical workouts were clearly contributing steps to my daily step count.

Example (before update):

• 27 Feb

  • Elliptical workout: 1h 01m

  • Daily steps recorded: 21,229

• 2 Mar

  • Elliptical workout: 1h 03m

  • Daily steps recorded: 17,544

These workouts normally occur around 4:30am, and the step graph clearly shows a large spike during the workout window. My elliptical sessions typically contributed around 9,000 steps toward the daily total.

During these workouts I am actively rowing the moving handles on the elliptical for the entire session. My arms are continuously moving with the machine handles. This motion has always been detected by the watch in the past and recorded as steps.

After the latest Pixel Watch 3 update (March 2026) this behaviour has changed.

Example (after update):

• 6 Mar

  • Elliptical workout: 1h 03m

  • Calories, heart rate and zone minutes recorded correctly

  • Daily steps recorded: 11,904

The step graph no longer shows the large spike during the workout period. The elliptical activity appears to be excluded from the daily step count.

Troubleshooting already performed:

• Factory reset of the Pixel Watch 3

• Repaired and set up from scratch

The manual elliptical workout still records:

• heart rate

• calories burned

• cardio load

• zone minutes

But steps are no longer added during the workout.

To further investigate this, I contacted Fitbit support.

Support case reference: 1-8039000040697
Date: 7 March

During the support chat I was told that:

• Elliptical and spinning workouts are not designed to track steps

• However, if arm movement is detected by the accelerometer, steps can still be calculated during the workout

This aligns with what my historical data shows. My previous workouts clearly added thousands of steps while using the elliptical.

Because the only change between my previous working workouts and current behaviour is the March 2026 Pixel Watch update, I suspect something may have changed in the step detection algorithm.

My question for a Fitbit specialist:

Can someone officially confirm whether steps generated from arm movement during a manual Elliptical workout are expected to be included in the daily step count?

My historical screenshots show that these steps were previously counted, but after the March update they no longer are.

If this behaviour has changed, was it an intentional change in the update?
Or could this be a bug introduced in the latest Pixel Watch update?

I would appreciate confirmation from a Fitbit specialist, and I’m also interested to hear if other Pixel Watch users have experienced the same change.

Kind Regards,

Nathan.


Before


After

[Chris....]

Hi Andrea it also not tracking steps in "wight lifting" were it previously did.

[toubap]

They get many reports of that issue, yet they tell us to reboot knowing its not gonna do anything, on reddit they told someone that elliptical is not supposed to track steps..
I feel they not gonna fix it

[Chris....]

I have the same problem, if I set it off in whight lifting I would get the steps from me walking around the gym, it's just blank now step wise for the hour I do each morning.

[FDH4]

We really appreciate you acknowledging this situation. You can add me onto the list of disrupted users, updated this morning prior to my workout and my Pixel Watch 3 missed over 12k steps.

Do we have any information as when users can expect a fix? Especially since we are told to always update to the latest software, and we do which causes new bugs. Seems to me, why would have workouts on our watches if the watch isn't accurately recording information.

I appreciate any additional information you can provide? 

[Hieth]

Hi Nathan thanks for logging this I thought I was going mad tried all the recommendations restarting etc etc and no joy clearly it is down to the march update I hope @Fitbit sort this out I have the Watch 4 and use to get between 12000 and 15000 steps per day added from my Elliptical and now it shows zero most annoying cheers Hieth 

[Effie33]

Hi Andrea,

Thanks for jumping on this! Adding my voice as an impacted user. This is crucial functionality and incredibly frustrating as a long time user. Im new to this community because I never had a need to post before, but after 10 years this was the issue that made me speak up.

Thanks again and i look forward to an update soon!

[DanaFishbein]

I am also losing 2700 to 5000 steps for my 15 or 30 minute ellipitical workouts.  This also started after the latest update.Any fix yet?

[Chris....]

Hi am getting double steps now, if I reset my watch it goes back to what looks about correct but as soon as it sink with the app it doubles, Thai is totally messed my stats up, premium getting cancelled.

[nathanmillson]

Hi @AndreaFitbit , thank you for following this one up.

Yesterday I was able to update the Health Services app on the Pixel Watch. (0.80.25.866657714). Fitbit app version (3.55.1.1.880974436.release). I have tried a restart of the watch and a clear of the Fitbit app cache. Watch is on version (Android Version 16. Android Security Update: 5 March 2026).
This has not resolved the issue of steps not being counted during workouts

Before the March 2026 update, elliptical workouts consistently contributed to my step count. Can you confirm if this behaviour was intentionally changed, or if this is a bug currently under investigation?

If this is a bug, Do we have a resolution on the horizon?

Much appreciated.

Kind Regards,

Nathan.

[ElizeHVdS]

Today I encountered the same issue.

I had a 58 min zumba training (registered as aerobics). Normally that tracks for about 6.500/7.000 steps. Today: 0. 

I manually added the steps stating it as a "walking 7km" workout in the app. Just to not offset my daily average (trying to stay 15k+ a day).

I previously had the double steps/calories issues and rebooted both my watch and the app, but that makes no difference, unfortunately. 

Hope this issue will be fixed soon!

[rfickett]

None of my workouts are recording my steps, dancing, skating, etc. It is extremely frustrating. Please advise.

[Angelamk]

Add me to the list of frustrated users. I do a daily cross training type of workout that alternates weights and running circuits. And have always used the "workout" setting which doesnt show me the steps but counts them through my workouts, generally racking up around 5000 steps. Now I get done and have none? These are legitimate steps on a treadmill, but I dont like the "treadmill" setting because during my lower activity/slower circuits it constantly alerts me asking if I'm still working out. Super frustrated by this update! 

[Rich_Laue]

Personally, I'd do a complete shutdown, that way I know that both the
software and hardware got a fresh reboot

[Hieth]

Tried that twice @Rich_Laue not joy, there is clearly an issue. Please can you resolve the issue @Fitbit 🙏 

[RayLomas]

Count me as another frustrated user. Watch 3 paired with Pixel 7. It is incredibly annoying that the developers think they know better about when "steps" are counted or not. 

Google better get off their rump and fix this "feature" which is really a bug for most of us who track our steps, calories and workout carefully. 

[Bladejjpr]

It may not be ideal but I figured out a way to capture my cardio workouts with steps. Last week I was on business travel and walking eveywhere. The watch and the fitbit app asked me to update my location setting to "allow all the time" in order to let the watch automatically detect my activities. That was perfect because I tend to walk fast and it counted my commute walk from to my hotel to work and back as a workout. 😉 Fast forward to this week... The watch has automatically detected every single one of my elliptical sessions, provided the full record of the workout and counted steps. It may no be ideal because your device may use more battery but it works. Hopefully it will work for you all too. 

 

 

 

 

[JoeyKInWJ]

I determined my issue was related to the update pushed to the Google Pixel Watch 3 during this time as I moved back to my original Google Pixel Watch and the issue resolved itself.

That said, the differences between the Google Pixel Watch and the Google Pixel Watch 3  in terms of heart rate tracking, steps, and other algorithmic function(s) are significantly different.  The original Pixel Watch is much better at tracking heart rate, whereas the Pixel Watch 3 is much more accurate with step counts.  It seems like combining the two devices into one would put the hardware in a pretty good spot.

[b-bowling]

Since the update this has been happening to me playing ultimate Frisbee...where all you do is actually run. So it's not just an issue with an exercise machine that may or may not track arm movement as steps, but an issue with step tracking at all in exercise mode.

Before the update I usually get ~10,000 steps from a 2 hour game. Today, that 2 hour time period on the app shows 0 steps recorded, but somehow still a high cardio load.

This is pretty ridiculous it's been happening for weeks now.

[him7403]

Not only elliptical, I play pickleball and table tennis and none of them are counting steps.

Today, instead of tracking pickleball, I started the activity as running but played the same pickleball like always. And it counted steps.

Here are two screenshots tracking as pickleball counted 22 steps and tracking as running counted 2061 steps.

 

[Chris....]

I've cancelled my premium subscription due to this, it's ridiculous how long it's taken, its messed all my stats up, I've been on a web chat with them I they definitely know it's a problem.