Frequently asked
JustSteps uses your iPhone's motion coprocessor (CoreMotion) to count steps. This requires permission to access Motion & Fitness data.
Go to Settings → Privacy & Security → Motion & Fitness and make sure JustSteps is enabled. If the toggle isn't there, open JustSteps and accept the permission prompt that appears.
Goal notifications require two things: Motion & Fitness permission (to count steps in the background) and Notification permission (to send the alert).
Check both in Settings → Privacy & Security → Motion & Fitness and Settings → Notifications → JustSteps. Also make sure Low Power Mode is off, as it can delay background activity.
JustSteps uses CoreMotion directly for today's steps, while the Health app may aggregate data from multiple sources (third-party apps, etc.). Small differences are normal.
For history beyond today, JustSteps reads from HealthKit, so past days should match. Make sure HealthKit access is enabled in Settings → Health → Data Access & Devices → JustSteps.
Yes! Open the app, tap the gear icon to open Settings, then enable Daily Reminders. You can tap Add Reminder to add as many times as you like. Each reminder only fires if you haven't reached your goal yet.
Long-press your Home Screen → tap the + in the top left → search for JustSteps → choose a widget size and tap Add Widget.
For the Lock Screen, swipe to your Lock Screen, long-press, tap Customize → Lock Screen, then tap the widget area below the clock.
JustSteps is designed for iPhone. Most iPads do not have the motion coprocessor needed for accurate step counting, so the app is not optimised for iPad use.
JustSteps is built to be as battery-efficient as possible. Step counting via CoreMotion uses the dedicated motion coprocessor — a low-power chip that runs even when the main CPU is idle. The impact on battery life is minimal.
Troubleshooting
Check Motion & Fitness permission
This is the most common cause of step counting issues. Without it, CoreMotion cannot read the pedometer.
Settings → Privacy & Security → Motion & Fitness → JustSteps ✓
Check notification permission
Required for goal-reached alerts and daily reminders.
Settings → Notifications → JustSteps → Allow Notifications ✓
Check HealthKit access (for history)
If step history is missing, verify Health access is granted.
Settings → Health → Data Access & Devices → JustSteps
Disable Low Power Mode
iOS significantly restricts background activity in Low Power Mode. This can delay or prevent background step updates and notifications.
Settings → Battery → Low Power Mode → Off
Force quit and reopen
Swipe up from the bottom (or double-tap the Home button), swipe up on JustSteps to force quit it, then reopen. This refreshes the live update connection.
Restart your iPhone
A full restart often resolves persistent CoreMotion or HealthKit sync issues. Hold the side button + volume down, slide to power off, then power back on.
About the app
iPhone (today)
Today's step count is read directly from CoreMotion — your iPhone's motion coprocessor. This runs independently of HealthKit and doesn't require the Health app.
HealthKit (history)
Past days are fetched from HealthKit, which aggregates data from all your connected sources. HealthKit is always the source of truth for historical data.
Widgets
Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets refresh automatically via WidgetKit. Your step count is always visible — no need to open the app.
Notifications
Background delivery via HKObserverQuery wakes the app when HealthKit receives new step data. The goal notification fires the moment you cross the threshold — even with the app closed.
Privacy Policy
At JustSteps, we believe that your health data is your most personal information. Our privacy philosophy is simple: your data belongs to you, stays on your device, and is never seen by us.
1. Core Principles
- Zero Data Collection: We do not collect, transmit, or store any of your personal information on our own servers.
- No Accounts: You can use JustSteps immediately without creating an account or providing an email address.
- No Tracking: We do not use any analytics, crash reporting, or usage tracking SDKs that send data to third parties.
- No Advertising: JustSteps is 100% ad-free and contains no tracking pixels or marketing scripts.
2. HealthKit & Permissions
To provide its core functionality, JustSteps requests permission to access specific data via Apple's HealthKit framework:
- Step Count & Distance: We read this data to calculate your progress and display your history. JustSteps only writes data to HealthKit to ensure your daily progress is synchronized across your devices and reflected accurately in widgets.
- Motion & Fitness: This permission allows the app to use your iPhone's motion sensors (CoreMotion) for real-time step counting, ensuring the app feels responsive even before HealthKit updates.
All HealthKit data is governed by Apple's Health privacy policy and remains under your full control within the iOS Health app.
3. Data Storage & Syncing
JustSteps stores your daily goals and step history locally on your device using the SwiftData framework. This data is stored in your private iCloud container, which means:
- Your data is encrypted and synced between your own Apple devices (if iCloud is enabled).
- We (the developers) have no access to this iCloud container.
- Your data is included in your standard device backups.
4. Local Notifications
JustSteps sends local push notifications to alert you when you reach your goal or to provide daily reminders. These notifications are scheduled and triggered entirely on your device. No external servers or "Push" services are used.
5. Children's Privacy
JustSteps does not knowingly collect any personal information from children. Since the app does not collect any data from any user, it is fully compliant with children's privacy regulations globally.
6. Your Rights
Since we do not store your data, you have full control over it. You can view, modify, or delete your health data at any time through the iOS Health App or by deleting JustSteps from your device.
7. Changes to This Policy
We may update this policy occasionally to reflect changes in the app. However, our commitment to "zero data collection" will never change. Any updates will be posted here with a revised "Last updated" date.
Contact
If you have any questions regarding this privacy policy, please reach out to us at support.juststeps@gmail.com.