Samsung Health is a fitness and health tracking app built into Samsung phones and watches
Samsung Health is an app that comes pre-installed on most Samsung Android phones and watches. It tracks physical activity, heart rate, sleep, stress levels, and other health metrics. The app stores this data on your phone and can sync it to Samsung's servers if you choose to connect it to a Samsung account.
Unlike some fitness apps that require a subscription to work, Samsung Health's core features are free. You can track steps, distance, calories burned, and workouts without paying anything. The app pulls data from your phone's built-in sensors — the accelerometer measures movement, and if your device has one, a heart rate sensor reads your pulse directly from the back of the phone or watch.
The app is designed to work with other Samsung devices. If you own a Samsung Galaxy Watch, the watch sends health data directly to the app on your phone. Samsung also lets you connect third-party devices like Fitbit trackers or certain blood pressure monitors, though compatibility varies by device.
Key Takeaways
- Samsung Health tracks steps, heart rate, sleep, and workouts using sensors in your phone or watch, and stores the data locally on your device by default.
- Your health data syncs to Samsung's servers only if you sign in with a Samsung account; without signing in, data stays on your phone.
- Samsung Health is free to use, but the app collects detailed personal health information that you should review in the app's privacy settings.
- The app can share your data with other Samsung services and third-party health apps if you grant permission in the settings.
- You can delete your Samsung Health data from your phone or from Samsung's servers, though the process differs depending on where the data is stored.
How Samsung Health collects and stores your data
Samsung Health gathers data from multiple sources. Your phone's motion sensors track steps and distance automatically throughout the day. When you manually log a workout — running, cycling, swimming — the app records the type, duration, and calories burned. If your phone or watch has a heart rate sensor, Samsung Health reads your pulse continuously or at intervals you set.
By default, this data lives on your phone only. Samsung Health creates a local database that stores weeks or months of your activity history. You can open the app and see all your data without ever connecting to the internet or signing into an account.
If you sign in with a Samsung account, the app syncs your data to Samsung's servers. This backup happens automatically in the background. Samsung says it encrypts this data in transit and at rest, but the company does have access to your health information once it reaches their servers. Signing in also lets you access your data from multiple devices — your phone, tablet, and watch all show the same history.
What permissions Samsung Health needs and why
When you first open Samsung Health, the app asks for several permissions. It needs access to your phone's motion sensors to count steps and measure distance. It requests permission to read your calendar so it can log workouts you schedule. It may ask for location access if you want the app to track routes during outdoor activities like running or cycling.
Samsung Health also asks permission to access your contacts and send notifications. The contacts permission lets you share workout data with friends through the app. Notifications alert you to activity goals, reminders to move, or heart rate changes the app detects as unusual.
You can deny most of these permissions and still use the app's basic features. If you refuse location access, the app will still count your steps but won't map your route. If you deny calendar access, you can still log workouts manually. Review each permission request carefully and grant only what you need.
How Samsung Health shares your data with other apps and services
Samsung Health can send your health data to other apps on your phone. If you use a meditation app, a nutrition tracker, or another fitness service, you can connect it to Samsung Health and let it read your activity data. This happens only if you explicitly grant permission in the Samsung Health settings — the app does not automatically share with other services.
Samsung also integrates Samsung Health data into other Samsung services. If you use Samsung's SmartThings app to control your home, or Samsung's wearable apps, those services may access your health data to provide personalized features. Again, you control this through the app's settings, but the default is often to allow sharing within the Samsung ecosystem.
Third-party health services like MyFitnessPal or Strava can request access to your Samsung Health data. When you connect one of these apps, Samsung Health shows you what data it will share — usually steps, workouts, and calories — and asks you to confirm. You can revoke this access at any time by going to Samsung Health settings and disconnecting the app.
The difference between local data and cloud data
Understanding where your data lives matters for privacy. Local data is stored only on your phone. Only apps on your phone that you have granted permission can read it. Samsung cannot see this data unless you sign into a Samsung account and sync it.
Cloud data is stored on Samsung's servers after you sign in. Samsung employees could theoretically access it, though the company says it does not read your health data for marketing purposes. Cloud data is useful because it backs up your history — if you lose your phone, your data is not lost. It also lets you view your data on a web browser or on multiple devices.
You can use Samsung Health with only local data. Simply do not sign in with a Samsung account. Your data will stay on your phone, and Samsung will not have a copy. The trade-off is that if your phone is damaged or stolen, you lose all your history.
How to control what Samsung Health collects
Open Samsung Health and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the bottom right. Select "Settings." From here, you can turn off specific data collection. You can disable heart rate tracking, disable step counting, or turn off sleep tracking. Disabling a feature stops the app from collecting that type of data going forward, but does not delete data already collected.
To prevent Samsung Health from syncing to the cloud, go to Settings and look for "Samsung account" or "Sync." Tap it and select "Sign out" or toggle off the sync option. This stops new data from uploading to Samsung's servers, but does not delete data already synced.
You can also limit which apps can access your Samsung Health data. In Settings, find "Connected apps" or "Permissions." Review the list of apps that have access and disconnect any you no longer use or trust. This does not affect data already shared, but it stops future sharing.
How to delete your Samsung Health data
Deleting local data is straightforward. Open Samsung Health, go to Settings, and look for "Delete data" or "Clear data." You can delete all data at once or select specific date ranges. This removes the data from your phone permanently.
Deleting cloud data requires a few more steps. Sign into your Samsung account on a web browser and go to the Samsung account settings page. Look for "Privacy" or "Data management." Find Samsung Health in the list of services and select the option to delete your health data from Samsung's servers. This process can take a few days to complete.
If you delete your Samsung account entirely, Samsung says it will delete your health data within 30 days. However, Samsung may retain some data for legal or operational reasons — check Samsung's privacy policy for specifics about what data is kept and for how long.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Samsung Health work without signing into a Samsung account?
Yes. Samsung Health tracks your activity and stores the data on your phone without any account. You only need to sign in if you want to back up your data to Samsung's servers or access it from multiple devices. Local tracking works completely offline.
Can I see what data Samsung has about me?
Yes. Sign into your Samsung account on a web browser, go to the account settings, and look for a "Data download" or "Privacy" section. Samsung may let you download a copy of your health data in a file format you can open. The process and available options vary by region.
Is Samsung Health data encrypted?
Samsung encrypts your health data when it travels to Samsung's servers and when it sits on their servers. However, encryption in transit and at rest does not mean Samsung cannot read your data — it means others cannot intercept it during transfer. Samsung has the keys to decrypt it.
What happens to my Samsung Health data if I switch to a non-Samsung phone?
If you signed in with a Samsung account, you can download your data from Samsung's website before switching phones. You can then import this data into another fitness app if that app supports the file format. If you only had local data on your Samsung phone, you will need to transfer it manually or use a third-party tool.
Can I turn off Samsung Health completely?
You cannot uninstall Samsung Health on most Samsung phones because it is a system app. However, you can disable it by going to Settings, Apps, Samsung Health, and selecting "Disable." This stops the app from running and collecting data. You can re-enable it later if you change your mind.