Siri and Shortcuts
Ask Siri for your steps or daily goal forecast, and build automations with Shortcuts, Spotlight, and the Action Button.
On this page
Steps Widget integrates with Siri and Apple Shortcuts so you can check your steps, hear your daily goal forecast, or grab a widget snapshot hands-free. No extra setup is required once Health access is granted.
Asking Siri
When speaking to Siri, include "Steps Widget" or "Steps App" in your request so iOS routes the query to the app rather than Apple Health. Saying just "steps" gets you Apple Health's answer instead.
1. Check your steps
"Hey Siri, get my Steps Widget."
"Hey Siri, get my Steps App for this week."
For today, Siri reads your current count and compares it to your goal. You can also ask for specific periods:
| Single days | Ranges (daily average & goal hit rate) |
|---|---|
| Today | This week / Last week |
| Yesterday | Last 7 days |
| Last 24 hours | This month / Last month |
| Last 30 days | |
| This year |
2. Check your goal forecast
"Hey Siri, will I hit my step goal in Steps Widget?"
"Hey Siri, am I on track in Steps App?"
Siri announces your projected end-of-day step count based on your pace and indicates whether you are on track to meet your daily goal.
3. Display your widget
"Hey Siri, get my Steps App widget image."
Siri displays your current widget styling and step progress on screen.
Using Shortcuts
Open Apple's Shortcuts app, tap +, and search for Steps. Three background actions are available:
| Action | Options | Returns |
|---|---|---|
| Show Steps | Period (defaults to Today) | Text summary |
| Project Today's Steps | Step Goal (defaults to your app goal) | Projected total number |
| Get Steps Widget | None | Widget image (PNG) |
Popular Shortcuts ideas
- Action Button: Assign Show Steps to the Action Button on iPhone 15 Pro or newer for instant step checks.
- Afternoon forecast: Create an automation at 4 PM running Project Today's Steps and choose "Speak Text" to hear if you need an evening walk.
- Weekly summary: Schedule a Monday morning shortcut that runs Show Steps for Last Week and shares the result.
Troubleshooting & Privacy
- Siri opens Apple Health instead: Siri requires the app name to distinguish between system fitness and Steps Widget. Be sure to say "Steps Widget" or "Steps App" (e.g., "Hey Siri, get my Steps Widget").
- "Unable to read step history": Ensure Health permissions are enabled in Settings › Health › Data Access & Devices › Steps Widget.
- Privacy: All Siri requests and Shortcut actions run entirely on your device using local HealthKit data. No step data is sent to external servers.
What to read next
- How goal reminders work — how the on-device projection works.
- The step window — how day boundaries and rolling 24-hour windows work.
- Connect Apple Health — troubleshooting Health data permissions.
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Steps Widget projects your end-of-day step total on device and reminds you only when you are heading for a miss — with your Apple Health count on every screen you already look at.
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