One of the reasons the Apple Watch is so popular is that it is designed to work with so many smart devices, including the Peloton Bike.
However, as convenient as it is to pair your Apple Watch with your Peloton Bike, there can be sporadic issues with the Apple Watch not connecting to Peloton or other third-party integrations.
So, what do you do when your Apple Watch won’t connect to Peloton?
In this article, we will share some easy fixes for times when your Apple Watch won’t pair with the Peloton Bike+, so you can get back to your workout knowing that your heart rate data will be recorded each and every beat of your ride.
We’ll be covering:
- Why Is My Apple Watch Not Connecting to Peloton?
- 7 Easy Fixes For Apple Watch and Peloton Connection Issues
Let’s dive in!
Why Is My Apple Watch Not Connecting to Peloton?
There are occasional glitches or update issues that affect the Apple GymKit Integration with the Peloton Bike+ and Apple watches.
Although there is normally seamless pairing between your devices, when a new software update for either the Peloton Bike or the Apple Watch is released, there can be temporary compatibility issues that prevent the Peloton Bike from detecting the Apple Watch or vice versa.
These glitches will mean your Apple Watch won’t connect to Peloton equipment (Peloton Bike or Peloton Tread).
7 Easy Fixes For Apple Watch and Peloton Connection Issues
There are a few different potential solutions for fixing connection issues between an Apple Watch and Peloton Bike, and you may have to try multiple troubleshooting options before your devices pair again.
We will start with the simplest approaches and then progress to more involved troubleshooting options.
That said, the most successful solution is usually Option #5 – so if you’ve already ticked off the quick fixes, you might want to jump to that one even though it takes a little longer.
#1: Restart Your Peloton Bike
The tried-and-true method of unplugging or turning off your device can indeed be useful here.
Wait 15-30 seconds and then press the power button to restart the bike.
After the bike boots up, try reconnecting your devices.
#2: Restart Your Apple Watch
In much the same way that restarting the bike can often fix pairing issues with the Apple Watch, the reverse is also true.
Force restart your watch by pressing and holding both side buttons simultaneously as well as the Digital Crown for at least 10 seconds.
When you see the Apple logo appear on the screen, you can release the side buttons.
After the watch boots back up, see if you can pair it with the Peloton Bike.
#3: Turn Off and On Gym Detection Settings and Force Restart Your Apple Watch
If a basic force restart on the Apple Watch didn’t do the trick, you can toggle the gym detection setting and then force restart again.
- Navigate to the Settings app on your watch.
- In Settings, scroll to “Workout,” which is all the way at the bottom.
- Under “Workout” settings, you should see a toggle for “Detect Gym Equipment” near the bottom.
- Toggle this to off. Navigate out of settings to any other app on your watch and wait for at least 1-2 minutes.
- Force restart your watch again by holding both side buttons until the Apple logo appears.
- After the Apple Watch boots back up, go back into the Settings app and toggle “Detect Gym Equipment” back on.
Now, try reconnecting the Apple Watch with the Peloton Bike.
#4: Clear Cache On Peloton Bike and Restart the Bike
Clearing the cache on the Peloton Bike often fixed pairing issues with Bluetooth heart rate monitors, and it’s worth trying for Apple Watches too.
- Select Settings at the top right corner of the home screen, then enter Device Settings.
- Click “Apps,” then “Peloton.” Then click “Storage” and then “Clear Cache.”
- Now try restarting the Peloton Bike+ by pressing and holding the Power button until you can select Turn Off.
- Wait 30 seconds and turn the bike back on and try to connect your devices.
Note that if you don’t see an option to clear the cache this way, you can do it via recovery mode instead:
- Hold the power button to turn off the Peloton Bike.
- Hold the volume up and power button at the same time to boot up the bike in recovery mode.
- Once the touchscreen power is on, let go of the buttons.
- Then, press the volume down button and select the option to “Wipe cache partition” by pressing the power button.
#5: Turn Off and On Gym Detection Settings, Clear the Cache, and Calibrate Peloton Bike
If you’re still finding your Apple Watch won’t connect to Peloton after trying the above fixes, there are some more involved solutions you can try.
Though these fixes are a little more tedious to work through, they’re often effective.
Though doing a calibration of the bike probably seems counterintuitive, it’s often the best route for fixing GymKit integration issues with Peloton Bike and Apple Watch.
This is because one of the steps in the bike recalibration process involves an update of the firmware on the bike, which is precisely what you actually need to fix the integration glitch.
- Go to the Settings app on your Apple Watch.
- Under “Workout”, toggle off “Detect Gym Equipment.”
- Clear the cache of the Peloton Bike by navigating to Settings at the top right corner of the screen, then Device Settings.
- Find “Apps,” then “Peloton.” Click “Storage” and then “Clear Cache.”
- (If this method to clear the cache doesn’t work, use the other method explained in Option #4.)
After you’ve cleared the cache, it’s time to recalibrate the bike.
- To do this, go back to “Settings” and then “Device Settings.”
- Select “Home Installation.” You should see a large icon for “Start Calibration.”
- After you choose this option, the bike will download new firmware and will then recalibrate.
- After the process is over, click “Done.”
- Finally, go back into Settings on your Apple Watch and toggle “Detect Gym Equipment” back on.
Now, try pairing the Peloton Bike and Apple Watch.
#6: Remove and Reinstall the Peloton App On Your Bike
Although you will have to log back into the Peloton app after doing this step, your data and workout history should not be lost.
- To uninstall the Peloton app on your Peloton bike, navigate into Settings at the top right corner of the bike’s screen.
- Choose “Device Settings”, then “Apps,” then “Peloton.” You will probably see multiple apps with the word “Peloton” in them – just choose the basic Peloton app.
- After clicking Peloton, click “Force Stop.”
- You should see three dots at the top right of your screen. If you click the dots, a dialog box drops down.
- Click “Uninstall Updates” and then hit “Ok.”
- Return to the Home Screen of the bike by clicking on the Peloton logo, which is located at the center of the bottom of the screen.
- Once you’re on the Home Screen, a new download of the Peloton app should start.
- When the new download is complete, you will need to go back into Settings and add your Wi-Fi network back. You will also need to log in again to your Peloton Account.
After logging back into your account, see if your Apple Watch/Peloton Bike connection issues are resolved.
#7: Factory Reset Your Peloton Bike
This final solution if your Apple Watch still won’t connect with Peloton Bike should be saved as a last resort because you’ll lose your data on the bike – though you should be able to get it back once you log back in.
The good news is that in many cases, a factory reset of the Peloton Bike will fix pairing issues with Apple Watch.
To do a factory reset on the bike, you need to first enter Recovery Mode.
- To enter recovery mode, first turn off the bike.
- Hold the volume up button and power button simultaneously to boot up the touchscreen in recovery mode.
- Once the bike has booted into recovery mode, hold the volume down button and select “Wipe data/factory reset” by pressing the power button.
- After all of your data has been wiped from the Peloton bike, choose “reboot system now“ to restart the entire bike.
- You will then need to re-enter your Wi-Fi network and password and re-enter your login information into the Peloton app.
Still stuck with your Apple Watch not connecting to Peloton?
Typically, at least one of these solutions will solve the problem of the Apple Watch not connecting to the Peloton Bike.
If not, you’ll probably need to contact customer support at Peloton for further assistance.
The good news is that they have great technical assistance and customer support: a solution will be found!
