Google Health update improves workout logging and fixes Health Connect issue

Google is rolling out version 5.07 of its Google Health app with a series of changes designed to make workout records more complete and health data easier to follow. The update focuses largely on improving how existing information is recorded, displayed and synchronised across the app.

Among the changes, trail runs and incline runs will now contribute to a user’s overall Running Distance total. Google is also expanding the information that can be added to manually logged workouts. At the same time, swimming activities will gain support for additional metrics when users switch between pool and open-water sessions.

The update is being released for both Android and iOS from 29 August, with Google expecting it to reach more users over the following week. It follows Google Health 5.05, which introduced two-way Apple Health syncing and Smart Health Links, while version 5.06 added an option to remove the Health Coach’s longer guidance from the Today tab.

Workout records gain more detailed information

Google is making several changes aimed at users who enter exercise sessions manually. Google Health 5.07 allows more workout metrics to be added or adjusted, giving users greater control over the information associated with activities they record themselves.

The company also says edits made to manually logged workouts should appear in workout summaries more quickly. This could make it easier for users to correct information after an activity and see the updated figures without waiting for the app to refresh its records.

Swimming is receiving a similar improvement. The app will support more metrics when users move between pool and open-water swimming activities. The change is intended to provide more useful records for swimmers whose workouts do not always take place in the same type of environment.

The update also addresses how running distance is calculated. Trail runs and incline runs will now be included in the Running Distance total. Previously, users could complete these types of runs without seeing the distance reflected in the broader running figure, potentially leaving the total incomplete for people who regularly train on varied terrain.

Google is also improving the mapping experience within the app. Maps are expected to load more quickly and render more smoothly, while a problem that could cause maps to disappear during phone-based running, walking or cycling tracking has been resolved.

Health Connect issue has been resolved

One of the more important fixes in version 5.07 affects Health Connect, Google’s Android platform for sharing health and fitness information between compatible apps. Some Android users had experienced problems where Health Connect became disconnected from Google Health.

Google says the latest update fixes the connection problem. For affected users, Health Connect should once again appear under Partner Apps in the Connections section of Google Health. This should allow supported health and fitness data to connect through the normal settings.

The company has also changed the way the weight graph determines its dynamic minimum and maximum values. The adjustment is intended to make changes and longer-term trends in a user’s weight easier to identify when viewing the graph.

The improvements are relatively small compared with some of the features introduced in recent Google Health releases. Still, they address areas that can affect the reliability and usefulness of everyday health tracking. More accurate totals and faster updates can be particularly important for users who rely on the app to monitor regular exercise.

The Health Connect fix could also be significant for Android users who depend on connections between Google Health and other health-related applications. A broken connection can prevent information from being shared correctly, making an otherwise useful tracking system less reliable.

Google continues to refine its health platform

Google Health has undergone a broader transition since the company replaced the Fitbit app with Google Health in May. Earlier releases have introduced features intended to expand the app beyond basic activity tracking and give users more ways to manage and share their health information.

Version 5.05 brought two-way syncing with Apple Health, allowing information to move between Google’s platform and Apple’s health data system. The same release introduced Smart Health Links, providing another way for users to share medical information with others.

Google Health 5.06 followed with a change to the Today tab, letting users remove the Health Coach’s more extensive guidance. That release was primarily focused on giving users more control over the information presented on the app’s main screen.

The 5.07 update takes a more maintenance-focused approach. Rather than introducing a major new feature, Google is concentrating on improving the accuracy and presentation of workout records, fixing connection problems and making parts of the interface work more reliably.

The rollout is taking place gradually across Android and iOS so that availability may vary between users during the release period. Once the update reaches a device, users should benefit from revised workout tracking, improved maps, an updated weight graph, and a Health Connect fix without needing to change how they normally record activities.

For Google Health users, the changes reflect an ongoing effort to make the platform more dependable as it takes on a wider role in managing fitness and health information.