Heart rate recovery refers to the period of time after a workout when your heart rate returns to its average resting rate. During exercise, your heart tends to beat much faster, and when you’re finished, it can take a minute or two for it to lower and return to a normal rate. A faster return to your normal heart rate is one indicator of physical fitness, and a decrease in recovery time over a period of time can indicate an improvement in physical fitness. Because the Apple Watch has a built-in heart rate sensor, it can track this statistic during your workouts and display the information in an easy-to-understand graph. You can access this data through the Heart Rate on your Watch or the Fitness app on your iPhone.
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View Heart Rate Recovery on Apple Watch
To learn more about the health and fitness features on your iPhone and Apple Watch, sign up for our free Tip of the Day Newsletter. After each workout, your Apple Watch will continue to automatically monitor your heart rate and compile the data in a convenient graph. To view this data:
- Open the Heart Rate app. After a few seconds, you will see your current heart rate. Tap Current.
![After a few seconds, you will see your current heart rate. Tap Current]()
- Scroll to the bottom and tap Recovery. This option will only appear if you have done a workout today. If you want to view Heart Rate Recovery data from previous workout days, skip to the section below to view it on your iPhone.
![Scroll to the bottom and tap Recovery.]()
- This graph shows your heart rate recovery.
![This graph shows your heart rate recovery.]()
Check Apple Watch Heart Rate Recovery Chart on iPhone
Thanks to the way your Apple Watch and iPhone sync, you can also access your heart rate recovery data from the Fitness app on your phone. Here's how to view the Heart Rate Recovery chart on your iPhone:
- Open the Fitness app on your iPhone. Next to Workouts, tap Show More.
![Under Workouts, tap Show More.]()
- Tap a workout.
![Tap your Workout.]()
- Under Heart Rate, swipe left.
![Under Heart Rate, swipe left.]()
- This graph that appears shows your heart rate recovery.
![This graph shows your heart rate recovery.]()
With easy access to this data at your fingertips, you can now track and monitor your heart rate recovery using your Apple Watch. This data can help you maintain your physical well-being, ensuring you continue to live the healthiest lifestyle possible. If you often use your Apple Watch fitness features, you might be interested in learning about the accuracy of Apple Watch calories, and the two settings you need to check to make your calorie tracking is as accurate as possible.
