iphone 14 dropping steps in health app if Apple watch is on

If you wear the watch, it is the main source for counting steps, even if you have your iPhone with you.

In case you are not wearing your watch, the iPhone will add steps to the Health App, but not to the Fitness App.

I just tried that with my watch and iPhone.

The iPhone counted steps when I did not wear the watch, but as soon as I put on the watch again, the step count in the Health App was reduced to the number of steps the watch counted.

You might be able to change that behaviour, if you open the Health App/Steps/Data Sources & Access/ and change the ranking of your sources. In my case, the Apple Watch is on top, followed by the iPhone and Health App.

But, since I'm wearing my watch 24/7 I do not need to change that ranking.

Thanks for the feedback, this may also help other users, having similar issues while not wearing the watch.

But, disabled Fitness Tracking will also affect your workouts you want to record while wearing the watch.