What HealthKit lets your app do
HealthKit is the central, on-device repository where the Health app and other apps share health and fitness data, with the user in control of every permission.
Your app can read data other sources wrote (steps, heart rate, sleep, workouts) and write data your app generates, so a user's information stays consistent across the apps they trust.
- Read metrics like steps, heart rate, sleep, and workouts (with permission)
- Write data your app produces back into Health for a unified record
- Per-type permissions: users grant read and write separately, type by type
- Workout sessions and live data on iPhone and Apple Watch
- Data stays on device and syncs through the user's encrypted iCloud, not your servers by default
Handling health data responsibly
Health data is sensitive, and Apple enforces that. You must request only the data types you genuinely use, explain why in clear language, and never use HealthKit data for advertising or sell it.
Design matters as much as compliance. Handle the case where permission is denied, don't assume data exists, and be honest about what your app is: a wellness or tracking tool, not a diagnosis unless it's a cleared medical product.
- Request the minimum data types and state a clear purpose string for each
- Handle denied or partial permission gracefully, since users can decline any type
- Never use Health data for advertising, marketing lists, or sale (Apple prohibits it)
- Add a privacy policy covering health data, as Apple requires
- Avoid medical or diagnostic claims unless you hold the proper clearances
- Keep processing on-device where possible and minimize what leaves the phone
More on ios apps
Frequently asked questions
Where is HealthKit data stored?
On the user's device, encrypted, and synced through their own iCloud if they enable it. It doesn't flow to your servers unless you explicitly send it, and doing that raises the privacy and compliance bar. We design to keep sensitive data minimal and on-device.
Can our app make health recommendations?
General wellness and fitness guidance is fine. Diagnosis, treatment, or clinical claims require regulatory clearance and are a different category of product. We'll keep your app honestly on the right side of that line.
What do we need to pass review with HealthKit?
Clear purpose strings for each data type, a privacy policy that covers health data, no use of the data for advertising, and graceful handling when users decline. We build to those requirements from the start.