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How to Watch Apple Fitness+ on TV (Complete Guide)

Learn the best methods to watch Apple Fitness+ on your big-screen TV, from using Apple TV to AirPlay and HDMI connections. Plus, discover the professional alternative for studio owners.

G
Geoffrey
Technology & Operations
Apr 8, 2025
5 min read
Apple Fitness+StreamingTutorialTechnologyHome Workouts
How to Watch Apple Fitness+ on TV (Complete Guide) - Featured image

Apple Fitness+ is a fantastic service for at-home workouts — but doing a HIIT or Yoga class while squinting at your iPhone screen is far from ideal. Getting those workouts onto your big-screen TV is the best way to get the full experience.

This guide walks you through the easiest and best ways to watch Apple Fitness+ on your TV.


Method 1: The Best Way (Using an Apple TV)

This is the most seamless and recommended method, as it's what Apple Fitness+ was designed for. The Fitness app is built directly into the Apple TV.

You Will Need:

  • An Apple TV 4K or Apple TV HD (running tvOS 14.3 or later)
  • An Apple Watch (Series 3 or later)

Set Up:

  1. Make sure you are signed into the same Apple ID on your Apple TV and Apple Watch.
  2. Open the Fitness app on your Apple TV (the icon with the three activity rings).
  3. Select your name.
  4. A prompt will appear on your Apple Watch. Tap "Connect" to link it to the TV.

How it Works:

Once connected, you can browse and start any workout directly from your TV. Your live metrics from your Apple Watch — heart rate, calories, activity rings — will appear on the TV screen, giving you that fully integrated experience.


Method 2: The Easiest Way (Using AirPlay)

If you don't have an Apple TV but have an AirPlay-compatible smart TV, this is your next-best option. Most modern TVs from Samsung, LG, Vizio, and Sony support AirPlay.

You Will Need:

  • An iPhone or iPad
  • An AirPlay-compatible smart TV

Set Up:

  1. Make sure your iPhone/iPad and your TV are on the same Wi-Fi network.
  2. Start a workout in the Fitness app on your iPhone or iPad.
  3. Tap the AirPlay icon (it looks like a triangle with circles) in the bottom corner of the workout screen.
  4. Select your smart TV from the list of devices.

How it Works:

The workout video will stream directly to your TV.

The Catch: While the video and audio will be on your TV, your live workout metrics (heart rate, rings) will only appear on your iPhone or iPad screen, not on the TV.


Method 3: The "Last Resort" (Using an HDMI Cable)

If you have an older, non-smart TV, you can still connect your device with a cable.

You Will Need:

  • An iPhone or iPad
  • An HDMI-to-Lightning adapter (such as the Apple Digital AV Adapter)
  • An HDMI cable

Set Up:

  1. Plug the HDMI adapter into your iPhone or iPad.
  2. Connect one end of the HDMI cable to the adapter and the other end to your TV.
  3. Change your TV's input (e.g., "HDMI 1") to the correct source.

How it Works:

This will mirror your device's screen directly to the TV. As with AirPlay, your live workout metrics will not be overlaid on the TV screen.


A Note for Gym & Studio Owners: The Next Level of On-Screen Workouts

The Apple Fitness+ experience is great for solo, at-home workouts. But as a studio owner, you're creating a communal, coach-led experience — something no at-home app can replicate.

While your members are fumbling with AirPlay, you could be delivering a flawless, branded, and dynamic workout experience on your big studio screens.

That's the power of Fit Viz.


Fit Viz: The Professional Display Platform for Studios

Fit Viz is a professional platform for commercial training spaces. It's not about streaming pre-made classes — it's about powering your classes.

It's Your Content

Highlight your own coaches, not celebrity trainers. The Gym Workout Generator lets you pre-schedule your WODs, circuits, and custom workouts.

It's for Groups

Fit Viz's digital workout display is built for class settings. Display programming for single or multiple stations, keeping everyone in sync.

It Empowers Coaches

Unlike Apple Fitness+, where the "coach" is on screen, Fit Viz puts your real coach front and center. The display manages timing, reps, and exercise demos — so your trainers can focus on form, motivation, and community.

It's Automated

Fully supports your digital content and scheduling, saving hours of prep time every week.


The Bottom Line

While Apple Fitness+ is perfect for home use, Fit Viz is the professional solution for studios that want to deliver the ultimate on-screen, in-person group fitness experience.

Ready to transform your gym?

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions answered from this article.

The best and most seamless method is using an Apple TV 4K or Apple TV HD running tvOS 14.3 or later. The Fitness app is built directly into Apple TV and, when paired with an Apple Watch Series 3 or later, displays live metrics like heart rate, calories, and activity rings on the TV screen.

Yes. If your smart TV supports AirPlay (most modern Samsung, LG, Vizio, and Sony TVs do), you can start a workout on your iPhone or iPad and AirPlay it to the TV. The workout video streams to the TV, but your live metrics will only appear on your iPhone or iPad, not on the TV screen.

No. When using AirPlay, the workout video and audio play on the TV but live workout metrics such as heart rate, calories, and activity rings remain on your iPhone or iPad screen only. To get the fully integrated metrics experience on the TV, you need an Apple TV paired with an Apple Watch.

You can use an HDMI-to-Lightning adapter (such as the Apple Digital AV Adapter) connected to your iPhone or iPad, then run an HDMI cable to the TV. This mirrors your device's screen directly to the TV, though live workout metrics will not be overlaid on the TV display.

Apple Fitness+ is designed for solo at-home workouts featuring celebrity trainers. Fit Viz is a professional platform for commercial training spaces that displays your own coaches' programming on studio screens, supports group class settings with multiple stations, automates timing and exercise demos, and keeps the real coach front and center rather than a pre-recorded instructor.

Yes. To use Apple Fitness+ on Apple TV you need an Apple Watch Series 3 or later signed into the same Apple ID. The Apple Watch provides the live metrics that appear on the TV screen and must be connected by tapping the prompt that appears on the watch when you open the Fitness app on Apple TV.

How to Watch Apple Fitness+ on TV | Blog | Fit Viz