Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Does the Oura Ring track steps?

Oura Ring Horizon sitting upright on a wood railing.
Joe Maring / Digital Trends

The Oura Ring is a sleek and stylish wearable device that has gained popularity based on its advanced sleep-monitoring features. It provides users with detailed insights into their sleep patterns, including the duration of each sleep stage, heart rate variability, and respiratory rate. It also tracks other key health metrics, such as body temperature and activity levels.

However, the question remains: Can the Oura Ring track fitness metrics such as step counting? It’s time to find out.

Recommended Videos

Does the Oura Ring track steps?

The simple answer is this: Yes, it does! The Oura Ring tracks steps. Similar to smartwatches like the Google Pixel Watch 2 and Apple Watch Series 9, the Oura Ring can track your steps just like any other fitness tracker. This feature allows you to gauge the distance you’ve traveled and the calories you’ve burned daily.

How to track steps with the Oura Ring

It’s important to note that activity tracking is not the primary focus of the Oura Ring. Therefore, it doesn’t measure steps in the traditional sense. Instead, it relies on its built-in 3D accelerometer to track your body movement throughout the day and estimate your step count.

To find your ste- tracking information via your smartphone on the Oura app for iPhone or Android, do the following:

  • Open the Oura app on your phone.
  •  Tap on the Activity tab
  • Here, you can see a snapshot of of how far you’ve walked and how many steps you’ve taken.
  • Choose Steps to see a history of your step tracking.
  • Choose Walking Equivalency to see the history of your distance walked.
Screenshots showing activity tracking on the Oura app on iPhone.
Bryan M. Wolfe / Digital Trends

According to Oura, the walking equivalency metric does not indicate the exact distance you have traveled, but rather, it reflects the equivalent walking distance of all your daily activities. Also, engaging in higher-intensity activities like jogging increases your daily walking distance more than low-intensity activities, such as casual walking, even if the distance covered is the same.

If you’re looking for a more precise way to track your steps, consider buying a smartwatch. The best smartwatches available today offer more advanced tools for step tracking than the current Oura Ring. For instance, the Apple Watch Series 9 has GPS, an accelerometer, and a gyroscope to track arm movements and body position during exercise.

The Oura Ring’s long list of features makes it a popular choice for anyone who wants to track things like sleep, mental health, heart rate, and more.

Bryan M. Wolfe
Former Mobile and A/V Freelancer
Bryan M. Wolfe has over a decade of experience as a technology writer. He writes about mobile.
What is the Oura Ring made from?
A promotional image of the Oura RIng 4's different color options.

The Oura Ring 4 has arrived, with new features packed into a fresh design. The latest smart ring has a simplistic, round design that makes it look like any regular ring. However, the dome sensors have been recessed to improve the accuracy of your health readings, which have become even more accurate thanks to a new platform called Smart Sensing that gathers information from 18 pathways. It's sure to end up on our list of the best smart rings when it comes out.

But what is the Oura Ring made from? Is it a precious metal like gold, or perhaps silver? You might be wondering what the Oura Ring 4 is made out of. Lucky for you, we crafted this nifty little guide to tell you exactly what material it's crafted with and the benefits of that material. Read on to find out.
What is the Oura Ring made from?

Read more
Is the Oura Ring waterproof?
The Oura Ring Horizon resting on a green succulent plant.

The Oura Ring is a highly sought-after wearable device available in different styles and price ranges. In fact, Oura just announced its latest model, the Oura Ring 4. It allows users to track their sleep and recovery, stress levels, illnesses, and fitness routines -- and it even provides features specific to women's health. With so many features, you might wonder whether this smart ring is waterproof. Let's find out.
Is the Oura Ring waterproof?
Technically, the Oura Ring is not waterproof, which is the case for most modern gadgets. Instead, it's water-resistant up to 330 feet (100 meters). You'll often find water resistance protection on products, which is good, but it's not exactly the same as being waterproof. But what does that really mean? We explain below.
Can you go swimming with the Oura Ring?

The Oura Ring has a certain level of protection that allows you to wear it while swimming, showering, and snorkeling. However, wearing the Oura Ring during scuba diving or when there is a risk of extended water submersion or extreme pressure is not advisable. Oura recommends avoiding wearing the ring in such scenarios to ensure its longevity and proper functioning.

Read more
Waiting for an Apple smart ring? We have bad news
A person wearing the Samsung Galaxy Ring and the Oura Ring.

Smart rings might be all the rage right now with the Oura Ring 4 and the Samsung Galaxy Ring leading the way, but Apple currently has no plans to join the zeitgeist. In the premium version of his Power On newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says Apple isn't planning to make a smart ring of its own because it would pull attention away from the Apple Watch. This comes amid all the rumors that have persisted about the so-called Apple Ring.

According to TechRadar, Gurman says that an Apple Ring would "detract from the Apple Watch" and could "cannibalize" sales, especially when the Watch is basically dominating the market and still has room to grow.

Read more