LIVE ACTIVITIES / IPHONE

Can a step counter live in the Dynamic Island?

Yes. An iPhone app can show your step progress in the Dynamic Island through a Live Activity, Apple’s system for live, glanceable updates. It works on iPhone models that have a Dynamic Island, also appears on the Lock Screen, and each activity lasts up to eight hours. iOS has no built-in step count there, so you need a step app that offers one.

By the Upmoat studio · Published September 25, 2026 · Last updated October 3, 2026

Key takeaways

The Dynamic Island shows step counts only through a Live Activity (ActivityKit), not through a regular widget.
A Live Activity has several presentations: compact, minimal, expanded and the Lock Screen view.
Each activity runs for up to 8 hours, then can stay on the Lock Screen for up to 4 more (Apple developer documentation).
Its data is capped at 4 KB and push updates are budgeted, so it suits a number and a goal, not a full dashboard.
iPhones without a Dynamic Island still show the Live Activity on the Lock Screen.

How does a step counter get into the Dynamic Island?

Only through Live Activities. Apple’s ActivityKit framework lets an app start a Live Activity that displays current data on the Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island, and, according to Apple’s documentation, also in CarPlay and on a paired Mac or Apple Watch (Apple Developer).

Three things follow from that:

It is app-driven. The step app starts the activity and supplies its data. iOS does not put a step count in the Dynamic Island on its own.
It is temporary. A Live Activity represents something in progress, such as today’s walk, rather than a permanent fixture.
It is small. The data for an activity, including every update, cannot exceed a combined 4 KB (Apple Developer).

If you just want to set one up on your phone, our step-by-step guide covers how to show your steps on the Lock Screen and Dynamic Island.

What can a step Live Activity show?

Apple asks apps that support Live Activities to support every presentation, and each one has a different amount of room (Apple Developer, Human Interface Guidelines).

Live Activity presentations and what suits a step counter
Presentation	When it appears	What fits for steps
Compact (leading and trailing)	When one Live Activity is running, either side of the camera cutout	A small icon or companion on one side, the step count or a progress ring on the other
Minimal	When more than one Live Activity is running; also at the top of the screen in StandBy	A progress ring or a single number
Expanded	When you touch and hold the Dynamic Island	Steps, goal, steps remaining and a short status line
Lock Screen	On the Lock Screen, on every supported iPhone	A fuller card with progress towards the goal

The design challenge is information density: the compact view should answer one question at a glance, and the expanded and Lock Screen views can add context. We go deeper on that in how Live Activities keep walking progress glanceable.

Which iPhones have a Dynamic Island?

The Dynamic Island first appeared on iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max and is on later models with the pill-shaped cutout rather than a notch. Not every recent iPhone has one: iPhone 16e, for example, has a notch. Apple’s iPhone User Guide explains how to use it. On an iPhone without a Dynamic Island, a step app’s Live Activity still appears on the Lock Screen.

What are the limits of a step counter in the Dynamic Island?

Time. A Live Activity can be active for up to eight hours unless the app or the person ends it first. The system then removes it from the Dynamic Island, and it can stay on the Lock Screen for up to four more hours, so 12 hours at most (Apple Developer). A step app has to start a fresh activity for a new day.
Update budgets. When the app is not running, updates usually arrive as ActivityKit push notifications, and Apple allows a certain budget of high-priority pushes per hour before it may throttle them (Apple Developer). See how often a Live Activity can update a step count.
Data source timing. Step data in Apple Health is not a live sensor stream; we explain why in is HealthKit step count real-time?
Your settings. You can turn Live Activities off for any app in Settings, and you can dismiss an activity from the Lock Screen at any time.

What makes a good step counter in the Dynamic Island?

One number first. The compact view should be readable in under a second: steps, or progress towards a goal.
Clear goal state. A ring or bar that fills is easier to read than a raw number alone.
Honest freshness. Do not imply a per-step refresh when the phone is locked; the system decides when updates land.
Personality without clutter. A small character or icon helps you recognise the activity among others.
A tap that goes somewhere useful. Tapping opens the app, where the full story can live.

How does StepIsland use the Dynamic Island?

StepIsland is the walking app we make at Upmoat. Its page describes a Live Activity that shows your companion and your progress on the Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island on supported iPhones, and its support page says the Live Activity starts automatically. The page lists “your companion live in the Dynamic Island” among the features of StepIsland Plus.

Frequently asked questions

Can iPhone show steps in the Dynamic Island without an app?

No. iOS does not put a step count in the Dynamic Island by itself. A step app has to start a Live Activity to show steps there.

Is a Dynamic Island step counter a widget?

No. The Dynamic Island shows Live Activities, which are built with ActivityKit. Widgets live on the Home Screen, Lock Screen and in StandBy instead.

How long can a step count stay in the Dynamic Island?

Apple allows a Live Activity to be active for up to eight hours. After that it is removed from the Dynamic Island and can remain on the Lock Screen for up to four more hours.

Which iPhones support a step counter in the Dynamic Island?

iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max and later models that have a Dynamic Island. Models with a notch, such as iPhone 16e, show the Live Activity on the Lock Screen only.

Why does the step count in the Dynamic Island lag behind?

Updates depend on when the app can run and on Apple’s budget for push updates, and Apple Health stores step data in batches. A short delay while the phone is locked is normal.

From the studio behind this journal

Keep your walk in the Dynamic Island.

StepIsland is Upmoat’s walking app and step counter for iPhone and Apple Watch. Pick a companion, set a goal and watch an illustrated world grow with your Apple Health steps, live on your Lock Screen, Dynamic Island, widgets and Apple Watch.

Explore StepIsland

Sources