ACTIVITYKIT / UPDATE FREQUENCY

How often can a Live Activity update a step count?

There is no fixed refresh rate. A Live Activity changes only when its app updates it while running, or when a server sends an ActivityKit push notification. Apple budgets high-priority pushes per hour and may throttle apps that exceed it, and on iOS HealthKit wakes apps for new step data at most hourly in the background. So a locked-phone step count updates in jumps, not with every step.

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

Key takeaways

Live Activities update from the app while it runs or from ActivityKit push notifications.
High-priority pushes (apns-priority 10) count towards an hourly budget; priority 5 pushes do not, but arrive less urgently.
Apps can opt in to frequent push updates, and you can switch that off in Settings.
On iOS, HealthKit background delivery for step count is limited to at most once an hour.
While the app is open, Core Motion can provide live pedometer updates, so counts move fastest then.

What triggers a Live Activity update?

A Live Activity is not a running program. It is a small view whose data changes when something supplies new data (Apple Developer, ActivityKit).

Ways a step Live Activity can be updated
Update path	When it works	Limits
App updates it directly	While the app is running in the foreground, or has background time	The app usually is not running while your phone is locked
Push, priority 10	Any time; delivered immediately	Counts towards an hourly budget; may be throttled if exceeded
Push, priority 5	Any time; delivered less urgently	Does not count towards the budget
Frequent push updates	For apps that declare support in their Info.plist	People can turn it off in Settings

All of this comes from Apple’s guide to starting and updating Live Activities with ActivityKit push notifications: “The system allows for a certain budget of ActivityKit push notifications per hour.” Apple suggests mixing priority 5 and 10 so important updates land quickly without hitting the limit.

Why doesn’t the step count change with every step while my phone is locked?

Two reasons.

The app is not running. iOS suspends apps in the background, so the Live Activity can only change when the app gets background time or a push arrives.
Step data reaches apps in batches. HealthKit can wake an app in the background when new step samples are saved, but on iOS step count samples have an hourly maximum frequency for background delivery (Apple Developer). Apple also notes that step samples may be condensed or coalesced (Apple Developer).

We go deeper into the data side in is HealthKit step count real-time?

When does a step Live Activity update fastest?

When the app is open. Core Motion’s CMPedometer can deliver live step updates to a running app, so the app can refresh its Live Activity as you walk. Once you lock the phone, updates fall back to the background and push paths above.

How should a developer handle step count freshness?

Update generously while in the foreground, using live pedometer data.
Use priority 5 pushes for routine progress and save priority 10 for moments that matter, such as reaching the goal.
Only declare frequent updates if you need them, and handle the person turning them off.
Keep the payload small. Static and dynamic data together cannot exceed 4 KB (Apple Developer).
Plan for the eight-hour limit. End the activity cleanly and start a new one for a new day.
Do not overpromise. Avoid copy that implies a guaranteed refresh for every step on a locked phone.

What can you do if your step Live Activity seems slow?

Open the app briefly. That gives it the most up-to-date pedometer and Health data.
Check its Live Activity settings. In Settings, open the app’s page (under Settings › Apps on iOS 18 and later) and make sure Live Activities, and frequent updates if offered, are on.
Turn off Low Power Mode if you can; it reduces background activity.
Check Health access so the app can read your steps.

StepIsland, Upmoat’s walking app, sends its Live Activity updates through Apple Push Notification service, as its privacy policy describes, and its support page covers Live Activity troubleshooting.

Frequently asked questions

How often does a Live Activity refresh?

There is no fixed interval. It changes when the app updates it while running or when a push notification arrives, and Apple limits high-priority push updates with an hourly budget.

Can a Live Activity update every second?

Only while the app is running and actively updating it. When the phone is locked, updates depend on background time and push notifications, which the system budgets.

What are frequent updates for Live Activities?

Apps that need more updates can declare support for frequent ActivityKit push notifications. You can turn this off for an app in Settings, and the app can detect that.

Why does my step count jump instead of counting smoothly?

On iOS, HealthKit wakes apps for new step data at most once an hour in the background, and step samples may be combined. The count catches up in jumps until you open the app.

Does Low Power Mode affect Live Activities?

Low Power Mode reduces background activity on iPhone, which can mean fewer background updates for apps. Turning it off or opening the app usually refreshes the count.

From the studio behind this journal

See your progress on the Lock Screen.

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

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