This article will help you if you encounter any of the following issues:

- The steps tracked by my Withings Pulse don't match the steps of another activity tracker
- The steps tracked by my Withings Pulse don't match the steps of your phone-based activity tracker
- The steps tracked by my Withings Pulse don't match the steps of another person with a watch when walking the same distance

For our watches there are two conditions which are essential for detecting a step: an amplitude and a periodic pattern. If the steps tracked by your Withings Pulse do not seem to be accurate:

• Make sure that your wristband is comfortably tight. If the band is loose, all of your steps may not be counted.

The steps tracked by my Withings Pulse don't match the steps of another activity tracker

It may be due to the way that different activity trackers are worn (wrist, belt clip or pocket). While walking, thanks to our algorithm, the impact of the foot on the ground is clearly visible to the accelerometer.

The Withings algorithm is capable of minimizing false detection with great accuracy. As such, it is possible that other step trackers may result in a different step count than your Withings Pulse.

The steps tracked by my Withings Pulse don't match the steps of your phone-based activity tracker

The number of steps may be higher on your smartphone because the data processing method is different from the Withings Pulse. It is expected behavior for the phone to have greater step count.

Our goal is to be as close as possible to the number of steps you actually take by reducing the detection of false steps. As such, it is possible that other step trackers may result in a different step count than your Withings Pulse.

The steps tracked by my Withings Pulse don't match the steps of another person with a watch when walking the same distance

Everyone has a different stride length: two people can walk the same distance, but it may take them a different number of steps to cover that same distance. This may explain the difference between the number of steps between two users. We incorporate the height and gender you have entered in the Withings App when calculating your stride length.

Note on running and the use of stationary exercise equipment (elliptical, treadmills):

As with other activity trackers, your Withings Pulse uses an accelerometer to count steps. On a treadmill or stationary equipment, the movement has a reduced impact of the foot on the ground, which can result in less steps being counted. On the elliptical, the impact is actually eliminated. This impact when repeated at certain intervals, gives a characteristic shape to the step. This separates your steps from random movement.