Your Apple Watch tracks your steps, heart rate, sleep, and blood oxygen.

But water? You’re on your own.

Apple hasn’t added a native water tracking feature. So here’s how to actually track hydration from your wrist.

Option 1: Shortcuts + Complications

You can create a Shortcut that logs water to the Health app.

Steps:

  1. Open Shortcuts app
  2. Create new Shortcut
  3. Add “Log Health Sample”
  4. Select “Water” as the type
  5. Set amount (e.g., 8oz or 250ml)
  6. Add to Watch face as a complication

Pros: Free. Native integration.

Cons: Clunky. Shows as a generic shortcut icon. No reminders. No visualization.

Option 2: Health App (Manual)

You can log water directly in Apple Health.

Steps:

  1. Open Health app
  2. Go to Browse → Nutrition → Water
  3. Add Data
  4. Enter amount

Pros: Free. Built-in.

Cons: Can’t do it from Watch. Tedious. No reminders. Nobody actually does this.

Option 3: Water Tracking Apps

Here’s where it gets useful.

WaterMinder

  • Apple Watch app with complications
  • Quick-add buttons (8oz, 16oz, etc.)
  • Customizable goals
  • $4.99

The catch: 47 settings to configure. Overwhelming.

Drink Water Reminder

  • Free version available
  • Watch complications
  • Basic tracking

The catch: Ads. Lots of ads.

Hydro Coach

  • Calculates needs based on body weight
  • Watch app + complications
  • Syncs with Health app

The catch: The premium features require subscription.

WaterDrop

  • One-tap logging from Watch
  • Smart reminders that know your schedule
  • Clean complication
  • Syncs to Apple Health

Full disclosure: I built this one because the others were either too complex or too ad-heavy.

The Best Apple Watch Setup

Here’s what I recommend:

  1. Watch face: Use one that supports complications (Modular, Infograph, or California)

  2. Complication: Add your water tracking app for one-tap logging

  3. Notifications: Set smart reminders that account for your sleep schedule and busy times

  4. Goal display: Have your progress visible on your Watch face

Quick Logging Tips

  • Raise to log: Most apps let you log without navigating menus
  • Siri: “Log 8 ounces of water” works with apps that sync to Health
  • Crown shortcut: Double-tap the Digital Crown to jump to your water app

The Problem With Most Watch Apps

They either:

  1. Require too many taps. I’m not navigating 3 screens to log a glass of water.

  2. Don’t sync properly. Log on Watch, not showing on phone. Frustrating.

  3. Have annoying reminders. Pinging you during meetings or at 11pm.

  4. Look ugly on the watch face. Generic icons that don’t match your aesthetic.

A good water tracking Watch app should:

  • Log in 1 tap
  • Show progress as a complication
  • Send smart reminders (not spam)
  • Sync perfectly with your phone

FAQ

Does Apple Watch track water intake automatically? No. Apple Watch can’t detect water consumption. You have to log manually.

What’s the best free water tracking app for Apple Watch? Drink Water Reminder has a free tier, but expect ads. Shortcuts is free but limited.

Can I see water intake on my Apple Watch face? Yes, using complications from supported apps.

Why doesn’t Apple have a built-in water tracker? Good question. They have sleep tracking but not water. Maybe one day.

How do I sync water data to Apple Health? Most water apps can write to Apple Health. Check the app’s settings and enable Health access.

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— Dolce