The Health app can consolidate data from your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and other devices, health records, and apps you use so you can have a more comprehensive view of your health information in one convenient place. You are in control over which data is stored in the Health app and which data is shared with third-party apps and people you trust.

You remain in control over which Health app features you use, such as Health Records, Cycle Tracking, Medications, Mental Health, and Sleep. Some iOS and watchOS features (such as Heart Rate and Noise notifications) may be enabled by default. You can enable or disable the features available in the Health app at any time by tapping the Browse tab or your Profile, then tapping the health category or feature that you want to enable or disable. Certain health features may use your region to determine feature availability.

When your device is locked with a passcode, Touch ID, or Face ID, all of your health and fitness data in the Health app — other than your Medical ID — is encrypted and inaccessible by default. Additionally, if you are using iOS 12 or later and turn on two-factor authentication, Apple will not be able to read your health and activity data synced to iCloud.

You can choose to use iCloud to keep your data up to date across your devices, choose to back up your data to an iTunes encrypted backup on your computer, or choose to share your data. The Health app also gives you the ability to export a copy of your Health app data available on your device. To do so, tap your profile picture in the upper-right corner, then tap Export All Health Data.

iCloud Backup and Sync

You can choose to back up your health data in iCloud where it is encrypted while in transit and at rest. iCloud sync also allows you to keep your health data up to date across all your devices. Additionally, with iCloud sync, you can use the Health app sharing features, such as sharing Health app data with other third-party apps you trust. If you have enabled iCloud, your Health app data is backed up by default. You can disable iCloud backup at any time by going to Settings > [your name] > iCloud and tapping to turn off Health.

Sharing

Share Health App Data with Third-Party Apps
You can choose to share your Health app data with third-party apps you trust. Apps must request the ability to read data from or write data to your Health app. All third-party apps must explain why they are requesting access to your Health app data. Each app is also required to have a privacy policy that describes its use of health data, so you should review these policies before providing apps with access to your health data. You have control over the data that you share with these third-party apps and can change what you share at any time. You can view at any time which third-party apps you have granted access to your Health app data and manage what data you share with and receive from these third-party apps. Some Health app data types may not be accessible to third-party apps. Learn more about how to manage the data you share with and receive from third-party apps at support.apple.com/kb/HT204351.

Share Health App Data with Family and Friends
You can also choose to share your Health app data with people you trust. You can select and share certain Health app data with other Health app users in your Contacts, such as your family and friends.

You maintain control over which data is shared with other Health app users. After the person you choose to share your health data with accepts your invitation, they will be able to view a summary of the data you share in the Health app, including a subset of your historical health data and future updates relating to the data you share, unless you decide to stop sharing. They can also choose to receive alerts, trend reports, and other updates related to the data you share. Apple will not be able to access or view any of the data that you share with other Health app users.

You can view the categories of health data you choose to share with another Health app user. In the Health app, tap the Sharing tab, then tap the person you are sharing data with. You can then add and remove health topics that are shared with that person, and preview the data you’re currently sharing with them.

You can stop sharing your Health app data at any time. To do so, open the Health app, tap the Sharing tab, tap the person you want to stop sharing with, and then tap Stop Sharing. If you decide to stop sharing, the other user’s device will delete the historical data you shared with them from their Health app.

Share Health App Data with Healthcare Providers
You can select and share certain categories of Health app data, such as activity data, heart rate data, and lab results from your iPhone or iPad with a participating healthcare organization when you sign in with your account credentials for the healthcare organization. Apple and your device do not store or have access to your account credentials. You have control over the data that you share with your healthcare organization and can change what you share at any time. You can also view at any time which healthcare organizations you are sharing your Health app data with. To view and manage the sharing of your health data with a healthcare organization, open the Health app, tap the Sharing tab, then tap the healthcare organization you want to manage. Any healthcare provider with access to your patient chart at the healthcare organization can access the health data you choose to share with that healthcare organization.

Any Health app data you choose to share will be encrypted and stored by Apple on a dedicated server so that Apple can securely share this data with the healthcare organization you chose. Your data is sent from your iPhone and iPad only when the device is unlocked and connected to the internet. Apple does not maintain or have access to the encryption keys for data that is stored on our servers and shared with your healthcare organization and cannot decrypt, view, or otherwise access this data. Apple will maintain the Health app data you choose to share with your healthcare organization only for as long as necessary to support your use of this sharing feature and will use this data only to enable this sharing feature. Any health data you share in connection with this feature will be encrypted in transit and at rest when stored on Apple servers. When you use this feature, all data you choose to share with your healthcare organization that is maintained by Apple will be stored in a secure system in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) privacy and security standards.

Your healthcare provider will not receive notifications when your data is available and may not see the data you share with them. Once you authorize sharing, your health records from the healthcare organization you authorize sharing with will also be automatically downloaded and stored in the Health app. Your healthcare provider may add the information you choose to share to your medical record and may also use the information you share to assist their independent assessment of your health. Any data you choose to share with your healthcare organization will be treated in accordance with that healthcare organization’s Notice of Privacy Practices and its privacy and security policies and procedures.

You can stop sharing your Health app data at any time. To do so, open the Health app, tap the Sharing tab, tap the healthcare organization you want to manage, then tap Stop Sharing. If you decide to stop sharing with a healthcare organization, they will no longer have access to your data through this feature. Any information shared with your healthcare provider prior to withdrawing access may be stored by your healthcare provider in their records.

In addition to sharing Health app data with healthcare providers, you can also separately use the Health Records feature to securely download your clinical health records from participating healthcare organizations to the Health app. Learn about Health Records on iPhone at support.apple.com/kb/HT208680.

Medications

You can manage and track your medications, vitamins, and supplements within the Health app. Through the Medications feature you can create a medications list, and set up custom schedules and reminders. In certain jurisdictions, you can view educational information about your medications and receive alerts if there are potential critical interactions with medications you have added to the Medications feature. You can add medications by manually entering the information and, where available, by searching within the Health app or using the iPhone camera to add your medications. All processing for the Medications feature occurs on device. You can also use the Health Sharing features to share medications with your family, friends, and healthcare providers.

Mental Health

You can log your State of Mind and the factors contributing to it and track this information over time within the Health app through the Mental Wellbeing category, including viewing your State of Mind data in interactive charts and setting up reminders to log your state of mind. Users will also have the option to take age-appropriate standardized anxiety and depression assessments often used in clinics. All processing for Mental Health features occur on device. You can use the Health Sharing features to share State of Mind data with your family and friends. You can also scroll to Options in the Depression Risk and Anxiety Risk sections and tap Export PDF to share your depression and anxiety assessment data with healthcare providers.

Medical ID on iPhone

In the Health app on iPhone, you can create an emergency Medical ID that contains information you choose to upload about your medical conditions, allergies, medications, profile photo, and more. Show When Locked enables first responders and others to view your Medical ID when your iPhone is locked.

You can also add emergency contacts to your Medical ID. When you add emergency contacts, they are automatically alerted when you use Emergency SOS from your iPhone or from your Apple Watch. You may also have the option to allow your Medical ID information to be sent automatically to emergency services, via a secure third-party service, when you call or text your local emergency number (for example, 911) or use Emergency SOS from your iPhone or Apple Watch. You must turn on Share During Emergency Call (where available) to automatically send your Medical ID information to emergency services when you call or text your local emergency number or use Emergency SOS. Learn more about Medical ID at support.apple.com/kb/HT207021.

You can create or update your Medical ID in the Health app on iPhone. Tap your profile in the upper-right corner, tap Medical ID, then tap Get Started or Edit. You have the ability to input the amount of information that will be displayed on your Medical ID and accessible from the Lock Screen.

Vaccination Record

You can choose to securely download and store your verifiable digital vaccination record, such as your COVID-19 vaccination record, in the Health app. Your vaccination record contains information such as your name, date of birth, type of vaccine, and vaccination date(s). You can add your verifiable digital vaccination record to the Health app by obtaining your vaccination record as a QR code or digital file from the administering entity or the immunization registry in the region where you received the vaccine. When you scan the QR code or tap the file, you will be given the option to open the record in the Health app. Your verifiable digital vaccination record may also be imported and stored in the Health app through the Health Records feature if you added an account with a participating healthcare organization.

When you use a QR code or a download link to add your vaccination record to the Health app on iPhone, you can choose to add your vaccination record to Wallet, allowing you to quickly access your vaccination record from the Wallet app. When you add a vaccination card to Wallet, a copy of your vaccination record is stored by the Wallet app on the iOS device to which you added the vaccination card. The vaccination card stored in Wallet is not synced across your devices and not backed up to iCloud. The full details of your vaccination card will not be visible on the iPhone Lock Screen until you have authenticated with Face ID, Touch ID, or passcode. To present your vaccination card details, you must first authenticate. Once authenticated, anyone with access to your device may be able to view your vaccination card when displayed on your device screen so you should take precautions to protect your device.

You can remove your vaccination card from Wallet at any time. Removing your vaccination card from Wallet does not delete the copy of your vaccination record stored in the Health app. You can delete your vaccination record from the Health app at any time. Deletion of your vaccination record from the Health app will also delete the corresponding vaccination card from Wallet. Learn more about verifiable health records at support.apple.com/kb/HT212752.

Accessing Your Health Data Using Siri

You can ask Siri to record certain health data types in the Health app, or to read your information available in the Health app. All processing of recognized Health app data requests by Siri occurs on device. If Siri does not recognize your request as a Health app data request, any health information you include in the request will be sent to the Siri server. You can turn off Siri’s access to your Health app data at any time by going to Settings > Health > Data Access & Devices > Siri, then tapping to turn off Access Health Data.

Removing the Health App

If you no longer want to use the Health app, you can choose to remove the Health app from your iPhone or iPad, by touching and holding the Health app on the Home Screen then tapping Remove App. When you delete the Health app on iPhone or iPad, your health data will remain on your device, and any apps or Health Sharing recipient you’ve shared health data with will continue to have access to existing health data you chose to share. Additionally, data from certain sensor-based Health features (such as Heart Rate and the Blood Oxygen app) will continue to be captured and stored on your device. You can manage your health data, including deleting your health data and revoking permissions granted to third party apps and Health Sharing recipients, in the Settings app by going to Settings > Health. If you change your mind, you can redownload the Health app from the App Store.

Retention

You remain in control over which information is added to the Health app and how long that information is stored. Your Health app data will be stored in the Health app and in iCloud if you choose to back up your health data to iCloud, for as long you choose to store your information in the Health app. You can review, edit, and delete your Health app data at any time. Learn more about managing health information in the Health app at support.apple.com/guide/iphone/view-health-and-fitness-information-iphe3d379c32/ios.

Other Information

At all times, information collected by Apple will be treated in accordance with Apple’s Privacy Policy, which can be found at www.apple.com/privacy

Note: Some features may not be available on certain devices or in every region or language.

Published Date: September 18, 2023