Email Automation Guide

Email automations allow you to automatically send your health data as an email attachment to an address you choose. Each run exports your configured data, attaches the file to a short summary email, and delivers it to the recipient.

Overview

Use Cases:

• Sending periodic health exports to yourself
• Sharing data with a care provider or coach

Limitations

• Health Data Access: Apps are not allowed to access health data while iPhone is locked. Automations will only run during periods when your device is unlocked. This is a limitation imposed by Apple which cannot be circumvented. More information
• Background Processing: iOS limits background processing to preserve battery life. Automations rely on Background App Refresh and may not run immediately if:
  • Background App Refresh is disabled for the app
  • The device is in Low Power Mode
  • The device has been inactive for extended periods
  • System resources are constrained
  • Multiple apps are competing for background execution time
• Attachment size: Attachments are limited to a maximum 30 MB limit. You may need to verify with your email provider whether lower limits apply. If the exported file attachment exceeds your provider's limits, the email is likely to be rejected.

Prerequisites

• A valid recipient email address
• Network connectivity when the automation runs
• Active Premium access

Configuration

Navigate to the Automated Exports screen from the main navigation, then tap "New Automation" and select "Email" as the Automation Type.

Automation Name

Enter a descriptive name for your automation (e.g., "Daily Email Backup", "Weekly Provider Export").

Notifications

Configure when you want to receive notifications:

• Notify on Cache Update - Receive a notification when cached data is updated
• Notify When Run - Receive a notification each time the automation sends email

Email Address

Enter the recipient address where exports should be delivered.

Example addresses:

• me@example.com
• care@clinic.example

Notes:

• A valid email address is required.
• Ensure you have entered the correct email address
• Only one recipient address is supported per automation

Subject Prefix

Optionally set a subject prefix that can make emails easier to find or filter in your inbox.

• If left empty, the email uses the default subject generated for the export (Health Auto Export).
• If set, the prefix is prepended to the default subject (for example, Daily Export — …).

Example prefixes:

• Daily Export
• HAE Backup
• Provider Sync

Data Type Settings

Data Type

Select which type of health data to export:

• Health Metrics - Steps, heart rate, sleep, and other health measurements
• Workouts - Exercise and fitness activities
• Symptoms - Health symptoms and conditions
• ECG - Electrocardiogram readings
• Heart Rate Notifications - High/low heart rate events
• State of Mind - Mood and mental state entries (iOS 18.0+)
• Cycle Tracking - Menstrual cycle and reproductive health data
• Medications - Medication logs and adherence (iOS 26.0+)

Health Metrics Configuration

When Health Metrics is selected:

Select Health Metrics - Choose which specific metrics to include. You can select all available metrics or choose specific ones.

Tip: Selecting only the metrics you need reduces attachment size and improves processing time—especially important given the 30 MB email limit.

Preferred Sources - Configure which data sources take priority when multiple sources provide the same metric.

Workout Configuration

When Workouts is selected:

Include Route Data - Toggle ON to include routes for workouts that have location data.

Include Workout Metrics - Toggle ON to include health metrics collected during workouts (heart rate, calories, etc.).

Time Grouping (Workout Metrics) - When using Export Version 2 and Include Workout Metrics is enabled:

• Minutes - Groups workout metrics by minute
• Seconds - Groups workout metrics by second

Tip: Route data and fine-grained workout metrics can produce large attachments. Prefer coarser settings if emails are rejected for size.

Export Settings

Export Format

Select the format for your exported data:

• JSON format - Provides detailed data structures with nested objects. Best for applications, databases, and detailed analysis. JSON format includes more detailed information for complex data types like sleep phases and AFib readings.
• CSV format - Provides tabular data that can be easily imported into spreadsheet applications like Excel, Numbers, or imported into other tools.

Tip: Use JSON for comprehensive data and CSV when the recipient will open the attachment in a spreadsheet.

Export Version

Select an Export Version. Versioning allows transitioning between updated versions of the export at your own pace and minimizes breaking changes to workflows.

• Version 1 - Legacy format, use if you have existing workflows that depend on this format
• Version 2 - Current format with enhanced workout data and more detailed metadata options

Date Range

Select when data should be exported:

• Default - Syncs data for the full previous day plus data up to the current date and time
• Since Last Sync - On each sync, exports all data since the last time the export ran up until the current date and time
• Today - Syncs all data for the current date up to the current time
• Yesterday - Syncs all data for the full previous day
• Previous 7 Days - Syncs data for the full previous seven days

Summarize Data

When using JSON format with Health Metrics data type, toggle Summarize Data ON or OFF.

• ON - Provides aggregated data summaries (default)
• OFF - Provides disaggregated data where possible, showing individual data points

Note: This setting only applies to JSON format with Health Metrics. Data is always aggregated when using CSV format or when multiple metrics are selected.

Time Grouping

Select how data should be aggregated. Available options depend on the selected export format.

Note: More granular aggregation (minutes/seconds) creates larger attachments but provides more detailed data. Less granular aggregation creates smaller attachments with summarized data. Prefer coarser grouping when emailing to stay under the 30 MB limit.

Sync Cadence

Configure how often the automation should send email:

Select a number and interval.

Available intervals for Email: Hours, Days, Weeks, and Months.

Note: When you select Email as the automation type, the default cadence is once per day.

Testing & Verification

Manual Testing

1. Tap "Manual Export" in the automation configuration screen
2. Select a date range
3. Tap "Export" to send a test email
4. Check the recipient inbox (and spam/junk if needed) to verify the attachment arrived

Viewing Activity Logs

1. Tap View Activity Logs in the automation configuration screen.
2. Review runs (grouped, newest first) and expand events within each run.
3. Distinguish warnings (for example, slow health data query) from errors (encode failures, oversize rejection, or send failures)—see Automations Overview — Activity Logs.
4. Check send success lines and error details for each run.
5. Share (toolbar) exports the full App Event Logs diagnostic ZIP for support (same as Settings → Advanced).
6. Clear removes only this automation’s activity history.

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Email Not Received

• Confirm the recipient address is spelled correctly
• Check spam/junk folders
• Verify the automation has run at least once (Activity Logs)
• Ensure network connectivity when the automation runs
• Try a Manual Export to test delivery immediately

"Export is too large to email" / Over 30 MB

• Select fewer health metrics
• Use a shorter Date Range (for example, Today or Yesterday instead of Previous 7 Days)
• Enable Summarize Data and use coarser Time Grouping
• Use Dropbox, Google Drive, or REST API for large exports

Send Failures / Timeouts

• Check your internet connection
• Increase the Request Timeout setting
• Review Activity Logs for specific error messages
• Try a Manual Export with a smaller date range

Automation Not Running Automatically

• Ensure the automation is Enabled
• Confirm Background App Refresh is enabled for the app
• Keep the device unlocked periodically so HealthKit data can be read
• Add the Automations widget to improve background reliability (see Automations Widget Setup Guide)
• Review Activity Logs for skipped or failed runs

Error Messages

The app will display error messages if:

• The recipient email address is missing or invalid
• The encoded export exceeds 30 MB
• The send request times out or fails
• Health data could not be read or encoded

Check the Activity Logs for detailed error information.

Tips and Best Practices

1. Automatic Syncing:

• Charge your device and use iPhone Mirroring
  • When your device is being charged iOS places less restrictions on device performance, so data can sync more frequently
  • By using iPhone Mirroring, your device behaves in the same way as if it were unlocked. This means health data is accessible by Health Auto Export in order to run automated actions

2. Stay Under 30 MB:

• Select only the metrics you need
• Prefer daily or shorter date ranges for email
• Use summarized data and coarser time grouping
• For large historical backfills, use Dropbox, Google Drive, or REST API instead

3. Inbox Organization:

• Set a Subject Prefix so filters/rules can catch exports reliably
• Use a dedicated address or plus-alias if your provider supports it

4. Cadence:

• Daily email is a good default for most users
• Avoid very frequent cadences with large metric sets—attachments grow quickly

5. Reliability:

• Add the Automations widget (see Automations Widget Setup Guide)
• Monitor Activity Logs after changing metrics, date range, or aggregation

6. Security:

• Only send to addresses you trust
• Confirm the recipient before saving

Related Guides

• Automations Overview
• Automations Widget Setup Guide
• Dropbox Automation Guide
• Google Drive Automation Guide
• REST API Automation Guide