Sync to Mac

Sync to Mac allows you to automatically sync your Apple Health data from your iPhone to your Mac. This enables you to view your health data on larger screens using the Health Auto Export Mac app.

Overview

Sync to Mac uses iCloud to automatically synchronize your health metrics and workouts from your iPhone to your Mac. The data is stored securely in your iCloud account and can be accessed by the Health Auto Export Mac app.

Use Cases:

• Viewing health metrics and Workouts on Mac with larger screens
• Export synced data on Mac
• Creating backups of health data in iCloud
• Accessing health data across multiple Apple devices

How It Differs from iCloud Drive Automation:

• Sync to Mac is specifically designed for syncing to the Mac app
• Data is stored in iCloud Drive in a dedicated Auto Sync folder
• Optimized for the Mac apps data structure
• Automatic data syncing--see limitations

Limitations

• Health Data Access: Apps are not allowed to access health data while iPhone is locked. Sync to Mac will only run during periods when your device is unlocked. This can affect data freshness when viewing on Mac. See instructions for manual syncing to keep data up to date.

• 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

Prerequisites

• An Apple ID/iCloud account
• Signed into iCloud on your iPhone and Mac
• iCloud Drive enabled
• Health Auto Export Mac app installed (for viewing data on Mac)
• Premium subscription (Sync to Mac requires premium access)

Manual Sync

You can manually sync data for a specific date range:

Sync Health Metrics

1. Navigate to Sync to Mac
2. Tap "Sync Health Metrics"
3. Select "Filter Health Metrics"
   • Limit the number of selected metrics for faster syncing
   • Select metrics you are most interested in; deselect metrics that don't have any data
4. Select a date range:
   • Use the date pickers to choose start and end dates
   • Limit selected date ranges for faster processing
5. Tap "Sync" to start the sync process
6. Wait for the sync to complete

Sync Workouts

1. Navigate to Sync to Mac
2. Tap "Sync Workouts"
3. Select a date range:
   • Use the date pickers to choose start and end dates
   • Limit selected date ranges for faster processing
4. Tap "Sync" to start the sync process
5. Wait for the sync to complete

Note: Manual syncs can take several minutes depending on the amount of data and date range selected.

Sync Behavior

Automatic Background Sync

When Sync to Mac is enabled:

• Health metrics sync automatically in the background
• Workouts sync automatically in the background
• Syncs occur periodically based on system scheduling
• Data is synced incrementally (only new/changed data)

Sync Frequency

Sync to Mac runs automatically:

• When the app is in the background
• When triggered by the Auto Sync Widget
• Based on system background task scheduling

Note: The exact sync frequency depends on iOS background task scheduling and cannot be manually configured.

Accessing Synced Data on Mac

Opening Health Auto Export Mac App

1. Open the Health Auto Export Mac app
2. The app will automatically load synced data from iCloud

Viewing Health Metrics

1. In the Mac app, navigate to Health Metrics
2. Select a date range to view
3. View charts and data for your synced metrics

Viewing Workouts

1. In the Mac app, navigate to Workouts
2. Browse your synced workouts
3. View workout details, routes, and metrics

Note: Data appears in the Mac app after it has been synced from your iPhone. There may be a delay between syncing on iPhone and data appearing on Mac.

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Data Not Appearing on Mac

• Ensure Sync to Mac is enabled on your iPhone
• Verify you're signed into the same iCloud account on both devices
• Check that iCloud Drive is enabled
• Try a manual sync to force data transfer

Sync Not Working

• Verify you have a premium subscription
• Check that iCloud is enabled and working
• Ensure you have internet connectivity
• Verify iCloud Drive is enabled in Settings
• Check that the app has necessary health data access

Slow Sync Performance

• Large date ranges take longer to sync; try syncing smaller date ranges
• Select fewer health metrics

Verify Synced Data

Ensure data is being transferred to Mac in iCloud Drive.

• Navigate to iCloud Drive using Finder
• Find the Auto Export folder (may also be named Health Auto Export)
• Data is saved in the following folders:
  • Health Metrics
  • Workouts
  • Routes
• In the Health Metrics folder
  • Select a health metric
  • Health metric data files are saved by date using names formatted as yyyyMMdd.hae
    • This means data for Jan 31, 2026 would be saved in the file 20260131.hae
• In the Workouts folder files are saved using a combination of workout name, formatted date and workout ID.
  • E.g. traditional_strength_training_ABCD-EFGH-IJKL.hae
• In the Routes folder route data is saved for workouts with associated workout routes. The file name corresponds to the ID of its associated workout.

Tips and Best Practices

1. Initial Setup:

   • Enable both Health Metrics and Workouts sync
   • Perform an initial manual sync for historical data
   • Allow automatic syncing to handle new data
   • Add the Auto Sync widget to your Home Screeen

2. Date Ranges:

   • Use manual sync for specific date ranges when needed
   • Let automatic sync handle ongoing data
   • Sync historical data in smaller chunks if needed

3. Performance:

   • Syncing runs automatically in the background
   • Manual syncs can be resource-intensive

4. Data Management:

   • Data is stored securely in your iCloud account
   • Synced data counts toward your iCloud storage
   • Old data is retained unless manually deleted