@capacitor/health-fitness

Access Android Health Connect and Apple HealthKit data for health and fitness apps. Not available on web.

Install

To use npm

npm install @capacitor/health-fitness

To use yarn

yarn add @capacitor/health-fitness

Sync native files

npx cap sync

iOS

Your app's Info.plist must declare the following (the plugin cannot set these on the host app itself):

<key>NSHealthShareUsageDescription</key>
<string>App needs to share health data</string>
<key>NSHealthUpdateUsageDescription</key>
<string>App needs to use health data</string>
<key>UIBackgroundModes</key>
<array>
  <string>fetch</string>
  <string>processing</string>
</array>
<key>BGTaskSchedulerPermittedIdentifiers</key>
<array>
  <string>com.outsystems.health.default</string>
</array>

• NSHealthShareUsageDescription / NSHealthUpdateUsageDescription: the messages HealthKit shows the user when requesting read / write access.
• UIBackgroundModes (fetch, processing) and BGTaskSchedulerPermittedIdentifiers: needed for setBackgroundJob's background job feature.

The app target also needs the HealthKit capability enabled, with the following entitlements set to true (both Debug and Release):

• com.apple.developer.healthkit: the base entitlement required for any HealthKit access at all.
• com.apple.developer.healthkit.background-delivery: needed for setBackgroundJob's background job feature.
• com.apple.developer.healthkit.recalibrate-estimates: needed to read/write HealthKit's on-device "estimate" variables, e.g. WALKING_SPEED and VO2 max.

com.apple.developer.healthkit.access should be set to an empty array - it lists any additional restricted HealthKit types beyond the default set, and this plugin doesn't use any.

Read about Configuring Info.plist in the iOS Guide for more information on setting iOS permissions in Xcode

Android

This plugin ships a capacitor:sync:after hook (hooks/capacitorCopyHealthFitnessConfigs.js) that runs on every npx cap sync and edits your app's generated android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml to declare the Health Connect permissions your app actually needs. Health Connect permissions cannot be requested at runtime the way Capacitor's plugins.<Name> config values are read - they must exist in the manifest at build time - hence the sync-time hook instead of getConfig().

Declaring permissions

In your app, create an android/healthfitness.config.json file (next to android/app/):

{
  "permissions": {
    "HEART_RATE": "Read",
    "STEPS": "ReadWrite",
    "WEIGHT": "Write",
    "HEIGHT": "Read",
    "CALORIES_BURNED": "Read",
    "SLEEP": "Read",
    "BLOOD_PRESSURE": "Read",
    "BLOOD_GLUCOSE": "Read",
    "BODY_FAT_PERCENTAGE": "Read",
    "BASAL_METABOLIC_RATE": "Read",
    "WALKING_SPEED": "Read",
    "DISTANCE": "Read",
    "OXYGEN_SATURATION": "Read",
    "BODY_TEMPERATURE": "Read"
  },
  "groupPermissions": {
    "ALL_VARIABLES": "ReadWrite",
    "FITNESS_VARIABLES": "Read",
    "HEALTH_VARIABLES": "Read",
    "PROFILE_VARIABLES": "Read"
  }
}

Each value is one of Read, Write, or ReadWrite - this casing is intentional and distinct from requestHealthPermissions's AccessType (READ/WRITE/READWRITE), since this file is parsed by the sync-time hook above, not read by the native plugin at runtime. Both files are optional per key - only declare what the app actually uses. If neither healthfitness.config.json nor any key in it is present, the hook falls back to declaring every Health Connect permission (matching the plugin's previous, non-configurable behavior) so your app still works even if you skip configuration, at the cost of declaring more permissions than it needs.

Background jobs and read-history permissions

Two more permission groups are on by default and can be opted out of via top-level flags in android/healthfitness.config.json:

{
  "disableBackgroundJobs": false,
  "disableReadHealthDataHistory": false
}

• disableBackgroundJobs: true skips READ_HEALTH_DATA_IN_BACKGROUND, POST_NOTIFICATIONS, ACTIVITY_RECOGNITION (both the platform and Google Play Services variants), FOREGROUND_SERVICE, FOREGROUND_SERVICE_HEALTH, HIGH_SAMPLING_RATE_SENSORS, and SCHEDULE_EXACT_ALARM - i.e. everything setBackgroundJob needs.
• disableReadHealthDataHistory: true skips READ_HEALTH_DATA_HISTORY (lets the app read data older than 30 days before the first Health Connect grant).

Background notification content

setBackgroundJob's foreground notification title/description are read from your app's res/values/strings.xml (background_notification_title / background_notification_description) - and read unconditionally at plugin load time (app startup), not just when a background job is actually set, so a missing value crashes the app immediately rather than only when the feature is used. The hook creates both with sensible defaults if missing, overridable via android/healthfitness.config.json:

{
  "backgroundNotificationTitle": "Health & Fitness",
  "backgroundNotificationDescription": "Monitoring your health and fitness data in the background."
}

Privacy policy URL

Health Connect requires a privacy policy URL for apps requesting these permissions - requestHealthPermissions() rejects without one, and Health Connect opens the URL directly in a browser from its own permissions screen, so it must be a real, publicly-reachable https:// link, not a bundled local file. The simplest way to set it is directly in android/healthfitness.config.json:

{
  "privacyPolicyUrl": "https://example.com/privacy-policy"
}

If privacyPolicyUrl isn't set, the hook falls back to deriving one from capacitor.config.json's server.url + a fixed HealthConnect_PrivacyPolicy.txt filename - only useful for apps that already serve their web content from a remote server and host that file there (HealthConnect_PrivacyPolicy.txt in your app's webDir, copied to android/app/src/main/assets/public/ by cap sync). Most Capacitor apps bundle their web assets locally and have no server.url, so this fallback will never resolve for them - use privacyPolicyUrl directly instead.

Either way, if strings.xml already has a non-empty privacy_policy_url (e.g. set by a separate build step), the hook leaves it untouched.

Examples

Every method below is exercised by the plugin's own example-app - the snippets here are taken directly from it. Note that every options object is a plain object whose values are themselves JSON-encoded strings, not typed fields.

Requesting permissions

Call this before any other method. allVariables/fitnessVariables/ healthVariables/profileVariables/workoutVariables each take a JSON-encoded { IsActive, AccessType } descriptor (AccessType is READ, WRITE, or READWRITE) targeting a themed subset of variables:

• Fitness: STEPS, CALORIES_BURNED, DISTANCE, WALKING_SPEED
• Health: HEART_RATE, SLEEP, BLOOD_PRESSURE, BLOOD_GLUCOSE, OXYGEN_SATURATION, BODY_TEMPERATURE
• Profile: WEIGHT, HEIGHT, BODY_FAT_PERCENTAGE, BASAL_METABOLIC_RATE
• Workout (iOS only): HealthKit's workout type, needed for getWorkoutData()

Setting allVariables's IsActive to true requests every variable at once (this already includes workout on iOS). Use workoutVariables on its own to request just workout access without everything else, or customPermissions to request individual variables directly, e.g. [{"Variable":"STEPS","AccessType":"READ"}].

import { HealthFitness } from '@capacitor/health-fitness';

await HealthFitness.requestHealthPermissions({
  customPermissions: '[]',
  allVariables: JSON.stringify({ IsActive: true, AccessType: 'READWRITE' }),
  fitnessVariables: JSON.stringify({ IsActive: false, AccessType: 'READWRITE' }),
  healthVariables: JSON.stringify({ IsActive: false, AccessType: 'READWRITE' }),
  profileVariables: JSON.stringify({ IsActive: false, AccessType: 'READWRITE' }),
  workoutVariables: JSON.stringify({ IsActive: false, AccessType: 'READWRITE' }), // allVariables already covers this
});

Querying data

getData() runs an "advanced query": it reads one variable (e.g. STEPS) over a date range, bucketed into a time unit (e.g. one bucket per day), and aggregated within each bucket by an operation (e.g. SUM). This example reads the last 7 days of daily step totals:

import { HealthFitness } from '@capacitor/health-fitness';

// No milliseconds in the date strings - the native date parser only accepts
// "yyyy-MM-dd'T'HH:mm:ssZ", so toISOString()'s fractional-seconds suffix
// must be trimmed off.
const isoDate = (d: Date) => d.toISOString().split('.')[0] + 'Z';
const sevenDaysAgo = new Date(Date.now() - 7 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000);
const tomorrow = new Date(Date.now() + 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000);

const { results } = await HealthFitness.getData({
  parameters: JSON.stringify({
    Variable: 'STEPS',
    StartDate: isoDate(sevenDaysAgo),
    EndDate: isoDate(tomorrow),
    TimeUnit: 'DAY',
    OperationType: 'SUM',
    TimeUnitLength: 1,
    AdvancedQueryReturnType: 'ALL_DATA',
    AdvancedQueryResultType: 'RAW_DATA',
  }),
});

// results is itself a JSON-encoded string
console.log(JSON.parse(results ?? '[]'));

Writing data

Android only accepts "profile" variables here (WEIGHT, HEIGHT, BODY_FAT_PERCENTAGE, BASAL_METABOLIC_RATE); iOS accepts most variables except category-based ones like SLEEP.

import { HealthFitness } from '@capacitor/health-fitness';

await HealthFitness.writeData({ variable: 'WEIGHT', value: 75 });

Getting the last recorded value

import { HealthFitness } from '@capacitor/health-fitness';

const { results } = await HealthFitness.getLastRecord({ variable: 'STEPS' });

Querying workout data (iOS only)

import { HealthFitness } from '@capacitor/health-fitness';

const isoDate = (d: Date) => d.toISOString().split('.')[0] + 'Z';

const { results } = await HealthFitness.getWorkoutData({
  parameters: JSON.stringify({
    WorkoutTypeVariables: [],
    StartDate: isoDate(new Date(Date.now() - 7 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000)),
    EndDate: isoDate(new Date(Date.now() + 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000)),
  }),
});

Background jobs

A background job watches a single variable and fires a local notification when a condition is met - for example, notify the user once their daily step count goes above 100. JobFrequency/TimeUnit control how often the condition is checked; NotificationFrequency controls how often the notification itself is allowed to re-fire once the condition is met.

import { HealthFitness } from '@capacitor/health-fitness';

await HealthFitness.setBackgroundJob({
  parameters: JSON.stringify({
    Variable: 'STEPS',
    TimeUnit: 'DAY',
    TimeUnitGrouping: 1,
    NotificationFrequency: 'DAY',
    NotificationFrequencyGrouping: 1,
    JobFrequency: 'DAY',
    Condition: 'HIGHER',
    Value: 100,
    NotificationHeader: 'Goal reached!',
    NotificationBody: "You've taken over 100 steps today.",
  }),
});

List all existing background jobs:

const { jobs } = await HealthFitness.listBackgroundJobs();
const parsedJobs = JSON.parse(jobs);
console.log(parsedJobs);

Update or delete a job using its id:

const jobId = parsedJobs[0].id;

await HealthFitness.updateBackgroundJob({
  parameters: JSON.stringify({
    Id: jobId,
    NotificationFrequency: 'DAY',
    NotificationFrequencyGrouping: 1,
    Condition: 'HIGHER',
    Value: 100,
    NotificationHeader: 'Goal reached!',
    NotificationBody: "You've taken over 100 steps today.",
    IsActive: 'true',
  }),
});

await HealthFitness.deleteBackgroundJob({ id: jobId });

Disconnecting / opening Health Connect (Android only)

import { HealthFitness } from '@capacitor/health-fitness';

await HealthFitness.disconnectFromHealthConnect();
await HealthFitness.openHealthConnect();

API

• requestHealthPermissions(...)
• getData(...)
• getWorkoutData(...)
• writeData(...)
• getLastRecord(...)
• setBackgroundJob(...)
• deleteBackgroundJob(...)
• listBackgroundJobs()
• updateBackgroundJob(...)
• disconnectFromHealthConnect()
• openHealthConnect()
• Interfaces

requestHealthPermissions(...)

requestHealthPermissions(options: RequestHealthPermissionsOptions) => Promise<void>

Requests the given HealthKit / Health Connect permissions.

Param	Type
options	RequestHealthPermissionsOptions

Since: 1.0.0

---

getData(...)

getData(options: AdvancedQueryOptions) => Promise<AdvancedQueryResult>

Performs an advanced query for a health/fitness variable over a date range.

Param	Type
options	AdvancedQueryOptions

Returns:

Promise<AdvancedQueryResult>

Since: 1.0.0

---

getWorkoutData(...)

getWorkoutData(options: WorkoutAdvancedQueryOptions) => Promise<WorkoutAdvancedQueryResult>

Performs an advanced query for workout data over a date range.

iOS only - the underlying native Android library has no workout-specific query. Not implemented on Android, so calling it there rejects with Capacitor's standard UNIMPLEMENTED error.

Param	Type
options	WorkoutAdvancedQueryOptions

Returns:

Promise<WorkoutAdvancedQueryResult>

Since: 1.0.0

---

writeData(...)

writeData(options: WriteDataOptions) => Promise<void>

Writes a value to a health/fitness variable.

Param	Type
options	WriteDataOptions

Since: 1.0.0

---

getLastRecord(...)

getLastRecord(options: GetLastRecordOptions) => Promise<AdvancedQueryResult>

Retrieves the last recorded value for a variable.

Param	Type
options	GetLastRecordOptions

Returns:

Promise<AdvancedQueryResult>

Since: 1.0.0

---

setBackgroundJob(...)

setBackgroundJob(options: SetBackgroundJobOptions) => Promise<void>

Creates a background job that monitors a variable and notifies on a condition.

Param	Type
options	SetBackgroundJobOptions

Since: 1.0.0

---

deleteBackgroundJob(...)

deleteBackgroundJob(options: DeleteBackgroundJobOptions) => Promise<void>

Deletes a background job by id.

Param	Type
options	DeleteBackgroundJobOptions

Since: 1.0.0

---

listBackgroundJobs()

listBackgroundJobs() => Promise<ListBackgroundJobsResult>

Lists all existing background jobs.

Returns:

Promise<ListBackgroundJobsResult>

Since: 1.0.0

---

updateBackgroundJob(...)

updateBackgroundJob(options: UpdateBackgroundJobOptions) => Promise<void>

Updates an existing background job's parameters.

Param	Type
options	UpdateBackgroundJobOptions

Since: 1.0.0

---

disconnectFromHealthConnect()

disconnectFromHealthConnect() => Promise<void>

Revokes all Health Connect permissions previously granted to the app.

Android only - HealthKit has no equivalent API for an app to revoke its own access.

Since: 1.0.0

---

openHealthConnect()

openHealthConnect() => Promise<void>

Opens the Health Connect app. Rejects if Health Connect is not installed.

Android only - HealthKit has no equivalent standalone app to open.

Since: 1.0.0

---

Interfaces

RequestHealthPermissionsOptions

Prop	Type	Description
customPermissions	string	JSON-encoded string: an array of individual variable permission descriptors, e.g. [{"Variable":"STEPS","AccessType":"READ"}]. Use this to request permission for specific variables not covered by (or instead of) the broader groups below. AccessType is READ, WRITE, or READWRITE.
allVariables	string	JSON-encoded string: {"IsActive": boolean, "AccessType": "READ" | "WRITE" | "READWRITE"}. When IsActive is true, requests the given access to every health/fitness variable the plugin supports.
fitnessVariables	string	JSON-encoded string: {"IsActive": boolean, "AccessType": "READ" | "WRITE" | "READWRITE"}. Covers the "fitness" variable group: STEPS, CALORIES_BURNED, DISTANCE, WALKING_SPEED.
healthVariables	string	JSON-encoded string: {"IsActive": boolean, "AccessType": "READ" | "WRITE" | "READWRITE"}. Covers the "health" variable group: HEART_RATE, SLEEP, BLOOD_PRESSURE, BLOOD_GLUCOSE, OXYGEN_SATURATION, BODY_TEMPERATURE (iOS also includes dietary water and dietary energy consumed, which have no Android equivalent).
profileVariables	string	JSON-encoded string: {"IsActive": boolean, "AccessType": "READ" | "WRITE" | "READWRITE"}. Covers the "profile" variable group: WEIGHT, HEIGHT, BODY_FAT_PERCENTAGE, BASAL_METABOLIC_RATE.
workoutVariables	string	JSON-encoded string: {"IsActive": boolean, "AccessType": "READ" | "WRITE" | "READWRITE"}. Requests permission for HealthKit's workout type, needed for getWorkoutData(). iOS only - not supported on Android (getWorkoutData() is iOS only; this field is never read there).

AdvancedQueryResult

Prop	Type	Description
results	string	JSON-encoded string containing the raw result blocks.
resultDataPoints	string	JSON-encoded string containing chart-ready accelerator data points.
warning	{ code: string; message: string; }	Present only on Android, and only when getData()'s TimeUnit parameter is MILLISECONDS or SECONDS - both are deprecated on Health Connect, so the query silently runs with TimeUnit: 'MINUTE' instead. code is OS-PLUG-HLFT-0405.

AdvancedQueryOptions

Prop	Type	Description
parameters	string	JSON-encoded string containing the full query parameters object (variable, startDate, endDate, timeUnit, operationType, timeUnitLength, advancedQueryReturnType, advancedQueryResultType) - a single serialized blob, not individual fields.

WorkoutAdvancedQueryResult

Prop	Type	Description
results	string	JSON-encoded string containing the raw result blocks.

WorkoutAdvancedQueryOptions

Prop	Type	Description
parameters	string	JSON-encoded string containing the full workout query parameters object (workoutTypeVariables, startDate, endDate) - a single serialized blob.

WriteDataOptions

Prop	Type	Description
variable	string	The health/fitness variable to write to. Android only accepts "profile" variables - WEIGHT, HEIGHT, BODY_FAT_PERCENTAGE, BASAL_METABOLIC_RATE - any other variable rejects with a "not a profile variable" error. iOS accepts most variables (anything HealthKit represents as a quantity, which includes the profile variables plus most fitness/health ones), except category-based ones like SLEEP.
value	number	The value to write, in the variable's native unit (e.g. kg for WEIGHT).

GetLastRecordOptions

Prop	Type	Description
variable	string	The health/fitness variable to read, e.g. STEPS.

SetBackgroundJobOptions

Prop	Type	Description
parameters	string	JSON-encoded string containing the full background job parameters object (variable, timeUnit, timeUnitGrouping, notificationFrequency, notificationFrequencyGrouping, jobFrequency, condition, value, notificationHeader, notificationBody) - a single serialized blob.

DeleteBackgroundJobOptions

Prop	Type	Description
id	string	The background job's id, from listBackgroundJobs().

ListBackgroundJobsResult

Prop	Type	Description
jobs	string	JSON-encoded string containing the list of background jobs.

UpdateBackgroundJobOptions

Prop	Type	Description
parameters	string	JSON-encoded string containing the full update parameters object (id, notificationFrequency, notificationFrequencyGrouping, condition, value, notificationHeader, notificationBody, isActive) - a single serialized blob.