Session Mode on Android

What can I use for heart rate on Android?

Any heart-rate monitor that broadcasts over Bluetooth. That’s the whole rule, and it’s worth understanding because it’s what decides whether your device works:

• Chest straps and armbands — Polar H9/H10, Polar Verity Sense, Polar OH1, Garmin HRM, Wahoo TICKR, Coospo, Scosche Rhythm, Magene, Myzone and equivalents. These broadcast by default, and they’re the most accurate option for dance.
• Some smartwatches — but only after you turn broadcasting on, and the steps are different on every brand. See the next question.

There’s no Upscore watch app for Wear OS. Your watch connects to Upscore as a heart-rate monitor, not as a companion app.

Can I use my smartwatch?

Sometimes — it depends on whether your watch can broadcast its heart rate over Bluetooth. Most watches keep their heart rate to themselves and their own health app; broadcasting is a separate feature that some brands have and some don’t.

Upscore has step-by-step instructions built into the app for the common ones. Tap Using a smartwatch? on the Heart Rate Source screen.

Here’s instructions for how to use popular smart watches with Upscore.

Pixel Watch 2 / 3 / 4

1. Swipe down from the watch face
2. Tap Connected Fitness, then Connect
3. In Upscore, select your Pixel Watch when it appears
4. Accept the prompt on the watch when Upscore appears

Not showing up? On the watch, go to Settings → Connectivity → Connected Fitness → Allow more devices and turn on Extended pairing. Pixel Watch 2 needs Wear OS 6 or later.

Fitbit Charge 6

1. Swipe down from the clock face
2. Tap HR on equipment
3. In Upscore, select Fitbit Charge 6 when it appears
4. Tap Share on the Charge 6 when it asks

Move quickly — the Charge 6 only broadcasts for a few seconds after you tap HR on equipment, and ending the workout stops the broadcast.

Garmin watches

1. Hold the light button to open the controls menu
2. Select the Broadcast Heart Rate icon
3. Press start when prompted
4. In Upscore, select your Garmin when it appears

If the icon isn’t there, look for Broadcast Heart Rate under Wrist Heart Rate in settings — the exact path varies by model. Broadcasting drains the battery faster, so stop it when you’re done.

Galaxy Watch (Samsung)

Galaxy Watches can’t broadcast heart rate on their own, and Samsung Health has no setting for it. The only route is a bridge app installed on the watch:

1. Open the Play Store on the watch (not the one on your phone)
2. Install a bridge app such as Heart for Bluetooth
3. Launch it before your session
4. In Upscore, select your Galaxy Watch when it appears

Works on Watch 4 and newer, including Watch Ultra.

Why does my Galaxy Watch need a third-party app when other watches don’t?

Because Samsung hasn’t built heart-rate broadcasting into Wear OS on their watches or into Samsung Health. Pixel, Garmin and the Charge 6 each ship the feature themselves; Samsung doesn’t, so a small bridge app on the watch does the broadcasting instead. It’s an extra step, but once it’s installed you just launch it before you play.

Which devices don’t work?

• Anything that doesn’t broadcast Bluetooth heart rate. If a device only syncs to its own app after a workout, Upscore can’t read it live — that includes most sleep-and-recovery style bands and rings.
• Older Fitbits. Broadcasting is a recent Fitbit feature; the Charge 6 has it, most earlier models don’t.
• Galaxy Watch without a bridge app. See above.
• ANT+-only devices. Upscore connects over Bluetooth. Many straps do both — if yours has a Bluetooth mode, use it.

Why does Upscore ask for Bluetooth and Location permission?

Bluetooth, to find and connect your monitor. Location is Android’s doing, not ours: on Android 11 and older the system requires the location permission for any Bluetooth scan, even when the app has no interest in where you are. On Android 12 and newer you’ll just see the Bluetooth permissions instead. Upscore doesn’t collect your location.

If you declined and want to fix it: Settings → Apps → Upscore → Permissions.

Do I need Health Connect?

No — it’s optional, and it’s about where your sessions go afterwards, not about heart rate coming in. With Health Connect set up, Upscore saves each finished session as a workout with your steps, heart rate and calories, so it shows up in Samsung Health, Google Health and anything else that reads Health Connect.

You’ll need the Health Connect app from Google Play if your phone doesn’t already have it.

My Upscore workouts aren’t showing in Samsung Health

Samsung Health needs to be connected to Health Connect once, on its side:

1. Open Samsung Health
2. Tap Menu, then the Settings gear
3. Under Connected apps and services, tap Health Connect
4. Allow Exercise, Steps and Heart rate

Workouts can take a minute to appear, and Samsung Health is slower to pick up new data on Android 13 and older. If nothing shows, turn its Health Connect access off and back on. Your workouts stay in Health Connect either way, so Google Health can still read them.

My DDR steps aren’t counting toward my daily total

Health Connect picks one app as the priority source for steps, and your phone’s built-in counter usually wins. To put Upscore first:

1. Open Health Connect settings
2. Tap Manage data
3. Tap Data sources and priority
4. Choose Activity, then drag Upscore to the top

Why does Upscore ask for my weight?

Only to estimate calories, and only if Health Connect doesn’t already know it. Your weight is saved on your phone — it’s never uploaded and never leaves your device. It’s optional; skip it and you’ll still get everything else.

My watch was connected and then stopped mid-session

The most common cause on Android is that the watch stopped broadcasting rather than that Upscore lost it.

• Fitbit Charge 6: ending the workout on the watch stops the broadcast. Start again from the clock face.
• Garmin: broadcasting stops when you exit the broadcast screen or the watch times out.
• Galaxy Watch: the bridge app has to stay running.
• Battery saver on the watch or phone can cut Bluetooth connections. Turn it off before a session.