The box is open and the band is on your wrist.
You want to start walking, not sit through setup screens.
Give that first hour anyway.
Almost every number you see for the next year rests on what you enter today.
What do you need ready before you start?
Charge it fully first.
Setup drains more battery than an ordinary day of wearing it.
Install the brand's companion app before you switch the device on.
Keep Bluetooth on, and keep the two within arm's reach.
Pick an account you will still have in three years.
Why does it ask your height, weight and age?
Because almost nothing it shows you works without them.
Your stride length is estimated from your height.
That is what turns steps into kilometres.
Calories come from your weight, age and sex, along with your pulse.
Your training zones come from a maximum heart rate estimated from your age.
Enter these carelessly and every derived number is wrong, quietly, for years.
So enter your real weight.
Then update it whenever it genuinely changes.
Which wrist, and how tight should it sit?
Wear it on the wrist you use less.
For most people that is the left.
Then tell the app which wrist you chose.
It changes how the software reads your arm movement.
Sit it a finger's width above the wrist bone, never on the bone.
It should not slide when you shake your arm.
It should still move a little.
A loose strap is the biggest cause of nonsense heart rate readings.
Tighten it a notch before a workout, and loosen it afterwards.
What should you set up on day one?
Turn on notifications for calls and messages only.
Add more later if you actually miss them.
Switch on automatic sleep tracking if you will wear it at night.
Set a step goal slightly above what you already walk.
Sit quietly and take one heart rate reading.
That gives you a starting point to compare against.
Then leave it alone for a week.
Things to Remember
- Enter your real height, weight and date of birth.
- Tell the app which wrist you are wearing it on.
- Keep the strap snug, a finger's width above the wrist bone.
- Update your weight in the app whenever it changes.
- Collect a week of data before you draw any conclusion.