When an ageing fitness tracker finally needs to be replaced, sometimes you’re tempted to switch brands — for example, trading in your ageing slim Fitbit for a bigger running watch. You might be getting a new running watch in the Black Friday sales, or hoping for one under your tree — but a new tracker sometimes that means losing years of data about your workouts, sleep, heart rate, and general activity. Your historical health data is useful for more than just flexing on your Strava contacts or keeping those fitness rings closed. Changes in your resting heart rate or sleep pattern, for example, can contribute to a fuller picture of your health. That’s why in 2026, many of the best options like the Apple Watch , Google’s Fitbit lineup and the best Garmin models have made transferring your data remarkably simple – or at least easier than ever. To help you upgrade to a newer model or switch brands entirely, we’ve broken down the data transfer processes for the major fitness tracker makers. Check what you can transfer before switching
Not every move is tricky: going between different Garmin versions, or upgrading your Apple Watch, is a generally straightforward process that can take moments, due to operating from the same account. Switching manufacturers, however, is where things can become a little more complicated. Going from a Garmin Forerunner to a COROS Pace 4 can require manually exporting your data and then importing it into a new platform. Think of it as three distinct processes: backing up your data, syncing new activities between apps, and importing historical records, each with their own requirements. Before we continue, it’s worth noting that while common activity data (think workouts or routines) are transferable, proprietary metrics like sleep scores are unlikely to make the jump. Not every brand has Strain, Readiness or Sleep scores that are calculated the same way. If you are unsure, check which file formats and historical records your new device’s companion app supports could go some way to avoiding disappointment. (Image credit: Apple) Back up your fitness data first
Before doing anything else, make sure that your fitness tracker has synced with its companion app on your smartphone, including any recent workouts and health measurements. Most major platforms offer ways to export your data, either as an account archive or as individual activity files. Take some time to find out how to access these, and then download a copy somewhere safe and accessible, whether that’s on your computer or in private cloud storage. For example, Garmin requires you to access Garmin Connect using its web browser, then going to Data Management → Export Your Data. Apple, meanwhile, allows you to tap your profile in Apple Health, and hit Export All Health Data. Individual activity files commonly come in formats such as FIT, TCX, and GPX, each of which preserves different types of workout information. Keep your account active until you know the migration is successful and don’t reset your old tracker just yet. How to transfer data from Apple Health
(Image credit: Future) If you’re upgrading from one Apple Watch to another, the process is simple. Apple stores your Health and Fitness data in iCloud, provided syncing is enabled. On your iPhone, head to Settings → your name → iCloud → See All → Health , and make sure Sync this iPhone is switched on. When pairing your new Apple Watch, you can also restore a previous backup to carry over your settings. As you might expect, switching to another manufacturer takes a little more work. Open the Health app, tap Summary → your profile picture → Export All Health Data , and choose where to save the resulting XML archive. You can also manage which third-party apps have access to your data under Apps or Devices in your Health profile. It’s worth noting that not every type of health data will make the journey. The resulting XML archive won’t necessarily work directly with another manufacturer’s app, but services like COROS support transferring historical Apple workouts using third-party apps…
