Get Fit in 2026 with Apple’s Ring Workout Challenge

Apple is once again supporting its users in starting their New Year’s fitness resolutions with the annual ‘Ring in the New Year’ challenge for Apple Watch enthusiasts. This challenge, which has been ongoing since 2016, sets itself apart by promoting consistent activity over a week rather than just a single day. To successfully complete the challenge, participants must close all three activity rings – Move, Exercise, and Stand – for seven consecutive days during the month of January.

The challenge and its corresponding badge are now visible in the Apple Watch and iPhone apps, but the actual commencement date is on New Year’s Day. Participants aiming to earn the badge must maintain their activity streak until January 7th. For those starting later, the rings must be closed by January 25th, as the challenge concludes on January 31st. It’s crucial to emphasize that the activity streak must be completed within January, with February not counting towards the challenge.

In addition to the badge within the Fitness app, completing the Ring in the New Year Challenge unlocks a series of limited-edition animated stickers for the Messages app. Apple organizes various activity challenges throughout the year, commemorating events such as Lunar New Year, Valentine’s Day, Earth Day, Veteran’s Day, International Women’s Day, National Parks Day, and International Dance Day.

While most challenges have general activity requirements, some, like Global Running Day and International Day of Yoga challenges, have specific goals necessitating running or yoga workouts. Mindfulness challenges are also prevalent, marking occasions such as World Mental Health Day and World Meditation Day, where logging meditation or mindfulness time is the primary task.

The Ring in the New Year Challenge stands out as one of the few month-long commitments requiring consistent daily exercise. While an Apple Watch is typically recommended for these challenges, third-party apps or fitness trackers compatible with Apple Health can also contribute to closing the activity rings. It’s important to note that the Stand ring, which is part of the challenge, may not be active in the iPhone Fitness app without an Apple Watch.

With the introduction of AirPods Pro 3 providing exercise metrics, Apple’s activity challenges are becoming more accessible to non-Apple Watch users. These challenges primarily focus on completing specific workouts, making them achievable with various fitness devices.