Google Health app 5.11 lets Fitbit Air and Pixel Watch 3, 4, and 5 automatically detect up to 100 activities, up from 10, including strength training, swimming, and racket and team sports. Fitbit Edge gets the same detection when it goes on sale on 27 October.
- Google announced version 5.11 for Android and iOS in its Google Health Community post, with the rollout continuing in phases over the next week.
- Workouts that meet the minimum duration, 15 minutes by default, with a sustained elevated heart rate are logged automatically, and a summary typically reaches the app within 30 minutes.
- Google says detection now uses workout routines, history and manual edits, and claims nearly 2x more accurate detections and less than half as many missed workouts, based on its own offline evaluations.
- Fitbit Air owners with Google Health Premium get Health Guardian blood pressure trends after 5 or more consecutive days of wear in October, and insulin resistance trends after 7 or more days and nights, with the first monthly report at the start of November.
- Google says these trends are for general wellness, not a pre-screener for hypertension or diabetes, and not real-time clinical readings.
- Sleep tracking now uses step data to catch short awakenings more accurately, naps can be removed from the nap card, and Lingo by Abbott glucose sensors can connect directly in the US.
Highly Significant
Surely, you might think, a poxy little firmware update for a low-cost, overly-thin band is trivial.
Nope. Read again.
A prior-generation optical sensor can now cheaply give the wearer blood pressure trends and insulin resistance trends. Added to the motion sensors, they effectively record and classify almost everyone’s full range of activities. That is highly impressive from a technical point of view and potentially impactful at a population level.
Last week I attended a tech futures conference in London; it wasn’t about wearables, but I ended up chatting to the person next to me about his Fitbit Air. He was a pretty well-off, generally fit guy and interested in monitoring his health. He thought the Air was a no-brainer, and in many ways I have to agree.
What it means for athletes
A gym session, pool swim or game of five-a-side worn on Fitbit Air or Pixel Watch can now be logged as that sport without starting a workout, where the old detection covered only 10 activities. Confirming or editing a detected session teaches the feature your routine.
As Google states, blood pressure trends show monthly patterns rather than readings to act on. The blood pressure watches guide covers which wearables measure it and how well, and the best fitness tracker guide compares Fitbit Air with its rivals.
Quick answers
Which devices get 100-activity detection in Google Health 5.11?
Fitbit Air and Pixel Watch 3, 4 and 5 get it now, and Fitbit Edge gets it when it goes on sale on 27 October.
Do Fitbit Air blood pressure trends need a subscription?
Yes. Health Guardian blood pressure and insulin resistance trends require Google Health Premium, and availability varies by country and device.
The Fitbit Edge vs Fitbit Air guide compares the two trackers that get these features, and all coverage is on the Google Fitbit hub.
Last Updated on 24 October 2026 by tfk the5krunner
Small things I always use
- Garmin 90-degree charging adapter: Charges your Garmin from any USB-C cable. Essential when travelling. I use one.
- Body Glide: The blue anti-chafe stick swimmers and runners carry. I use it.
- Speedo earplugs: Fewer ear infections and no cold-water dizziness. I use them.
- Dryrobe Advance: My winter changing robe for open-water swims. I use one. A cheaper option is the AONYIYI changing robe.
- Maurten: Race fuel that stays easy on the stomach. I use them.
- Beet It Sport nitrate shots: Beetroot shots I take in the days before a race. I use them.
- Garmin charging puck: The quickest way to top up before a session. I use one.
- Injinji: Toe socks that stop rubbing, so you run more. I use them.
- Ultimate toe protectors: Stop black toenails on long runs. They work. I use them.
- Compressport R2 v2 calf sleeves: My calf sleeves of choice. I use them.
- Cellucor C4: My pre-workout before hard sessions.
- TPU tubes: Schwalbe Aerothan, Tubolito and Pirelli SmarTube. Light, tiny spares. I use all three.
- G8 insoles: Adjustable insoles that are good. I use them.
- Cycplus Cube: A 97g electric pump that gets a road tyre rideable in two minutes. I carry one. 5% off with code THE5KRUNNER.
Watches and sensors
- Polar H10: My daily driver for waking HRV.
- Polar Verity Sense: My backup arm-worn HR sensor.
- Nomad bedside charger: Charges my iPhone and Apple Watch overnight. I use it, and many of their bands.
- Train.Red: The best muscle oxygen sensor I’ve used.
- Tymewear: Accurate heart rate and reliable ventilatory zones. I use it to pace endurance rides over an hour.
- Garmin Forerunner 970: A pro-grade triathlon watch. I use this.
- Apple Watch Ultra 4: My daily smartwatch. No phone needed on rides.
- Garmin Fenix 9 Pro: I’ve just bought one.
On the bike
- Continental GP5000 for everyday riding, and Aero 111 on the front for special occasions.
- Helmets: Specialized S-Works Evade 3 for road riding, and Rudy Project Wing for TT-style races. I use both.
- Ravemen FR300: A front light that mounts under your Garmin or Wahoo. I use one.
- Wahoo TRACKR Radar: I use it on one bike and Varia on the other. They perform the same.
- Garmin Varia RTL515: Radar that warns you of cars from behind. I use this model.
- Wahoo ELEMNT Roam 3: The bike computer that’s easy to use. I use mine on most rides.
- Favero Assioma Pro RS2: Accurate power pedals that swap easily between bikes. I use this model.
Home and indoor training
- NPE Runn: Makes my basic treadmill smart, sending more accurate speed and distance to my watch and Zwift. I use it.
- Google Wifi: Keeps Zwift connected in my pain cave. I use it.
- Apple TV 4K: Zwift on the big screen. I use two.
- Google Nest Doorbell (wired, 2nd gen): My video doorbell, running in both Google Home and Apple Home. I use it.
Health, recovery and sleep
- FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus: Shows how my blood sugar responds to diet.
- hDrop: Measures my sweat loss in summer and indoors.
- Fourth Frontier Zone: Checks my heart under load in hard sessions.
- Oura Ring 5: My partner’s recovery tracker of choice.
- Eight Sleep: A cooling mattress cover my partner and I use nightly.
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tfk is the founder and author of the5krunner, an independent endurance sports technology publication. With 20 years of hands-on testing of GPS watches and wearables, and competing in triathlons at an international age-group level, tfk provides in-depth expert analysis of fitness technology for serious athletes and endurance sport competitors. See the gear tfk uses. ID
