Frequently asked questions
Clear answers about movement, Apple Health, privacy and supported devices.
What is Health Island?
Health Island turns steps and active energy into a small pixel island. Your movement brings new finds ashore for you to collect and place. What you find stays. Learn more on the About the app page.
Is Health Island a step counter?
No. It uses movement data already stored in Apple Health without setting daily targets, calorie budgets or streaks. The numbers change the island; you do not have to keep improving them.
What does Health Island read from Apple Health?
Only steps and active energy, and only after you grant access. Health Island writes nothing to Apple Health and does not read diagnoses, heart rate, sleep or location data.
Is this a fitness or medical app?
No. Health Island offers no training plans, medical analysis, rankings, streaks or health advice. It turns existing movement data into an island to explore and shape.
Can I use the app without Apple Health access?
Yes. You can still open and explore your island, but new movement-based finds will not appear on iPhone. Apple Health is never read on iPad. See Apple Health support for access steps.
What happens on a quiet day?
Nothing is reset or taken away. There is no streak or daily target. The island waits.
Why does active energy show 0 kcal while steps are present?
Steps and active energy are separate Apple Health records. If active energy is unavailable, Health Island keeps processing your steps and removes nothing. See our active energy guide.
Do I need an account?
No. Health Island has no separate user account or social sign-in.
Where is my island stored?
Your island is stored securely on your device and synchronized between your devices through your private iCloud database. Raw step and active-energy data is never stored in iCloud or sent to feedback services. Read the privacy notice for details.
How do iPhone and iPad work together?
Set up your island on iPhone first. Only iPhone reads Apple Health and creates new movement finds. iPad loads your existing island through iCloud so you can explore and shape it without reading health data.
Which devices and languages are supported?
Health Island supports iPhone with iOS 17 or later and iPad with iPadOS 17 or later, in English, German, Spanish, French and Italian. New movement finds require an iPhone with Apple Health.
What happens when I share my island pass?
The image is created only after you tap Share. You choose its destination in the system share sheet. It may show your avatar name, island rank, island days and selected finds, but never steps, active energy or exact island points.