Pikmin Bloom is Niantic's newest AR Mobile game, and it has a big focus on encouraging players to get healthy by walking. Each planted seed has a set number of steps a player must achieve in order to grow another character. This is just one of the ways in which the game uses steps to unlock content.
As Pikmin Bloom is more of an exercise tool than a game, it becomes very challenging to play when it won't count steps. Both Android and iOS users are encountering the issue, so this guide will provide a Pikmin Bloom not counting steps fix for both operating systems.
How to Fix Not Counting Steps in Pikmin Bloom on Android
Although Pikmin Bloom can be played with friends, it relies on individual steps registered from players on their Google Fit app on Android phones. This means there is sometimes a large delay in registering how many steps a user has taken. It can take a few hours for the two apps to update, but players can try and help sync the steps up quicker by restarting both apps, and restarting their phone.
Hopefully this fixes the problem and players can continue to play and discover new features, like the detector in Pikmin Bloom. However, if restarting doesn't fix the problem, and players see their steps are tracking in the Google Fit app, but not in the game, they should then make sure their location, tracking, and battery settings are allowing the AR title to access their information.
Make sure battery saver mode is turned off, and then check the following settings.
Fixing Google Fit Settings
- Launch the Google Fit app.
- Tap Profile.
- Tap the gear button in the upper right corner of the screen.
- Under Tracking Preferences, make sure that the Track activity toggle is switched on.
- Tap Connected Apps and make sure that Pikmin Bloom is connected. If it isn't under Connected Apps, restart the game and follow instructions to connect Google Fit.
Fixing Location Settings
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap Apps & notifications.
- Tap Permission manager.
- Tap Location.
- Make sure Pikmin Bloom has location permissions enabled and set to Allow Always.
How to Fix Not Counting Steps in Pikmin Bloom on iOS
Instead of Google Fit, iOS devices use the Apple Health app to track steps. Just like on Android, this can cause a slight delay between the Apple Health app registering its steps with the game. To speed this process up, players can restart both apps, and then their phone. If this works, players can finally start their journey and level up to unlock new features like expeditions in Pikmin Bloom.
If this doesn't work, and players notice the Apple Health app is counting steps, but not Pikmin Bloom, they should then make sure their location, tracking, and battery settings are allowing the AR title to access their information.
Hopefully, future AR Mobile games like the upcoming Space Invaders won't have issues like these. For now, in Pikmin Bloom, Make sure battery saver mode is turned off, and then check the following settings.
Fixing Apple Health Settings
- Tap Settings.
- Tap Health.
- Tap Data Access & Devices.
- Tap Pikmin Bloom.
- Make sure the Steps option is enabled.
Fixing Location Settings
- Tap Settings.
- Tap Privacy.
- Tap Location Services.
- Tap Pikmin Bloom.
- Tap Allow Always.
Go to the Pikmin Bloom app in the settings menu and make sure Location is set to "Always", and that Motion & Fitness, Background App Refresh, Mobile Data, and Allow Tracking are all toggled on.
Changing these settings should hopefully fix the not counting steps issue, and players can start earning free coins in Pikmin Bloom by going for walks.
Pikmin Bloom is out now in most regions for Android and iOS Mobile devices.