Musklr shows your current set, what you lifted last time, and a running rest timer on the iPhone Lock Screen. You do not unlock the phone and you do not open the app. Glance at it, then get back under the bar.

What a Live Activity is

Live Activities are Apple's way of letting an app keep a small, updating card on your Lock Screen while something is in progress. You have probably seen one for a food delivery or a flight. On an iPhone with a Dynamic Island, the same card also folds into the pill at the top of the screen. Apple introduced them in iOS 16, and they update in real time without you opening the app.

Your current set, on the Lock Screen

The current set is the biggest thing on the card, the same way it is on the Apple Watch. You see the exercise, the weight and reps you are about to do, and a "Last" line showing what you did on that exercise in your previous session. That last number is the reason to look at all: it tells you whether to add weight or hold. A set counter underneath tells you how much is left.

The rest timer, with controls you can reach

Finish a set and the card becomes a rest countdown with a progress bar. It ticks down on the Lock Screen whether the phone is locked or not, so you can check how long you have left with a glance. The card also carries the controls you reach for most: add 15 seconds, take 15 seconds off, or skip the rest. Tapping one opens Musklr straight to that action, so you skip the hunt for the right screen.

If an Apple Watch is feeding Musklr your heart rate, that appears on the card too, which is a decent read on whether you are actually recovered.

The Dynamic Island, compact and expanded

On an iPhone with a Dynamic Island, the workout follows you into other apps. Touch and hold the pill and it expands to the full card: current set, the "Last" comparison, and the rest countdown with the same controls.

Left alone it stays compact, with the exercise on one side and your set on the other, so it stays out of your way until you want it.

It works with the Apple Watch app

The Live Activity and the Apple Watch app show the same session. Log a set on the Watch and the Lock Screen card updates. Start a rest timer on the phone and the Watch counts down with you. The layout is deliberately the same on both, so there is no second interface to learn. If you are still choosing an app, our comparison of the main iOS lifting apps covers where each one lands on Apple Watch support.

Frequently asked questions

Does a workout Live Activity drain the battery?

Not much. iOS draws the card, not Musklr running in the background, and it only redraws when something changes, like you finishing a set or the rest timer ticking down.

Which iPhones have the Dynamic Island?

The iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max, and every iPhone from the 15 onward. On older iPhones you still get the full Lock Screen card, just without the Dynamic Island.

Does it work while the screen is locked?

Yes. The card updates on the Lock Screen without you unlocking the phone, so you can read your current set, your last session's numbers and the rest countdown at a glance. The buttons on the card (-15s, +15s, skip rest) open Musklr to that action, which means Face ID or a passcode if the phone is locked.

What iOS version do I need for the workout Live Activity?

iOS 16.2 or later for the Lock Screen card. The Dynamic Island needs a phone that has one, which means the iPhone 14 Pro or newer.

Do I need Musklr Pro for the Live Activity?

No. The workout Live Activity works on the free tier, on both the Lock Screen and the Dynamic Island.

Does the Live Activity show my heart rate?

Only when an Apple Watch is supplying it. If you start the session on your wrist, the Watch sends your heart rate across and it appears on the card. Without a Watch the card leaves the heart rate out rather than guessing.