How-to

How to log progress

Virtualtrails can add distance from the fitness apps you connect, or you can type distance in yourself. Here is how that distance lines up with your trails, how units work, and how achievements are earned.

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Your active trail Connect your apps Which workouts count Adding distance by hand Miles, kilometres, and adjustments Fixing mistakes and challenges

Step 1

Distance usually goes to your active trail first

When a connected app sends a workout, Virtualtrails looks for your active trail first. That is the trail you are currently walking unless you switch to another one.

  • If you add distance yourself, you do it from that trail's screen and enter how far you have gone since your last entry.
  • If you are unsure where a workout will land, check which trail is marked as the one you are logging now.

What to look for

Logging progress on a trail

  • When a trail is active for you, you will see a clear button to log progress.
  • If a trail is not active, you will be prompted to make it active before distance can count there.

Step 2

Connect the fitness apps you already use

Fitbit, Garmin, Apple Health, and Strava can send workouts into Virtualtrails. After you connect an app, supported activities can become distance on your trail without you typing anything.

  • The fitness apps screen lists which services you can use on your device.
  • The short explanation at the top is the important part: supported workouts are applied to your active trail.

Connect fitness platforms

What to look for

Fitness apps settings

  • Use this screen to connect or disconnect an app.
  • Each app has its own section that describes what kinds of activity Virtualtrails expects.
  • Start here if automatic updates are missing or look wrong.

Step 3

Each app only counts certain kinds of workouts

Virtualtrails only turns supported workouts into distance. The list is different for each app, so it is worth checking before you assume a new type of activity will count.

  • Strava includes hiking, running (including trail and indoor or virtual runs), walking, and wheelchair activities.
  • Garmin includes running, walking, and hiking.
  • Fitbit groups activity under running, treadmill, and walking.
  • Apple Health is described in the app around walking, hiking, and running-style workouts.

What to look for

What each app counts

  • Open each app's section to see the kinds of workouts that qualify.
  • If a workout type is not supported for that app, you can still add the distance yourself on the trail.

Step 4

You can always type distance in yourself

Manual entries help when you are not using a connected app, you need to fix a missed day, or you simply prefer to enter distance by hand. You enter how far you have gone since your last update on that trail.

  • Small plus and minus controls make quick entries easier.
  • You can change or remove an entry later if you need to correct it.

What to look for

Entering distance yourself

  • Pick the unit you want next to the distance field.
  • Suggested amounts can include a shortcut based on your previous entry.
  • You open this from the log progress button on an active trail.

Step 5

You can use miles, kilometres, or steps — and some trails adjust how distance counts

You can show and enter distance in kilometres, miles, or steps. Virtualtrails works out the numbers behind the scenes. Some trails also have sections where the same walk counts for more or less progress on the route.

  • Your preferred unit is saved in your profile settings.
  • Adjusted distance changes how much of the route an update counts for — not necessarily the raw distance from your watch or app.
  • Achievements are based on your progress along the trail, so adjustments can change when something unlocks.

How achievements work

What to look for

Profile and your totals on the trail

  • In your profile you can switch between kilometres, miles, and steps.
  • On the journey screen you can see how an update affected your position on the trail.
  • On trails with special rules, one entry might count as more or less distance along the route than the number you typed.

Step 6

Changes, removals, and challenges

Workouts from apps can be combined when they look like the same activity, and removing a workout from a connected app can remove the matching distance here. If you do not have an active trail, distance from apps may still count toward challenges you have joined.

  • If no active trail can receive updates, challenge progress may still update instead.
  • Editing or deleting distance can change your totals, achievements, and whether a trail shows as complete.

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What to look for

If something looks wrong

  • First check which trail is active.
  • Then check the app connection or the list of entries on the trail.
  • If your total changes after you edit or delete an entry, that is normal — the trail is recalculated from what is saved.