The fitness band Whoop adds a feature that has been absent for years.

The Whoop fitness tracker, which lacks a screen, has recently added the ability to count steps, surprising many. While step counting is a basic feature in most wearable health devices, Whoop had never incorporated this data before. However, after years of waiting, members can now find out how many steps they have taken throughout the day.

Will Ahmed, founder and CEO of Whoop, explained on a social platform that this decision was due to three key factors. First, he mentioned that recent research indicates that walking more than 8,200 steps daily reduces the risk of chronic diseases and obesity. Additionally, Ahmed acknowledged that many Whoop users were requesting this feature, and it was frustrating to see some using another device just to track their steps, resulting in a subpar experience for Whoop users.

Since its launch nine years ago, this tracker has evolved, and now the app will display daily step counts, as well as weekly, monthly, and six-month summaries. It will also notify users of important milestones in their step counts and allow them to set personal daily goals.

Although steps will be displayed on the Whoop Dashboard, the company cautions that this feature is not designed to function exactly like tracking other activities. Whoop uses a unique metric called Strain, which indicates training effort and the impact of various activities on the body, while clarifying that steps alone will not necessarily contribute to Strain unless a vigorous walk is performed that elevates the heart rate for a significant period.

The exact date for the availability of this new feature on the tracker was not specified, but Ahmed assured that it is already active, so users should check the Dashboard on the main screen of the app to see if they can access it.