In April 2025, Apple is celebrating a major milestone: 10 years of the Apple Watch’s iconic Activity Rings. Since their introduction, these colorful rings have helped millions of users around the world stay accountable to their health and fitness goals. To mark the occasion, Apple has launched a global campaign — “Close Your Rings Day” — set for April 24, encouraging users to complete all three rings and share their progress using the hashtag #CloseYourRings.
The rings have become a symbol of personal wellness, representing daily goals for movement, exercise, and standing. This celebration not only reflects Apple’s success in making health tracking engaging but also underscores the growing role of technology in our daily well-being.
What Is “Close Your Rings Day”?
Encouraging Users to Move with a Global Challenge
On April 24, Apple Watch users worldwide are encouraged to close all three Activity Rings — Move, Exercise, and Stand — as part of Apple’s new campaign. Those who do so will unlock exclusive digital rewards, including:
- A limited-edition animated badge
- 10 animated stickers for use in the Messages app
This global fitness initiative aims to inspire millions to recommit to their health and fitness routines — all while celebrating the device that helped them get there.
Special In-Store Experience: Exclusive Pins at Apple Stores
To make the celebration even more tangible, Apple is offering a special commemorative pin modeled after the award. These pins will be available for collection at Apple Store locations worldwide starting April 24 — but only while supplies last.
This exclusive physical memento adds a real-world reward to the digital achievement, giving users even more reason to get up and move.
The Science Behind the Rings: Apple’s Health Study Findings
Backed by Research: The Health Benefits of Closing Your Rings
To underscore the significance of the Activity Rings, Apple partnered with Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the American Heart Association on a large-scale study. Involving 140,000 participants, the research revealed powerful insights into the health benefits of consistently closing your rings.
Key findings include:
- 48% lower chance of poor sleep quality among regular ring closers
- 73% reduced likelihood of elevated resting heart rates, a key marker of cardiovascular health
- 57% lower reported stress levels, as measured by the widely recognized Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-4)
These findings offer scientific validation for what Apple Watch users have long suspected: daily movement and fitness tracking lead to healthier lifestyles.
How the Activity Rings Work
Move, Exercise, Stand: The Three Pillars of Daily Activity
- Move Ring: Tracks active calories burned throughout the day.
- Exercise Ring: Measures minutes of brisk activity.
- Stand Ring: Encourages users to stand up and move every hour for at least one minute over 12 hours.
This three-ring system is more than just visual motivation — it’s a comprehensive approach to encouraging holistic daily movement. From casual walkers to marathon runners, the rings help users stay active in a personalized, achievable way.
A Decade of Impact: Apple Watch and the Wellness Revolution
Changing the Way We View Fitness
Apple Watch was introduced in 2015 with fitness and health tracking at its core. Over the past decade, it has evolved to include advanced features like:
- Heart rate monitoring
- Blood oxygen tracking
- ECG
- Sleep tracking
- Mindfulness reminders
But at the heart of it all, the Activity Rings remain a cornerstone of the Apple Watch experience.
Jeff Williams, Apple’s Chief Operating Officer, highlighted this in a statement:
User Stories and Global Influence
Real People. Real Progress.
Over the years, countless Apple Watch users have shared personal transformation stories — losing weight, building stamina, improving sleep, and even catching early signs of health issues. The #CloseYourRings community has grown into a global movement, proving that small daily habits can lead to life-changing results.
Apple’s dedication to user-centric design and ongoing health research has allowed it to stay at the forefront of wearable wellness tech.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is Global Close Your Rings Day?
Global Close Your Rings Day is an Apple Watch campaign encouraging users to close all three Activity Rings — Move, Exercise, and Stand — on April 24, 2025.
2. What rewards do I get for closing my rings on April 24?
Participants receive a limited-edition digital badge, 10 animated iMessage stickers, and can collect a commemorative pin at select Apple Stores.
3. How do the Activity Rings work?
The Apple Watch tracks your daily movement (Move), active minutes (Exercise), and standing frequency (Stand). Closing all three rings daily helps promote a healthier lifestyle.
4. Is there scientific evidence supporting the benefits of Activity Rings?
Yes. A study involving 140,000 users found those who regularly closed their rings slept better, had lower resting heart rates, and reported less stress.
5. Where can I get the limited-edition Close Your Rings pin?
Pins are available at Apple Stores around the world on April 24, 2025, while supplies last.
