Samsung’s available support guides do not explain what an asterisk next to a friend means in Samsung Health. Its meaning is therefore unconfirmed; don’t assume it signals that a friend is inactive, verified, in a challenge, or affected by a privacy setting. The screen where it appears, along with your app version and region, may be relevant to getting a definitive answer.
What Samsung documents about friends and Together
Samsung Health’s Together feature lets you add friends using a QR code or invitation, create individual or team step challenges, and manage leaderboard and step-count visibility settings. Samsung’s current US Together support guide describes step-count visibility choices of Anyone, Friends, or No one, and says users can enable automatic addition of new friends to the leaderboard. It does not define an asterisk beside a friend.
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Samsung’s Canada guide, last updated September 28, 2021, also covers Friends, step challenges, and leaderboard visibility. Samsung notes that screens and settings can vary by country. Its US iPhone guide describes a Steps leaderboard and a Friends section, but likewise does not explain the mark.
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Ordinary step-count visibility controls do not necessarily determine what participants can see inside a global challenge. In a Samsung Members response dated March 4, 2024, the Samsung Health service team said that setting visibility to Friends lets friends see the user’s count, and noted that participants’ step counts may still be viewable within a global challenge. The response is available in the Samsung Members discussion. That guidance concerns visibility, not the meaning of the asterisk.
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How to get an answer for the symbol on your screen
- Note where it appears. Check whether the asterisk is in the Friends list, a leaderboard, or a challenge screen. Record your phone platform, Samsung Health version, and country or region.
- Check current in-app help. Look for an explanation tied to that specific screen in Samsung Health’s help or support options.
- Ask Samsung Support with context. Share a screenshot with personal details hidden, plus the screen name and app version. Those details can help Samsung identify whether the mark has a screen- or version-specific meaning.
What the asterisk does not establish
Samsung’s reviewed public guides do not establish that the mark means a friend is inactive, verified, featured, participating in a challenge, or subject to a particular privacy setting. Samsung announced in 2021 that participants in its group challenges took over 22 percent more steps per day than the average Samsung Health user; that is Samsung’s own published statement, not an explanation of the asterisk or an independent finding. See the January 5, 2021 announcement.
Quick Recap
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- SLEEP SMARTER. LIVE BETTER: Energize your days with a great night’s rest using Advanced Sleep Coaching¹ - improved with even more ways to keep your nights on track. Plus, Bedtime Guidance² helps you find your optimal bedtime.
- YOUR RUN, YOUR COACH: Step up your running routine with a Running Coach³ that analyzes your performance and gives you real-time feedback. Training for an event? Try specific programs built for 5Ks, marathons and more.
- NEW DESIGN. LIGHTWEIGHT FEEL: Maximize your days with a minimalist design. The sleek, thinner-than-ever silhouette makes Galaxy Watch8 look as good as it functions. With a snug fit and sporty style, it gives you readings without getting in your way.
- A PERSONAL ASSISTANT, RIGHT ON YOUR WRIST: Your Watch just became your personal assistant.⁴ Stay one step ahead of your day with a watch that helps you navigate your tasks and to-do lists.
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