The four routes at a glance
| Route | Where it works | Stays current | Setup | Where the data goes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Native health integration (ChatGPT Health, Claude on iPhone) | Eligible US accounts, per each service’s documentation | Yes, inside that assistant | Built into the assistant’s iPhone app | The assistant’s own service |
| Upload an Apple Health export | Any account that accepts file uploads | No: a snapshot of the export day | Export from the Health app, then trim the file to fit upload limits | The assistant’s service, as an uploaded file |
| Self-hosted MCP server | Any client that allows custom MCP connectors | Only if you automate new exports | Run and secure a server yourself; usually reads an export | Your server, then the assistant |
| telo (iPhone app plus MCP connector) | Claude connector directory, ChatGPT plugin directory and other MCP clients such as Codex | Yes, the iPhone syncs in the background | Install the app, choose categories, add telo in the assistant | The telo service, then the assistant when it reads |
Availability, plans and interfaces change. The native rows summarise the official documentation linked below as of the review date; check it before deciding.
When the native integration is the right choice
If your account is eligible for the native health feature and you only use one assistant, start there. It needs no extra app and no extra account, and telo does not unlock or replace it.
The native integrations are documented for US accounts. Outside the US, or in a client the native feature does not cover, such as OpenAI Codex, you need one of the other routes.
When an exported file is enough
A one-off question about a past period can work with an export. The Health app produces a ZIP with an XML file of every record, and for years of Apple Watch data that file is usually far larger than a chat can read whole.
Trim the export to the period and records you need, and remember that it will not include anything recorded after the export day.
When a self-hosted MCP server makes sense
If you are comfortable running and securing a server, an open-source MCP server can expose an export to any MCP client. You keep control of hosting, and you also own updates, authentication and backups.
Most of these servers read an export file, so they inherit its snapshot problem unless you automate new exports from the iPhone.
When telo fits
telo is an iPhone app and a remote MCP connector. The app reads the Apple Health categories you allow, sends years of daily metrics, sleep and workouts to the telo service, and keeps them current in the background. Claude, ChatGPT and other MCP clients read them when you ask.
It fits when you want the whole history, more than one assistant, or a country where the native feature is not available. It is not a fully local setup: synced records are held by telo, and the records an assistant reads are processed by that AI service.
Sources and availability
Plans, regions and interfaces can change. Check the official sources before setting up.
Practical questions
Does telo work alongside the native health integration?
They are separate connections. One does not turn the other off, and telo does not change your account’s eligibility for the native feature. If you have both, ask the assistant explicitly which source to use so you know where the numbers came from.
Which route keeps the least data off my iPhone?
None of the four is fully local when the assistant runs in the cloud: what it reads is processed by that AI service. A self-hosted MCP server removes one intermediary, at the cost of hosting and securing the data yourself. telo holds the synced records and shows every read in the app.
Do I need an Apple Watch for any of them?
No. The source is Apple Health on the iPhone. An Apple Watch records much more, such as heart rate, HRV and sleep stages, and other watches and apps can write into Apple Health too.
How this guide was prepared
Prepared with AI assistance using the cited official documentation and the telo workflow described in the project. Screens and permissions can vary by account. This review did not include a complete authenticated test in each assistant.