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Set up the Withings Body Scan in the Withings app using the supplied Quick Start Guide, then take your first reading barefoot and check that the scale assigns it to the right profile. For more repeatable body-composition results, use the handle as marked, stand still, and measure under similar conditions. The readings are informational estimates—not diagnoses—and available features vary by country and device configuration.
Set up the scale and take your first reading
- Install the Withings app and add the scale. Create or sign in to your account, then follow the supplied Quick Start Guide to connect the scale. Use a trusted Wi-Fi network when prompted. Withings directs users to that guide for installation details rather than publishing every setup screen in its app guidance.
- Check your profile. Confirm that the correct person is selected and that the profile information—especially height, age, and gender—is accurate. These inputs can affect body-composition results, according to Withings’ troubleshooting guidance.
- Step onto the scale barefoot. The scale identifies the user using the name or trigram configured in the app, then runs the measurement sequence selected there. Holding the handle is not required for the initial weight measurement.
- Choose the screens you want. Customize the on-scale measurement sequence in the app. Some features, including ECG, require separate activation; follow the app’s feature-activation instructions and synchronize the scale.
- Confirm that readings sync. If the scale does not update, check its battery, confirm it appears under Devices in the app, and verify that Wi-Fi is working and within range. Withings’ product guide also documents restarting the scale by holding its button for 20 seconds.
Get more repeatable body-composition readings
For a composition reading, the handle and platform electrodes need consistent contact. Stand barefoot, hold the retractable handle with its left/right markings oriented correctly, and place your thumbs on the top electrodes. Keep still, keep your arms away from your torso, and avoid letting your thighs touch. Remove rings or other hand accessories.
- Measure at a similar time of day and under similar conditions. Hydration and normal daily changes can shift body-composition estimates.
- Withings recommends avoiding food or drink for up to two hours before a measurement.
- Keep hands and feet dry. Excessively dry skin or calluses can also interfere with contact; Withings says measuring after a shower may help dry feet make adequate contact.
- Check that the scale is clean and that its surface is not scratched.
- Make sure the selected profile is correct and that a mode such as Weight-Only or Pregnancy Mode has not disabled composition measurements.
If a result is inconclusive, correct your stance and contact, check the profile and scale surface, then try again. Skin touching skin, not using the handle, or incorrect profile details can also prevent a successful reading. Withings’ Body Scan troubleshooting page lists age 16–89, height 90–249 cm, and weight 29–270 kg as ranges for successful readings; a separate Withings tutorial gives a minimum age of 18. Because those official pages conflict on the age threshold, check the current instructions in your app or device documentation rather than relying on one universal minimum.
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Weight and BMI
The scale measures weight and calculates BMI from weight and profile information. BMI is a calculation, not a direct measurement of body fat, and it is not a diagnosis.
#1 Best Overall
- A CLINICAL SCAN OF YOUR HEALTH - Body Scan, developed in collaboration with leading hospitals and clinical institutions, has been clinically validated.
- INCREASE YOUR MUSCLE MASS FASTER - Use the scale handle to precisely locate muscle imbalances and excess fat in the arms, legs, and torso.
- DETECT A CARDIAC ANOMALY - Use the electrocardiogram to identify any signs of atrial fibrillation, the most common form of cardiac arrhythmia.
- EVALUATE THE NATURAL PROTECTIVE FUCTION OF THE SKIN - Assess sweat gland activity in the feet to evaluate the natural protective function of the skin, all within seconds.
- MONITOR YOUR CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH - Every day analyze the condition of your arteries with our revolutionary assessment that measures arterial stiffness, a significant contributor to hypertension.
Segmental body composition
Body Scan estimates composition across body regions using electrodes in the platform and handle. Hydration, stance, skin contact, and profile inputs can affect the result. Compare readings taken under similar conditions and look at trends rather than treating one value as definitive.
Heart rate and ECG
The device can measure pulse rate and record an ECG when the feature is available and activated for your configuration. Availability can depend on country; follow the setup instructions shown in the app. For an ECG, hold the handle in the marked left/right orientation and maintain contact with the electrodes while standing still for the 30-second recording. Avoid speaking or moving, jewelry, overly tight gripping, and skin-to-skin contact. If ECG is not active after setup, Withings says it should become available at the next weigh-in or after routine overnight synchronization.
Rank #2
- THE ULTIMATE BODY ANALYZER - Body Scan is our most precise smart scale, for faster fitness improvement.
- INCREASE MUSCLE MASS FASTER - Precisely locating areas of muscle imbalance or excess fat may help to increase muscle mass faster.
- ACHIEVE FITNESS GOALS FASTER - Follow consistent and precise weight measurements (50 g / 0.1 lb), and track your weight trend on the scale’s high-visibility color screen or in the app.
- MONITOR CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH - Estimates the age of your arteries to give a clearer picture of your heart health by understanding how well your heart and blood vessels are functioning.
- FOLLOW YOUR HEART - Evaluate your heart rate at every weigh-in, a good indicator of overall cardiovascular fitness.
Pulse-wave velocity and vascular age
Withings says pulse-wave velocity (PWV) is available only on Body Scan scales purchased in Europe. PWV and vascular age have separate “optimal,” “normal,” and “not optimal” category thresholds, so their categories can differ near a boundary. Vascular age compares a result with other Body Scan and Body Cardio users; Withings describes it as a wellness indicator, not a prediction of an individual’s absolute cardiovascular-disease risk. Its support page says an earlier Body Cardio vascular-age approach was studied in a clinical context involving 86 individuals, with a medical team specializing in arterial stiffness led by Professor Pierre Boutouyrie at AP-HP’s Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou in Paris. The page does not state the study year or provide the original publication, so that account should not be read as independent validation of every current Body Scan measurement.
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Withings describes the Nerve Health Score as based on galvanic skin response, which relates to sudomotor function. Results can vary with conditions, and the scale may request a Guided Scan. If prompted, follow the on-screen directions: have been on your feet during the preceding hour, remove shoes shortly before scanning without having been barefoot for more than 10 minutes, and keep the scale and feet free of dust.
Rank #3
- A CLINICAL SCAN OF YOUR HEALTH - Body Comp, developed in collaboration with leading hospitals and clinical institutions, has been clinically validated.
- INCREASE YOUR MUSCLE MASS FASTER - Use the scale handle to precisely locate muscle imbalances and excess fat in the arms, legs, and torso.
- DETECT A CARDIAC ANOMALY - Use the electrocardiogram to identify any signs of atrial fibrillation, the most common form of cardiac arrhythmia.
- EVALUATE THE NATURAL PROTECTIVE FUCTION OF THE SKIN - Assess sweat gland activity in the feet to evaluate the natural protective function of the skin, all within seconds.
- MONITOR YOUR CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH - Every day analyze the condition of your arteries with our revolutionary assessment that measures arterial stiffness, a significant contributor to hypertension.
SpO2 and other screens
Available measurements and screens can differ by geography and device configuration. Check what appears in your app and on your scale instead of assuming every Body Scan offers every feature.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Safety limits to know
Withings’ user guide says not to use Body Scan if you have a cardiac pacemaker, implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, or another implanted electronic device. It warns that pregnancy can affect accuracy and advises consulting a doctor; its troubleshooting guidance recommends disabling impedance-based body-composition measurement during pregnancy. Do not use the scale with wet hands or feet.
Rank #4
- A CLINICAL SCAN OF YOUR HEALTH - Body Smart, developed in collaboration with leading hospitals and clinical institutions, has been clinically validated.
- ACHIEVE YOUR WEIGHT GOALS FASTER - Reliably track your weight to within 50 g and view your weight trends directly on the scale's high-resolution color display.
- INCREASE MUSCLE MASS FASTER - Increase muscle mass faster by analyzing body composition to tailor efforts.
- FOLLOW YOUR HEART - Evaluate your heart rate at every weigh-in, a good indicator of overall cardiovascular fitness.
- BOOST YOUR METABOLISM - Boost your metabolism by estimating the energy your body needs every day.
Withings also warns that anticholinergic medication may affect the Nerve Health Score, alcohol consumed in the preceding 24 hours may affect that score, and measurements may be affected by lower-limb amputation beyond the toes. Its guide cautions: “Self-diagnosis and self-treatment can be dangerous.” Treat the readings as informational and speak with a clinician about health concerns.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- FSA/HSA eligible
- See Your Progress Instantly: View segmental analysis, trends, and progress directly on the 4.3" TFT handle display of this smart scale—no phone needed after every scan. (Pair with the RENPHO Health App via Bluetooth before your first measurement.)
- Train Smarter with Deeper Insights: 8-electrode dual-frequency segmental BIA on this body fat scale reveals muscle and fat changes across different body areas, helping guide workouts, nutrition, and long-term health management.
- Turn Data into Action: Track 50+ body metrics, including segmental muscle and fat analysis, on this body composition scale to better understand training results, personalize nutrition plans, and support weight management and healthier habits.
- Guided for Every Measurement: Voice guidance walks you through every scan on the RENPHO MorphoScan Nova, ensuring consistent, accurate measurements for long-term health tracking.
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