About the accuracy and performance of the Compass app on Apple Watch - Apple Support (2024)

FAQs

How accurate is the Apple Watch compass? ›

Apple Watch Series 7 compass often very inaccurate The compass on my Apple Watch Series 7 is sometimes accurate but is more often off by up to 90 degrees. I tried it both indoors and in an open area away from buildings and it has the same erratic behavior. At all times the compass on my iPhone 13 measures accurately.

Turn the Digital Crown down to see a large compass arrow with your heading below. Turn the Digital Crown up two screens to see your incline, elevation, and coordinates in the inner ring of the compass. Your bearing is on the outer ring. Nearby waypoints are shown in the center.

Important: The accuracy of the compass can be affected by magnetic or environmental interference; even the magnets in the iPhone EarPods can cause a deviation. Use the digital compass only for basic navigation assistance. Don't rely on it to determine precise location, proximity, distance, or direction.

The presence of magnets can affect the accuracy of any compass sensor. Apple's Leather Link, Leather Loop, Milanese Loop, and earlier Sport Loop watch bands use magnets or magnetic material that might interfere with the Apple Watch compass.

The magnetic compass is very reliable at moderate latitudes, but in geographic regions near the Earth's magnetic poles it becomes unusable.

FYI: To use true north rather than magnetic north, open the Settings app on your Apple Watch, tap Compass, then turn on Use True North. Note: Compass can be affected by magnetic materials in some watch bands. See Use the compass on Apple Watch Series 5.

Find compass directions, see your latitude, longitude, and elevation, all with Compass from Apple.

It depends on certain factors. Generally, your iPhone can give you a very close proximity location of your Apple Watch - IF - It is powered on, connected to a network and Find My has been enabled. In terms of location, its connection to the network will determine how accurately it can pinpoint it's location.

If you work out at different speeds, you should also calibrate for 20 minutes at each of the speeds that you walk or run. Whenever you walk or run outside using the above steps, your Apple Watch continues to calibrate the accelerometer by learning your stride length at different speeds.

How do I calibrate my Apple compass? ›

Enable Compass Calibration

On your iPhone/iPad, open up iOS Settings and tap Privacy & Security: Then tap Location Services: Now scroll all the way to the bottom, and tap System Services: Now check that your Compass Calibration is enabled.

To use true north rather than magnetic north, do the following: Open the Settings app on your Apple Watch. Tap Compass, then turn on Use True North.

Patients were randomly assigned two of the three devices, which they wore on each wrist, and readings were recorded at a baseline and during elevated PSVT episodes. After the study, researchers found that both the Apple Watch Series 2 and Samsung Galaxy Gear S3 achieved a 100% accurate heart rate within 10 bpm.