Troubleshooting for the Watch App (iOS)
The Watch app for iOS lets you view your location on the map, record tracks, and read your tracking data. This article contains information on how to troubleshoot problems with the Apple Watch app.
What can I do to make the maps in the Apple Watch app load faster?
- Open the maps of the region where your route will take place, while still at home. Zoom in and out a little bit. That way, you'll already have the maps loaded in the Watch app before you head out.
- Save the relevant maps offline in the iPhone app. This will also make the maps load faster in the Watch app. Whenever the Watch app requests a map tile from the iPhone app, it can be transmitted directly without having to download it first. This helps you especially if you have a slow internet connection while on the go.
- Open the app on the iPhone in the foreground, this gives it more priority when requesting map tiles.
- A connection between Phone and Watch via WiFi is faster than via Bluetooth, but consumes more battery. That's why the Watch app defaults to a Bluetooth connection. If it's important to you that the maps load quickly, turn off Bluetooth on the iPhone and make sure WiFi is enabled on both devices. Then the Watch and phone will communicate with each other via WiFi.
Which GPS module is used, the Watch's or the phone's?
Sometimes it can be helpful to know which device your location is being retrieved from. This way you can position the iPhone in your backpack so that the location can be retrieved in the best possible way.
- When you record tracks, the iPhone's GPS module is always used.
- Your location shown to you is usually retrieved from the Watch. However, the easiest available location is always used. If the Watch has no GPS reception, you will see the location of the paired phone. If the battery level of the Watch is low, the location of the phone may also be used.
