NEWS

On some Apple Watch models, putting your iPhone in Airplane Mode while measuring can improve the accuracy of distance and heatmaps.

As documented by Apple, Apple Watch Series 7 and earlier and Apple Watch SE (1st generation) may use the GPS of a nearby iPhone to save battery. Depending on where the iPhone is and its state, location data may then not be captured correctly, which can lead to shorter distances or lopsided heatmaps.

Turning on Airplane Mode on the iPhone before you start measuring makes the Apple Watch use its own GPS, which may improve results. Turning off the iPhone Bluetooth, or keeping the iPhone well away from the pitch, also works.

Apple Watch Series 8 and later, Apple Watch SE (2nd generation), and Apple Watch Ultra always use the Apple Watch built-in GPS, so this is not needed on those models.

Things to keep in mind

- Do this on the iPhone only. We do not recommend Airplane Mode or turning off Bluetooth on the Apple Watch, as it may interfere with transferring your data afterward.
- While Airplane Mode is on, calls and notifications on the iPhone are also paused.
- When you finish measuring, turn Airplane Mode off, keep the Apple Watch nearby, and open STATSMAN to transfer the data. If it does not arrive, you can manually send the most recent data from the Apple Watch app.

GPS location can stop updating for other reasons as well, and we are continuing to investigate (see our September 12 notice). For more details, see our FAQ.