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Q: Distance measurement

Dear all,

 

I bought an Apple watch last week and I followed the steps for the calibration. Now the thing is that the watch works pretty fine in measuring the distance I cover while I am in the "Exercise" mode, while it gives me non-sensical result while I am simply walking around (in other word what he tracks as "activity" in the three circles feature. I think it is pretty accurate when it comes to steps counter (it is approximately as much as i calculate with my UP Jawbone bracelet) but not in distance covered. For example yesterday I made 15,527 step covering a distance of 1,1km (I don't have such small steps for that matters). Is there any way to fix this?

 

thanks,

fra

Apple Watch, iOS 8.4.1

Posted on Aug 31, 2015 9:19 PM

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Q: Distance measurement

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  • by Jonathan UK,

    Jonathan UK Jonathan UK Sep 1, 2015 1:39 AM in response to flurred
    Level 8 (38,282 points)
    Apple Watch
    Sep 1, 2015 1:39 AM in response to flurred

    You say that the distance estimate is inaccurate at your normal walking around speed - if you haven't already done so, it may help to calibrate Apple Watch (at least once) at this speed. If you often walk or run at different speeds, you can calibrate Apple Watch for 20 minutes at each of those speeds (they can be accumulated over time; you don't need to walk or run for 20 minutes all in one go).

     

    After that, taking your iPhone with you during further outdoor workouts (walks or runs) over time will continue to calibrate the accelerometer and improve the accuracy of the estimations provided by the Activity and Workout apps.

     

    Calibration helps Apple Watch to learn your stride length. It does this by combining knowledge of how you move (using data from the watch's accelerometer) with knowledge of distances covered (using the Location Services / GPS feature on your iPhone). So for the best results, carry your iPhone in your hand and ensure that you are walking or running in an open, flat space with good GPS reception. Ensure that you start and end a workout in the Workout app and that you have Location Services enabled on your iPhone (see the instructions below for more information).

     

    Calibrating your Apple Watch for improved Workout and Activity accuracy - Apple Support

     

    If you would prefer to completely reset the calibration data and start again, you can unpair and re-pair your Apple Watch using the Apple Watch app on your iPhone. If you choose to restore your watch from backup when offered the option during set up, this will retain most of your data and settings with only a few exceptions (which include the calibration data):

     

    Unpair your Apple Watch and iPhone - Apple Support

    Set up your Apple Watch - Apple Support