Activity GPS issues after watchOS 7 and iOS 14 updates

I noticed the same thing after the iOS 14/WatchOS 7 update. Only, it doesn’t matter if I have my phone or not. I only get a start pin and no mapping.

Everything else records (distance, pace, health stats) but I never get a map anymore. I’ve followed all the recommended settings recommendations from other threads (privacy settings, route tracking “on”, tried resetting mapping on the Workout app settings several times, and alas tried un-pairing and re-pairing. No dice on any of it 🎲.

Call Apple Support and escalate the matter to a Snr Advisor.

Tell them in order to proceed with their instructions you must upgrade your plan. Have them refund / credit the cost of the higher tier.

Once the back-up is then complete downgrade.

We shouldn't have to pay for Apple's mistakes on this. If iCloud is the only way to recover it they should pay for the uplift.

I've had this issue since the ios update. I have so far had 4-5 support calls, and still not working. My Fitness app doesnt even open on the iphone, just shows black screen with spinning wheel. The health app only shows data from around 18th Sept. The support guy has had my wipte my phone at least 3 times now, and the last reply was that their engineers say I have now lost ALL my health data from years back.

The watch is recording data, but its worthless as its not getting recorded into the phone and therefore is lost. Hopeing for a new update next week, but you would think that after doing hours of support calls, screen sharing, at least 3 diagnostic recordings on phone and watch, they could work this issue out.

I simply dont understand how the fitness app can be so broken even after a total reset. A month later and no fix, I will be seeking compensation, but just for the lost data, but the inconvenience and waste of my time.

To be fair, the support guy is very helpful, he's just limited to what he can do.

I have Apple watch series 2 which is not compatible with watch OS7 and yet I got the same issue after the last update (not watch os 7) and even my previous exercises had gps data corrupted.

I already tried the unpair/pair solution, and still the same.

Apple Support has pointed me to the feedback page for iPhone instead of opening a case follow up on: https://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone.html. In case you want to do the same, I have included my feedback below.

Subject: GPS routes missing after following HT211865

Feedback type: Bug report

Comments: I have followed https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211865 to restore the functionality of my Watch and iPhone after upgrading to iOS 14 by restoring my devices from iCloud. While most health data has been successfully restored and new workouts are correctly tracked with GPS routes, it appears that I have lost GPS maps (and in some cases, HR info) for pre-upgrade workouts in the Activity/Fitness app.

Having compared restores from both iCloud and local encrypted backups (taken approx. at the same time), it seems that 100MB of health data have not been restored from iCloud. Those 100MB appear to be holding the missing data for older workouts.

Apple Support encouraged me to file feedback here and vaguely alluded to this being a known issue that will be addressed in a future software update.

That is correct. I backed up to my mac and did a full restore from that backup after wiping my phone clean. That did nothing. Only fix that worked for me, to restore gps routes on pre-ios14 update workouts, is the apple support bulletin, backup and full restore from icloud. Any workouts done prior to this restore but post ios14 was either lost or activities that did sync to the phone but without gps routes remained lost.

I am on watchOS 7.0.2 + iPhone8 14.0.1. Only starting point for the walking activities is showed on the map, pulse is just getting "diagram not available". When selecting the activity type "Golf" there's no sign of any activity at all after the session is finished. All the golf sessions prior to watchOS 7 was showing up as they should.

markfc wrote:

Just spent another hour on the phone with Apple support.

Latest iOS 14.1 and watchOS 7.0.2

As far as Apple Engineering is concerned they are no longer looking into the issue

There will be no further software fix.

I got told I'd need to buy a new iPhone or perform the above fix.

If this is true, I'm totally surprised. It would seem to be some type of easy fix for the engineers at Apple. I use the Nike Run Club app because I have the Apple Watch Nike+ and all my routes are mapped correctly in the Nike Run Club app. Further, because I have the cellular model watch, I never even bring my phone with me.

Obviously the watch is capable of tracking a route, and capable of syncing it to an app on my phone when I return home...

Clearly Apple has people looking after this forum... 😆

I share some of the frustration here, with the software update, with the potential data loss and with Apple Support. While people have had good results writing to execs, Apple Support has made the suggestion to file a bug report. I have shared mine here: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251806066?answerId=253680436022#253680436022. It speaks specifically to me having lost data but my watch/phone working now after following the Apple Support document.

I too am having a lot of trouble with missing workout and health data. I upgraded an iPhone 11 Pro and Apple Watch Series 5 to iOS 14 and watchOS 7 and that broke the health and workout sync (data syncing is partial - it misses workouts and the occasional stand hours). I have subsequently upgraded to iOS 14.1 and the problem remained. Today I got my iPhone 12 Pro and set it up as a transfer from the 11. The problem remains.

Weirdly the heart rate data was never missing on my iPhone, only GPS was the issue. After following the Apple "fix", my new activities are now recording with GPS correctly, but the old GPS data is still missing.

Really hope its still there and just not loading. But i see no way to check that really, all hidden from the user.

I can confirm it’s nothing to do with the watch version or the watch OS.

I have an S2 watch, which can’t upgrade to OS7 - and I have an iPhone 11 with the latest OS (although I’m about to download 14.1) - and I am having the same issue - all other data available, but the GPS.

After reading the post by david_92c that mentioned the use of the app Workouts++, I installed it and could see that some GPS data has been recorded in the workout, but the Fitness app is not showing it – I still think there is insufficient GPS data being recorded by the iPhone running iOS 14, but the Fitness app is more picky in the GPS data it shows? (The workouts I mention were recorded using the Workout app in Apple Watch)

Has anyone got workout maps pre 6th October?

I thought they might have came back over time but no luck.

It's a pain, looks like mine are gone forever.

Using MapMyWalk which syncs with Fitness and has much more data than the native Apple app, I suppose they are holding back some features for their upcoming Fitness + which will cost $29.99 per month with their ONE monthly subscription recently launched. Fitness + only available on the most expensive plan and not on the 9.99 or 19.99 plan.

Greedy Apple 👿

Mines still doing this! It records my warm up and cool down walk but not the run. GPS hasn’t worked since September either. Called Apple support and they told me to unpair and set back up. This didn’t work, then there was another update and it made it so much worse! So frustrating, as I got to watching to track my exercise.