Activity GPS issues after watchOS 7 and iOS 14 updates

Looks like they issued guidance on the 30th September:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211865

This is such a garbage solution and an utter last resort for me.

Why has Apple declined so drastically after Jobs died?

Can anyone from Apple confirm that it backing up and restoring from iCloud is absolutely necessary or can this be done by backing up and restoring from a Mac computer? iCloud storage is only 5GB for the free account and my backups require more space than that so need to know if there is a difference?

I am referring to the article to "fix" this SNAFU. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211865

After iOS 14 and WatchOS 7 upgrades, two years of routes were reduced to a start pin and new activity syncing was spotty and always missing GPS data.

I followed the support article and it did get my new workout data to sync correctly including GPS route data, but the historical stuff is still missing. I talked to an Apple Health support person who said that the article is intended to fix issues from that point forward, not restore the missing past data. He also said that restoring from a backup made with info missing will not restore that info.

I told him the article did not make that clear.

He also mentioned that there is currently a known issue (14 & 14.0.1) doing a local computer back up of Health data (encrypted back up) that will not capture this and other health info.

I have a local 13.7 backup from the day before I upgraded. He confirmed that I can restore from that back up and I should get all my old GPS data back but lose all activities since then, or I can do nothing and keep the data since the upgrade but lose the previous 2 years.

Sigh...

I am waiting for an update. The support advisor I spoke to wasn't confident that the restore would work and advised to wait for an update. He also shared this link with me to leave feedback. https://www.apple.com/feedback/watch The link does not work! The whole experience is so disappointing. I used to love Apple products. Apple Support used to be fab! What is going on at Apple now?

My battery on my Apple Watch has always been poor. I was told by the Apple Store that it is not meant to last for the duration of a half marathon (2h15mins) if you have your watch on "Always on"!

Has anybody had any issues with recording swims as well? I don't think the Fitness app records the distance or pace correctly anymore.

This IS the official Apple answer. Worked with my AW2 still on watchOS 6. The title is wrong, it should say If you're missing Workout GPS routes or Health data after updating to iOS 14.

Total screwup by Apple, no excuses from me. If you have already done this, and it did not work, please reply.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211865

commedianorwich, how many times did you go through https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211865 to get to the point where routes and heartrate charts show up for new workouts? I am still debating whether to go through this or wait until the next iOS update. Thank you.

Thanks werfree. That’s interesting, I specifically reached out to Apple Support about https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211865 and the focus on iCloud Backup and Restore. They said that local, encrypted backups on my Mac would yield the same results. Now, I am really on the fence whether to proceed as I’d now need a higher tier storage plan on iCloud.

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.

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 as it can be resolved using the following ;

If you're missing Workout GPS routes or Health data after updating to iOS 14 and watchOS 7

Essentially, UnPair Apple Watch and Backup iPhone to iCloud and then restore from iCloud backup.

There will be no further software fix.

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

If you don't currently pay for iCloud storage then you will need to purchase the required tier to backup your phone.

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.

Following the steps in the article (HT211865) resolved the issue for NEW data showing up for me. After the restore from iCloud, the Fitness App continued to restore data from iCloud for almost 48 hours. When it had completed, rings and awards were accurate, but only about 25% of the GPS and Heart Rate data from my previous 1000+ workouts was restored.

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)

I have to revise my multiple previous statements here in this thread about my success with https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211865. It appears that I am back to maps not showing up after concluding an workout on my Watch. (Workout app on Series 3 running (now) watchOS 7.0.3 syncing to Fitness app on iPhone X running (now) iOS 14.1)

I wonder if Apple Support has more information now given that now more folks experience this issue - or if they refer me back to filing a bug report, I like I did not too long ago: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251806066?answerId=253680436022#253680436022.

I have applied the fix (https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211865) provided by Apple and it has solved both the GPS and heart data for new workouts for 2 weeks. Now, I'm getting missing chunks of the heart data again, the GPS is still ok.

I applied the fix according to the link, without restoring any backup, like a new iPhone. I just made sure that the Health option on iCloud sync menu was checked.

The fix had never fixed old workouts.

iPhone 7, 14.1

Watch 4, 7.0.2

I am having same issue.

• first couple days after update all worked well and was recording workouts and GPS
• then yesterday morning 21st it only recorder cycling workout without GPS data (km cycled, calories, time all recorded ok)
• yesterday afternoon 21st walk workout not even synced to Fitness app
• today morning 22nd cycling workout not even synced to Fitness app but I could see calories burned on Fitness app

Anyone having same issues when workouts are not even synced to Fitness app? Really frustrating not having my progress recorded!