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Apple Watch swimming lap count problem

After the latest Apple Watch upgrade my swimming app is missing lap count. On average it’s 2 laps per 10 laps. When I complete my 40 laps, the Watch records 36-38 laps

When I analyse the data, some Laps are 50s which is impossible for my speed. Others have way too long rest.

I also inherited the Watch 6 recently after apple launched Watch 7.

I reset the Watch & recovered by Watch for Watch 6. This new Watch 6 is experiencing the same issues

Posted on Oct 20, 2021 7:09 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Nov 20, 2021 6:22 AM

I believe the Apple Watches uses the accelerometer when we push off the wall to track our laps. Yes? This seems straight forward so I’m at a lost as to why the watch can’t track my swim workouts accurately.

I swam with my Garmin watch on the other wrist & the laps were tracked without an inaccuracies. My Watch 6 can track 29 laps against my actual 20 laps. Tried with freestyle & breaststroke. Same issue.

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Nov 20, 2021 6:22 AM in response to Community User

I believe the Apple Watches uses the accelerometer when we push off the wall to track our laps. Yes? This seems straight forward so I’m at a lost as to why the watch can’t track my swim workouts accurately.

I swam with my Garmin watch on the other wrist & the laps were tracked without an inaccuracies. My Watch 6 can track 29 laps against my actual 20 laps. Tried with freestyle & breaststroke. Same issue.

Nov 20, 2021 2:50 PM in response to Adm2Twa

I am swimming with the Garmin swim 2 & the Watch 6 together to test the accuracy of both.

Honesty both are disappointing.

My earlier Garmin, which has only basic swimming functions is working extremely well.

I upgraded to Garmin & faced similar issues

It can’t detect my stroke type and the Apple Watch is better at this detection

The only problem with Apple Watch is that we cannot turn off the auto rest

Its the auto rest that cannot detect the Lap count correctly

i didn’t had this problem with Apple Watch until auto rest was introduced

The Garmin swim 2 also has auto rest inaccuracy and this is why both watches have problem

Only my old Garmin works

I turned off auto rest from Garmin and the lap count becomes accurate

I hope Apple Watch can turn off the auto swim as an option. This will help a lot

In the meantime I will try to improve my strokes for better detection and use this auto rest in the future

i have just purchased a swimmo and hope it’s better.





Nov 20, 2021 6:59 PM in response to JNKH

Yup, Garmin sometimes doesn’t recognise my strokes too. But it does track laps very well unless my laps are interrupted eg stopped to avoid another swimmer or moving too much while resting by the wall. I’ve been using a FR735xt for 3 years now.

Will explore Apple’s auto rest feature but I had swam without resting & the issue still persisted. A fellow swimmer had recommended My Swim Pro app but that didn’t work for me. Will try to ask for her help the next time we meet.

Meantime, the W6 is great & I still enjoy my swims even when Apple gives me double the distance. Haha 😂 🤣

Apple Watch swimming lap count problem

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