Elevation not working on Apple Watch Ultra 2

I finally called Apple tech support and explained my issue and they sent me a new watch. I returned my old one. I have Applecare+ for the watch. The first short run I did, it was good on the trails and dropped out twice for about 10 seconds around some traffic lights. I did the full trail run today and it never dropped out anywhere. So it seems there was some issue with my original Ultra 2. Maybe the barometer was on the low end of engineering tolerance or something. Hoping my replacement watch will keep performing well.

Elevation gained uses GPS. A reading is made at the start of a workout and at the end. The elevation or more correctly, Altitude uses barometric pressure to estimate the altitude. Do any of the Watch apps show the altitude? Do you have a case on your Watch? My guess would be the altimeter is malfunctioning. Do you have Apple Care on the product.

On your Apple Watch - Try and Force ReStart your Apple Watch as indicated below:

• Hold down the side button and Digital Crown at the same time. The Digital Crown is the rotating button located on the side of the device.
• Keep holding these two buttons down until you see the Apple logo appear on the screen.

Axel F.

Again, it needs to be able to contact three cell towers at all times. Trees, variables in terrain and other obstacles could be interrupting the signal(s). Apple primarily relies on the altimeter and yours doesn’t seem to be working. That’s why I asked about AppleCare. Personally, I would talked to Apple support and inquire about returning the Watch.

Hello alaafrdomspdringfield gardens, This info is from an earlier post and may help.

This page here can help provide some steps to help with calibrating the Apple Watch and improving accuracy: Calibrating your Apple Watch for improved Workout and Activity accuracy - Apple Support

1. On your iPhone, open the Settings app.

2. Tap Privacy > Location Services. 

3. Make sure that Location Services is turned on.

4. Scroll down, then tap System Services. 

5. Make sure that Motion Calibration & Distance is turned on.

6. Continue with the steps below.

Calibrate your Apple Watch

1. While wearing your Apple Watch, go to a flat, open outdoor area that offers good GPS reception and clear skies. 

2. If you have Apple Watch Series 2 or later, you just need your Apple Watch. If you have Apple Watch Series 1 or earlier, bring your iPhone for GPS. Hold your iPhone in your hand, or wear it on an armband or waistband.

3. Open the Workout app. To start, tap Outdoor Walk or Outdoor Run. To set a goal before starting, tap .

4. Walk or run at your normal pace for about 20 minutes.

If you don't have time to finish the workout, you can complete 20 minutes over multiple outdoor Workout sessions. If you work out at different speeds, you should also calibrate for 20 minutes at each of the speeds that you walk or run.

Whenever you walk or run outside using the above steps, your Apple Watch continues to calibrate the accelerometer by learning your stride length at different speeds. Calibration can also improve the accuracy of your calorie calculations in the Workout app, and the calorie, distance, Move, and Exercise calculations in the Activity app. 

It finally occurred to me to do my trail run with my Ultra2 and my wife's Apple watch 9. Her watch never faltered. It showed the elevation the whole run with zero issues. That prompted me to make a tech support call and they are sending me another watch while they repair mine. Not sure if they plan to send the repaired watch back or just do an exchange. So I am waiting for another watch in the mail. Will report back how that one works. I have Applecare+ for the watch.

Did my usual run this morning with my Ultra 2 and once again with my wife's 9. Once again hers was rock solid and elevation never dropped out. It never has using her watch. Since I knew already that I had issues with my watch using Outdoor Run in the Workout app, I tried using Outdoor Walk instead. No difference. Still got the dropouts as usual, but I noticed one very informative thing. At one point the elevation reading came back and was similar to the reading on the 9, but then the reading on the Ultra 2 started to decrease for no reason and then the dropout occurred. That makes me think that when the barometer reading exceeds a certain threshold for instability then the reading defaults to --ELEV. Anyway my conclusion is that either I have two Ultra 2 watches with bad barometers or the Ultra 2 has some design issue. One would think that the Ultra 2 should outperform the 9 for any kind of navigation or elevation but that is not the case for me. I am going to call Apple again and see if I can get a 3rd watch. If that one does not work I will have to conclude that it is a design problem.

I did not inquire whether Apple is monitoring these posts. You have routinely provided incorrect and misleading information regarding how altitude is determined stating cell towers are required, etc. I am a field tester for Suunto watches, similar to Garmin. I have a fairly deep understanding of how altitude and elevation changes are determined on Suunto watches. Apple Watches with built in altimeters use similar or the same hardware. The major issue for pressure-based altimeters is determining whether changes in pressure are due to changes in weather or altitude. Various calculations are used for this including how fast the pressure is changing. Correction of absolute altitude can use GPS, which requires a very good fix and accuracy as GPS for consumers may not be accurate (this is intended as military has much better accuracy). The L1 and L5 dual band on the Ultra should allow better GPS correction for absolute altitude and Apple may use cell towers for this as well. However, the elevation changes while exercising will likely rely solely on changes in air pressure. Many of us reported here dropouts that should not occur and are most likely due to a software issue. My dropouts seem to have been corrected by beta firmware.

Just a follow-up on my Apple Watch Ultra 2 experience using the workout app for running. The elevation is still flaky and no amount of settings and recalibration made any difference. Using the workout app the elevation will sometimes display then go away and display -- ELEV. Neither my Garmin or Coros watches have any problem showing the elevation. I am trail running but close to urban areas and under clear skies so ideal situation for satellite reception plus good cell service. I can't help but conclude that the elevation capability of either the hardware or the firmware is sup par compared to Garmin and Coros. It was also flaky while on vacation so not specific to any location. Except for this the Apple watch is really great. Wondering if it is a design flaw. The Ultra 2 is certainly not a serious backcountry watch. For that I would take my Coros every time.

GPS positioning requires connection to a minimum of four satellites for exact altitude measurement. Three satellites allow for accurate measurement of speed and distance only. Apple will supplement GPS measurements with cell tower triangulation when possible. Cell towers have exact altitude measurements for their location and Apple Watch may use that information to calculate estimated altitude. Obviously non-cellular will not have access to that data. Apple iPhone certainly does, if it has a cellular plan involved. Apple Watch uses the altimeter in the compass to measure altitude.

No, it’s not a canned response. It didn’t rely on AI or using Google. My post was from memory after reading numerous articles wrong the subject and multiple Apple Support articles over the years. I’ve owned multiple Apple Watches (series 1, 3, 5, and original Ultra) and the issue has been reported and discussed here numerous times.

The altimeter is what it is. If you feel it’s broken, send it to Apple for service or buy a new/different watch. Or learn how it works and accept its limitations or use a third party app the provides a different measurement.

Apple does not read comments here. Everyone posting is a fellow Apple user and/enthusiast. If you want Apple to know about your issue you need to get it serviced so a support ticket is opened or use the official Apple feedback channel.

Feedback - Watch - Apple

Yes, I frequently backpack in Yellowstone P and the surrounding National Forests. Altitude measurements happen fairly accurately, but not all the time.

I suspect small particles, sweat or outwear may at times interfere with accurate readings. I also notice people wearing protective cases that may interfere with accurate readings.

Try hiking with Bluetooth on. Its very low battery consumption and may be part of the issue.

GPS corrections can only happen if the Watch can connect to 4 or more satellites. A minimum of 3 is required for location and 4 is required for altitude.

Yes, I found that once the error margin becomes ±25 meters, it quickly turns into a fixed number that is a multiple of 5, regardless of whether you go up or down stairs. The Ultra 2 starts with an error margin of ±5 meters, then changes to ±10 meters, ±15 meters (this value will start showing a ~), ±20 meters, ±25 meters, and ±30 meters (where it becomes a fixed number). However, for another Series 8 at the same location, even if the error margin is ±25 meters, it will eventually change to ±20, ±15, ±10, rather than becoming a fixed number. Even with a large error and inaccurate values, at least moving up and down stairs or taking the elevator will still vary based on the barometer.