My Apple Watch is currently on my wrist. I am in one city across the state, but when I try to sign into my Apple ID on my watch it shows that it’s in a completely different location in the state. I’m incredibly nervous about that so I canceled and changed my sign in info.
Does anyone have any advice or knowledge I can use to fix this issue?
[Re-Titled by Moderator]
iPhone 14, iOS 18
That isn't unusual and isn't a problem. See the following from Two-factor authentication for Apple Account - Apple Support
When you sign in to your Apple Account for the first time on a new device or the web, you’ll receive a notification on your trusted devices that someone is trying to sign in with your account. The notification might include a map of the approximate location of the sign-in attempt. This location is based on the new device’s IP address and might reflect the network that it’s connected to, rather than the exact physical location. If you know that you’re the person trying to sign in but don't recognize the location, you can still tap Allow and view the verification code. If you’re not the one trying to sign in, tap Don’t Allow to block the sign-in attempt.
That isn't unusual and isn't a problem. See the following from Two-factor authentication for Apple Account - Apple Support
When you sign in to your Apple Account for the first time on a new device or the web, you’ll receive a notification on your trusted devices that someone is trying to sign in with your account. The notification might include a map of the approximate location of the sign-in attempt. This location is based on the new device’s IP address and might reflect the network that it’s connected to, rather than the exact physical location. If you know that you’re the person trying to sign in but don't recognize the location, you can still tap Allow and view the verification code. If you’re not the one trying to sign in, tap Don’t Allow to block the sign-in attempt.
If it is happening right after you attempt to sign in, you can safely assume that you are the person attempting to sign in. You don't need to ever have been to the location it displayed. As stated in Apple's support article in my previous reply:
This location is based on the new device’s IP address and might reflect the network that it’s connected to, rather than the exact physical location.
the 2 factor thing do not use the GPS location of any of your devices it provide the location of the isp you are connected to, it does so because it's used across the board where most devices do not have GPS access at all like computers and ipads with only wifi and the likes
Well regardless of that, what has me worried is that it’s marking the location of a town I’ve not been to in years. Last time I had something like that happened my entire Apple ID was hacked and I couldn’t do a thing about it.
Yeah I figured. But the thing that still has me nervous is that I will randomly get texts from numbers I don’t have saved and that aren’t even in my area code within a day of me doing it. All they say is hello but it still makes me nervous due to the last time I had this whole thing happen as I stated my entire Apple ID was hacked so I’m just incredibly nervous of the entire situation.
Why is my Apple Watch showing a different sign-in location than my actual location?
