The Maps app on the Apple Watch doesn't work!

I absolutely 100% Believe it's a software issue. I had a MacBook once that would always set audio balance to one side. It was a rare bug, and starting from a fresh MacOS install fixed it - just like it would here.

At This point I would submit Apple feedback or a bug report - make sure to include this forum thread URL.

https://www.apple.com/feedback/watch.html

Submitting a bug report requires signing up but its worth it.

https://developer.apple.com/bug-reporting/

Hi

1- Delete the "Maps" app from your iPhone ( long touching the app icon from the home screen , then touching the "x" badge ) , then re-install it from the app store .

2- Then Unpair your Watch from your iPhone ( using "Watch" app on the iPhone , then re-pair your Watch .. SET AS A NEW WATCH , and don't restore it from the available backup !

I did that and it just worked !

I wanted to add to this awesome thread with possible new info -

Years later, this problem can still occur - and unfortunately the "solved" answer didn't quite do it, but it helped! - let me explain:

I not only could not see maps using the "my location" function of the watch app, but I also could not use "nearby" (it would load endlessly).

After using the provided solution, I was bummed when "my location" still showed grid lines. So next I tried to use 'nearby' and it worked! I clicked on a restaurant address, which then went to the map - AND IT LOADED. That unclogged something in works, and now the map shows every time!

Big thanks to Bear008 for helping me with this one!

This worked for me with a S/S Series 2. It's almost like the map app needs initializing before it'll show the current location. Searched for anything nearby, navigated to, then ended guidance & bingo! map working flawlessly!

Yes this is what worked for me. Search for something via Nearby and then My Location works and any application that uses Maps then works. For example, there's a Cycle app for London that shows you the location of the docking stations for bike hire that uses Maps to display where they are, it wasn't working but using this solution makes that work too.

Perfect! Thanks!

Glad that helped you guys out!

I wanted to add to this thread that the issue keeps reoccurring on my watch, but I am able to fix it everytime by going to "Nearby". In both Find my Friends and Fantastical you typically only see gridlines on the map. If I used the maps app itself more it might not happen, but even so - if anyone else is experience this recurring issue definitely submit a bug report or feedback.

I started having this issue, after some time I bought the SG Apple Watch Series 2.

I talked to Apple Care regarding this issue, they suggested that I Unpair Apple Watch

from my iPhone, then Re-Pair my Apple Watch with my iPhone. Then, setup as a New Watch,

and NOT restoring from old backup. It worked like magic. That was the only solution that worked

for me. But the problem is, this solution is not permanent. After a week or so, it occurs again.

Today, I started using navigation to an address on my iPhone, after I started Maps app on Apple

Watch, it started guiding me step by step to the final destination with Maps, but in the middle of navigation,

Apple Watch starts again showing grid lines instead of actual maps for half an hour. After that

it started showing maps again instead of grid lines. I wonder, if I setup my iPhone as new iPhone,

instead of restoring from recent backup, Could fix this issue ?

Sorry to hear that restoring as a brand new Watch didn't fix the issue.

It's very possible that starting from scratch on your iPhone would fix this bug, but if you do that you will lose all of your health and activity stuff, as Apple has no way of backing that data up separately*.

* I am aware of tutorials using third party apps (plus command line) that can do this, but I have not tried them.

You are right. I did not think about losing health and activity data, if I setup my iPhone as a new device. I hope that it is a only a software issue, not a hardware issue. Because, Apple Support person told me that if this issue keeps occurring again, Maybe you need to take your Apple Watch to Apple Authhorized Service Shop, for them to check out if it is a hardware issue. I wish that iOS update will fix this issue permanently.

After months of trying to solve this. I noticed after each OS update the maps would work until I'd reboot the watch, then they stopped working (also mapping in Find Friends.)

I have steps that appears to fix this every single time maps stops working.

On the Apple watch:
1) Open Maps

2) Select Nearby

3) Select Food

4) Select Popular

5) Select the first restaurant that comes up.

6) For that restaurant listing, scroll down to the address and the map of it. The map should eventually load.

7) If that works, select back-back-back all the way to the main menu, then select "My Location" and see if the map loads.

8) Now Find Friends should show maps for friends locations too (if you use it.)

I assume for the Nearby lookup, you can look any location up. You don't have to do Nearby>Food>Popular>First Restaurant. I just find it's easiest to select these because they're always the top of each list and quick to do, and it always fixes the map issue.

Bad Weather, your name is ironic and awesome. This seems to have worked PERFECTLY.

THANK YOU!

Bad Weather wrote:

Hi there,

The way I solved this issue was by updating the Language & Region Settings in the Watch app on my iPhone. Now the maps are showing correctly. Hope it helps!

This trick solved the issue on my Apple Watch too, now maps are showing instead of grid lines. Thank you. But this issue keep repeating on my Apple Watch every week or so. I hope that Apple will fix this issue soon.

I don't know if this issue occur only on non US English watches. I bought my Apple Watch Series 2 in Zorlu Apple Store in Istanbul, Turkey. I already report a bug to Apple. I also sent logs to Apple Developer Bug Reporting.

Those steps are EXACTY what I do, everytime.

The more that chime in the better chance we have of a fix:
https://www.apple.com/feedback/watch.html

Have you double-clicked on the home button on your iPhone, found the maps app, pressed on the image and slid up in order to close it?