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my apple watch pauses during workout can anyone help ?

my watch is pausing during a workout?

Apple Watch, iOS 8.1.1

Posted on Aug 6, 2015 1:17 PM

Reply
10 replies

Dec 14, 2017 2:31 AM in response to redroxy1974

I just found this solution as I’ve been having the same problem. While it doesn’t fix things, it explains why they’re happening to me.


If you want it to Auto Pause a workout when you stop moving:

1)

Open the Watch app on your paired iPhone and navigate to the My Watch → Workout section.

2)

Slide the Running Auto Pause switch to the ON position.

“When this is on, indoor and outdoor running workouts

will automatically pause when you stop moving and resume when you start moving,” notes Apple.

If you leave this setting OFF, your workout will pause if you press both the Digital Crown and Side Button (like taking a screenshot). Apparently this happens to me when do push ups or other similar movements where my wrist bends and can press the buttons without my knowledge.


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Aug 7, 2015 12:28 PM in response to redroxy1974

I am having this problem as well -- every time I do an outdoor run, the workout app pauses itself at some point during the run. If I check my progress during a run and see that this has occurred and then hit 'Resume,' the app pauses itself again a short time later. iOS is up to date. Apple Support told me to restart the watch, which you might try. Didn't help me, though; I'm continuing to experience this every time I work out. This has not been an issue with indoor runs on the treadmill.

Aug 8, 2015 6:20 AM in response to redroxy1974

My problem may be related. I start a workout, then after working for a while I'll notice the watch is "locked" This I assume is similar to what happens when you take off the watch. Perhaps during activity it bounces off the wrist in a way that makes it decide it's been taken off.


This is very troubling, because when I unlock it, I see it also paused the workout to the time it locked up. Now I've lost activity tracking as well as collection of pulse.


This doesn't happen all the time, but it's happened to me enough that now I'm paranoid - at least 8 times since I got the watch in June.

Aug 8, 2015 7:30 AM in response to Iknowindigo

iI've finally discovered that the pause on my watch is down to my tattoos I placed it on clear skin and now it works in all workout settings all the time.. both of my arms are inked so wearing it close to my hand away from covered skin has resolved the issue I know it's not ideal but I only do this when over the gym using heart rate monitor.. hope this is helpful

Aug 8, 2015 12:48 PM in response to redroxy1974

Interesting re tats potentially interfering with the app -- I don't have any on my wrists, so that's not the source of my particular problem, lol, but Iknowindigo may be on to something that could be a factor in my case . . . I have the sports band on my watch, but I have very small wrists, so even tho' I wear it on the last notch, the watch is loose, bounces around considerably during my runs, and may not be making continuous contact with my skin. If Iknowindigo's theory is right, that might, presumably, cause the app to pause. I spoke to another Apple Support tech after restarting the watch did not work, and he suggested that excessive moisture -- i.e., sweat -- coming into contact with the watch might be the culprit; if true, that's a little disconcerting, inasmuch as the entire point of using the workout app is to track progress and gather data during activities that often result in significant sweat production. 😐 The support tech also had me re-pair the watch with my iPhone as a possible fix. So I now have a few tests to run (literally) and will report back . . .

Aug 8, 2015 7:52 PM in response to dekasco

Update: FWIW, here’s a complete, um, rundown of my efforts to solve the mystery of the pausing workout app . . .


- Watch restart – Can’t rule it out as being a fix for some, but definitely did not work for me. In fact, if anything, the problem was worse after the restart; app paused only 45 seconds in to my run the first time. After resuming, it paused again, and a third time after that, at which point I gave up and finished my run, sans app.

- Re-pairing of watch with iPhone – Ditto. After going through the unpairing and re-pairing process, I did not get more than a few hundred feet during my next run before the app paused. After resuming, it paused again, and a third time after that.

- Tightening watch around wrist

o First test: I stuffed soft cloth under the watchband on the inside of my wrist, such that the back of the watch was snug against my skin and the watch would not move around on my wrist when I ran. Happily, this did the trick: I ran several miles and the app worked flawlessly, in spite of the fact that I had worked up a decent sweat by this point . . . which was even more good news and puts the excess moisture theory to rest.

o Second test: I moved the cloth underneath the watch itself so the watch was still snug but not directly in contact with my skin. The app continued to track my progress without missing a beat . . . well, actually it might’ve missed my heartbeat – with the watch sitting on a folded piece of cloth vs. directly on skin, the one thing that might not have been functioning is the heart-rate monitor, but unfortunately I didn’t think to check that at the time.

- Removing tattoos – I opted not to personally test this fix, which would have involved first getting a tattoo, and then having it removed; instead I will take redroxy1974’s word that tats were the cause of his app pausing problems and could be an issue for others under similar circumstances. Curious, tho’, as to what’s in the ink (metal?) that interferes with the operation of the app.


Bottom line, at least for me, is that the solution to the pausing issue is ensuring the watch fits snugly around my wrist. And although ink may be a problem for some, sweat and even the watch not being directly in contact with skin do not seem to be factors. On that note, I'm off to ruin the aesthetics of my watchband by drilling another hole in it.

Jan 17, 2016 6:00 PM in response to redroxy1974

I have been having this problem as well. I tried shutting off the watch and restarting. Didn't fix. I tried I un-sinking the watch from my phone. Didn't fix. I un-sinked it again and did it as a new watch. Didn't help. Finally I tried one last thing.....someone had mentioned tattoos and the watch not being able to read thru the ink? I tested that theory (I have a tattoo on my wrist). I switched wrists - IT WORKED!! No disruption in my workouts. I switched back to my tattooed wrist and put the watch on with the watch face being on the inside of my wrist (where I have no tattoo).....worked again. No interference with my workout.

my apple watch pauses during workout can anyone help ?

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