Calibrate the iPhone's Compass?

Do you have a cover with a magnetic flap? I tried everything to get my compass to work until I realized that the cover was the culprit!

Hello. You asked this a while ago, but I was just asking a similar question. As far as your question. Compass Calibration is done automatically by your phone using GPS. Make sure yours is turned on. Settings>>Privacy>>Location Services>>System Services>>Compass Calibration.

Hope that helps.

If your phone case has a magnetic snap try removing the phone from the case, close then reopen the compass app. Mine works 100% of the time when it’s away from the magnet.

I had this problem too. Also, when I turned off and on which everway phone was pointing became North. Then I remembered I put a metal plate on back of phone to use my car magnetic mount. I took off plate and compass worked fine. So.... metal can affect the compass. Check it out on your phone.

I “had” (waiting to see if it comes back) issue with the 7. I tried your solution, but with an “added” detail.

I tried it pointing N, with the off/on “trick”, but with no change.

Then I pointed the phone at the phone’s False-N (E), tried the screen off/on, and it shifted 90 degrees (S).

Tried again and it shifted another 90 (W).

Once more and —> N.

So odd, but...

Thanks for the information.

I recently went to a trip to London and the compass, that was 5 degrees off until then, suddenly increased to 10 degrees off

Your trick of turning off the screen while in the compass app worked for me too.

Thanks.

Compass calibration requires that Location Services be on. The phone will sense if it is calibrated or not, and will display the calibration screen if it is not.

Rather than count on Google Maps, get a real pathfinder compass and check the phone against it. Use the compass to draw a north/south line on the ground with chalk, away from any metal (including the iPhone), then check the iPhone against the line you have drawn.

Yes, similar problem on SE, and your procedure worked for me too.

6se- the screen off/on trick worked for me, too.

I have the same problem except the screen on/off trick does not work, it just shifts due north by 30deg each time, is there a proper fix or do I need to return the phone to apple for a replacement.

I also have this problem - not fixed by screen on/off, Just relatively random NORTH location each time I start it up. I suspect the initial calibration was done in a bit of a hurry (I was on the move when I ran it for the very first time) but there appears no way of redoing the calibration unlike with iPhone 5 etc which do it every time.

How do we prod Apple to take this seriously?

the same to me.

turn off the screen and back on and "voila" the arrow points to north!!

really weird

I notice that this is a problem for me in areas where cell tower connections Re week and limited to one tower.

Wow! How strange. I tried all of the suggestions on the net with no luck. And then I tried this - Voila! It works :-)