How to calibrate iPhone compass

You may need to see if by selecting the option to choose 'true north' the Compass

should allow you to later re-select the Calibration sequence. And if you travel a lot

and end up choosing a new Location (with some given Location services there) it

may well be you could then choose to re-calibrate the Compass then and/or there.

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{image - from imore.com/compass-app page - see link below}

Due to my location, being nearer the Arctic Circle than say Texas, the angle of

declination or error is more severe and as such 'magnetic north' is inaccurate

to a larger degree; so the correction needs to be calibrated if one travels across

the expanse of Alaska. Not sure if there is a more automatic Compass correction.

How to use the Compass on iPhone:

https://www.imore.com/compass-app

{Some ideas that may or not work (or even come close) did appear when I looked here...

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=iOS+Compass+how+to+recalibate+for+global+location&t=ffsb&ia=images

...Problem with general search: there are differences between iOS versions of Compass.}

As I did have some actual 'map and compass' courses decades ago in association

with some college level outdoor classes taught at the Kenai College (by my dad)

I used to be fairly good at going into a forested area even without traditional map

and compass; enough to walk miles and back out again -- within sight of my car.

And it does help to know where you are on a map and use the compass before

you may ever get into forested wilderness; by that I mean before you get lost.

As I'm no expert with the Compass (in my iPhone 5c) and had looked, didn't find

one that good for my iPad Mini1.1 (wi-fi only) both of different iOS vintage, I may

as well keep up on my actual Map and Compass skills. They don't need internet

nor do they need a recharge... And half the year I carry a real flashlight already.

Hopefully an expert (at least with Compass app) can locate your discussion thread

and help you get out of the settings maze; or lack of settings. I set the calibration

once, but did consider the travel and major changes if I travel any distance away

from my near proximity to the Polar North. 'Magnetic north' also moves over time.

Good luck & happy trails! 🙂

I tried all the advice here with no avail, but with the help of this video I got the compass on my iPhone SE calibrated right away: The REAL iPhone Compass Calibration Tutorial - YouTube

So with the Compass app running, you hold the phone upright, turn it ”like a steering wheel” 90˚, hold it for a few seconds, then turn ot again 90˚ ... repeat until you have completed a full circle. Then hold the phone facing down ”on its tummy” for a few seconds, then turn the phone over, and presto, the compass works.

Although I'd had additional info to add, the edit didn't work; so I logged-out

and back in a few times to these ASC discussions. Here's more links + info:

How to use your iPhone's compass with Apple Maps - iOS

If you're wondering how to use iPhone compass with Apple Maps, ... Compass

calibration and Location ... to use iOS Location Services for calibration.

idownloadblog.com/2017/04/28/how-to-iphone-com

This article ^ suggests a manual wave of the iPhone to help it re-calibrate, again.

Also note the article covers how to adjust settings toward last section. Could work.

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Activate Compass Calibration in the System Services - Pointer App

In order to show the right direction you need to have enabled the Compass Calibration

in the System Services of your iOS device. To enable the Compass Calibration ...

http://support.pointer-app.com/support/activate-compass-calibration-in-the-syste m-services/

These may be a source of more or similar information.

I've not gotten my iPhone out to see. Similar to iPad.

In any event...

I just deleted the compass app and redownloaded and it seems to have fixed it.

I am not sure if this will help, or if you've already tried this.

Go into Settings/Privacy/Location Services. Scroll down and tap on System Services. There's a switch to toggle Compass Calibration on/off. Perhaps switching it off and then on again might force a calibration?

If you try it and it works, please let us know. I'm curious to know how to force a recalibration. I've just purchased a 9.7" iPad Pro wifi and might need to do this one day.

Thanks!

With a later iOS than 10.3.3, the iPhone 5SE may work just fine

and easily re-calibrate the iOS included Compass app.

And I was able to test the calibration back in July (but never did

need the Compass app) in my iPhone 5C and reset it by using

similar action such as you did. With last supported iOS10.3.3.

While my older iPad Mini1.1 had no compass included, 3rd party

app does OK; although it has occasionally offered some adverts.

{In the wilderness, in summer (where solar recharger may work)

I'd still trust a real compass; & durable mechanical Fortis watch.}

Wonder if that may be due to something missing, such as GPS; or

the type of accelerometer etc used in iPad. I didn't find a suitable

compass for my iPad Mini either, but then considered mine isn't

able to run the latest/present iOS due to vintage... just iOS 9.3.5.

Thank you for the feedback here. Apple has an actual feedback

site (don't have link now, using iPad Mini1.1 wi-fi model) so no

bookmarks. Just typos due to auto-fill error correction!

In any event...

Good luck & happy trails!🙂