How Can I Start a Pool Swim?

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Level 1

102 points

How Can I Start a Pool Swim?

I set up my Apple watch for a Pool Swim activity before getting in the water, while I'm still wearing my glasses. Once I take them off I can't read 'Start' on the display but that doesn't matter because it's in the middle of a nice big, green button ... until the watch gets wet! As soon as the watch gets wet, the display goes black, and when I wake it, it presents the 'Siri' watch face (which wasn't the one I was using before starting the workout).

I just tested this in the bathroom sink and, no matter how slowly I immerse the watch, once it's wet the screen goes black, and when I wake it, the workout display has gone.

What am I missing? How am I supposed to start the swim workout? Before I get wet? Surely not.

Thanks in advance,

Steve = : ^ )

Apple Watch Series 3, watchOS 4.2.3, GPS only

Posted on Feb 28, 2018 8:02 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Marco Klobas

Level 6

8,249 points

Mar 1, 2018 2:44 PM in response to Erroll

The screen locks to prevent accidental taps from water droplets. Here are the steps to start a swimming workout:

About workout types - Apple Support

Basically you start the workout before you enter in the water and stop it using the crown/button combo.

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Answer 2

Mar 3, 2018 10:59 PM in response to Erroll

Hi Steve,

glad to know that I was helpful. Thanks for you explanation about Siri watch face.

I understand your disappointment regarding how the swimming workouts are managed at start. Here you can report your feedback to Apple:

Feedback - Apple Watch - Apple

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Answer 3

Erroll Author

Level 1

102 points

Mar 1, 2018 2:57 PM in response to Marco Klobas

Thanks for the reply, and the link to that informative page. I've bookmarked it. Unfortunately I marked this as 'Solved' when it's not.

The screen doesn't lock when the watch gets wet. The screen locks once you start the workout. I understand why this is so.

However, before you start the workout and as soon as the watch gets wet, the screen goes black but it's still unlocked and it's possible to wake the screen, navigate to the workout (I had to get out of the pool and put my glasses on to do this) and start the workout. Only then does the screen lock.

So I'm still stumped as to why the workout display disappears when the watch gets wet and, when you wake the screen, it goes to the 'Siri' watchface, not the workout display it just left.

Thanks again,

Steve = : ^ )

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Answer 4

Mar 3, 2018 3:39 PM in response to Erroll

Hi Steve,

I tried repeatedly to reproduce what you have described.

I set the watch for a swimming workout and the display shows me a Start button. As soon as the watch gets wet the screen goes black (still unlocked). If I tap the screen or press the crown I get the clock watch face. So, to start actually the workout I have to enter again in the workout app and tap Start. As soon as the workout starts the watch locks, of course.

Basically I get the same behavior as yours with the exception that I get the clock and not Siri. My Apple Watch is Series 2 (yours is 3), the watchOS is 4.2.3 (as yours).

I don't know why the watch reverts to the main screen after it detects water. Anyway, you can start a swimming workout even after you enter in the water. You just have to re-enter in the workout app.

Interacting with a wet screen is quite difficult, though, because water drops make the screen less responsive to tapping. Since water can cause accidental taps, this is probably the reason why the watch reverts to the main screen (personal interpretation). Usually the videos about swimming with Apple Watch show that the workout is started just before the guy enters in the water (not wet).

I still don't get why your screen shows Siri and mine the clock...

I've not solved your issue – anyway I hope that my feedback is somehow useful.

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Answer 5

Erroll Author

Level 1

102 points

Mar 3, 2018 4:03 PM in response to Marco Klobas

Thanks for the reply, Marco, your feedback was very helpful: I now know it's not just me, because you're watch behaves exactly the same as mine. When the screen is re-woken, my watch doesn't default to Siri, it defaults to the 'Siri' watch face. This is a new watch face that was introduced in watchOS 4 and which intelligently updates to show you relevant content throughout the day. I realise now that the reason it goes to the Siri watch face rather than the one I usually display is that I switch to the Siri watch face to start a workout (because I have Workout as one of the complications on that face). So actually, my watch does exactly as the same as yours: whenever it gets wet, the screen goes black; when the screen is re-woken, regardless of what was previously displayed, it defaults to the current watch face.

This is particularly annoying when trying to record a swim workout, and starting the workout before entering the water is a poor workaround. When you start a workout there's a 3-second countdown so that you can start exactly on time because, to some, seconds are important. I need to enter the pool via the steps at the side of the pool, then cross several lanes to get to the one I'm going to swim in, and this isn't possible without getting the watch wet. The screen going black as soon as the watch gets wet is a major flaw, and then the screen not reverting straight to the workout when re-woken just compounds it. This is poor design in an otherwise excellent app. Can anyone tell me where I can report it?

Thanks again,

Steve = : ^ )

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How Can I Start a Pool Swim?

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