How to Use the Compass on Apple Watches

Your iPhone has a magnetic field sensor built in that is used by apps like Apple Maps. You’ll use this sensor to set up the compass.

At the moment, only the Apple Watch Series 5 has the Compass app (or above.) So if you have an older model, you can’t install the compass app because it needs hardware that is only in Series 5 and later. Also, your watch must have at least watchOS 6 and your iPhone must have at least iOS 13.

Go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services and make sure that Location Services is turned on and that Compass is set to While Using the App. If you go to Settings > Compass > Location, you can also change this setting.

If you tap the Compass app’s icon in the Utilities folder on your Home screen, it will tell you which way you are facing. But there’s still more! You can join in the fun with the iPhone Maps app: Tap the small arrowhead icon in the lower left corner of the Compass screen.

The red arrow on the compass points north. Above the compass, it says in white where your iPhone is pointing. If you move around, the compass will turn and the directions will change. When Location Services are turned on, your location’s coordinates and sometimes the name of the town are shown below the compass.

Most of the time, the north side of a map is on the top. To use a compass for navigation and head north, set the bearing or azimuth to 0° or 360°. North is the direction that, in Western culture, is thought to be the most important: North is used to describe all other directions, either directly or indirectly.

Touch and hold the screen while the watch face is on, then tap Edit. Swipe to the left until the end. If there are problems with a face, they will be shown on the last screen. Tap a complication to choose it, turn the Digital Crown to Compass, and then tap Elevation.

Apple Watch Series 3 doesn’t come with an altimeter app. The barometric sensor in the watch can be used to figure out elevation gain during workouts and to keep track of how many flights of stairs have been climbed while the watch is being worn every day.

If all you want to do is find out how high something is, you can just use the Compass app on your iPhone. It has a built-in way to raise it. Use the free My Altitude app to figure out how high you are. The app gives you accurate numbers by using both the device’s built-in barometer sensors and NOAA location data.