Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Yeah my phone and my watch had no idea where I was at times. It’s fixed now after restoring.
 
This Apple solution is like Dell Support telling someone to reformat and reload Windows to fix a minor issue!! We always get a good laugh at that! But now Apple doing the same???

My workout (walks) data matches just fine on my AW3 and my iPhone 11. The only thing that does not seem to be working is the route is not being recorded since 09/18. I don't care about the route. Everything else seems OK so I can't fathom going through full resets on my iPhone 11 and AW3 to fix that.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: jbachandouris
Okay I guess I'll wait for watchOS 7.1, but what if that doesn't fix it🤔

You'll have waited a few weeks for nothing?

Strictly speaking, seems like anyone planning to buy a new iphone in the next month, for whom the bug is a minor inconvenience, maybe ought to just wait? The process outlined is effectively identical to what folks do to set up a new phone - those who don't do a completely clean install.
[automerge]1601582638[/automerge]
Change your iCloud password and this will go away.

Oh neat. I'd just recently noticed the plethora of watches in that setting and pondered how to clean it up. Thanks for posting.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jbachandouris
It’s any apple warch paired with a phone running iOS 14.0 or 14.0.1. The watch OS is fine. The problem is the data syncing from the watch to the health and fitness apps.

Note that the bug doesn't bite everyone. I waited to update to 14.0.1 until my S6 came in. I still have all my old workout gps maps and data(*) and new workouts are recording as normal. knock wood

(*) I also had all old stuff backed up to third party repositories via RunGap so it wouldn't have been the end of the world if I were one of the unlucky.
 
So, I've just done this after having problems with my AW6 not recording GPS map workouts and having Resting Energy all messed up. Here's what I can confirm:

  • This method, though tedious, does indeed FIX the no-GPS-workouts issue. I went for a run today before I factory reset my AW and iPhone and no GPS map and no heart rate was recorded for the workout. The run I went on tonight AFTER going through the steps in Apple's support document then recorded the GPS map workout and my heart rate for the workout.
  • What remains to be seen is if this fixes the even-more annoying Resting Energy problem. It's been widely reported in other places on this forum that lots of people are having their Resting Energy rates cut up to 70% after installing watchOS 7 and iOS 14. I don't know if that issue is fixed yet via the factory resets – and won't know until a full 24 hour period has passed. I'll report back then.
 
  • Like
Reactions: deeddawg and Tuppe
Yes, I lost my medals. It's also thrown my averages out of whack, which means my October challenge is now to complete my move ring 'more than 23 times to beat my average' – last month I actually got 29/30.

The Activity app on my iPhone has been stuck on 'Restoring Activity data from iCloud' for over an hour now even after a couple of restarts, but I'm not hopeful it's going to restore the missing data.

Edit: It appears I'm also missing all of my workouts. The Health app also says 'Downloading Health Data…' so hopefully it's a matter of time before these all come back.

Update: My old workouts have reappeared, guess I'm going to have to live with the 11-day gap.

Thank you for the long reply!

In your update you just have the 11 day gap... so also any medals you earned in that period I presume? I think I just wait. Going through all this trouble isn't worth it at this moment (need to travel abroad soon and I will need my phone desperately).
 
But where is the solution for upgrading on S3 watches? So far we're getting nothing! Not very Apple if you ask me.
 
This has been a nightmare scenario for me. I completely lost all my watch data trying to restore a previous version. I've also lost a 200 days streak and all my workouts. Proceed at your own risk. Been on the phone with Apple ALL day to no avail. So so frustrating.
 
So I did this whole rigamaroll and went for a run. It DID record the map. However, it didn’t start recording until almost a quarter mile into the run, which is extremely problematic if you run a race like that. I’m hoping that only happened because of the whole restore process and working out the bug. I’ll have to wait until tomorrow to see how it does on another run.

It did NOT restore maps from previous runs. I don’t really care about that, but some people do.
 
  • Like
Reactions: stevenz18


Shortly after the release of iOS 14 and watchOS 7, many users ran into problems with their iPhone and Apple Watch.

watchOS7-hands-on-feature2.jpg

Multiple online support threads including our own found GPS data was not being properly recorded during activities. The issue appeared to affect all models of Apple Watches.In addition, some users have been reporting excess battery drain of their Apple Watch, iPhone or both under iOS 14 and watchOS 7. In the support threads, the unofficial fix seemed to be unpairing and restoring your Apple Watch. Jack Taylor from our forums reported resolving both issues with this method:It appears that Apple has adopted this advice as the official solution to this problem. In a newly published support document titled If you're missing Workout GPS routes or Health data after updating to iOS 14 and watchOS 7, Apple writes that users may see the following issues after upgrading to iOS 14 and watchOS 7:
Possible Symptoms

  • Your workout route maps are missing in the Fitness app on iPhone for previous GPS-enabled workouts from your Apple Watch.
  • The Activity, Heart Rate, or other health-related apps fail to launch or load data on your Apple Watch.
  • The Fitness app or Health app fail to launch or load data on your iPhone.
  • The Health app or Fitness app is reporting an inaccurate amount of data storage on your iPhone.
  • The Activity app is reporting an inaccurate amount of data storage on your Apple Watch.
  • Your environmental sound levels data or headphone audio levels data from Apple Watch is missing in the Health app on iPhone.
  • Increased battery drain on your iPhone or Apple Watch.
If you are experiencing two or more of these symptoms, Apple suggests unpairing your Apple Watch, backing up both your iPhone and Apple Watch, wiping both devices and restoring from backup. Apple provides steps to accomplish these tasks in their support document which was published today.

Article Link: Apple Suggests Restoring iPhone and Apple Watch to Fix Excess Battery Drain or Missing GPS Data
 
did it work? I tried just my watch this morning. no luck. really not wanting to do my phone I have so much DUO / 2FA / work stuff on this phone. it is going to take a lot of time to get back.
Yes, earlier I was able to record my first workout since the update. I previously had reset only my watch and it didn’t help, but reseting both did help. The old workouts are still missing the GPS though, hopefully they fix it soon, but luckily they are also on Strava. If something like this happened on Strava I would never use them again. I don’t know why I’m so loyal to apple, I guess there’s no choice.
 
So Apple's suggestion of fixing a bug they introduced is for a customer to do the the nuclear version of power off & on.

Well, that's a premium experience right there. :rolleyes:
 
  • Wow
Reactions: jbachandouris
I remember back when Apple would release an iOS and it didn’t have nearly as many problems as it does today. Now we all know the mess with Maps when we upgraded to a new iOS. And I know that was under forstall but when he was in charge of the OS things were a lot better when it was released than they are now

James
The maps release was basically forced by google and their extortionate demands to continue running Google’s maps. They were trying to kneecap Apple because of the explosive popularity of the iPhone. Forstall just took the fall because of personal animosities at Apple. He was a major architect in saving Apple and is a hero.
 
It doesn't register data as things happen (new data). The old data is fine. You miss the point.
They are supposed to hold personal data essentially permanently, that’s the point, and why this destructive set up as new bs is damaging and counterproductive. It messes with iCloud and important data.
 
They are supposed to hold personal data essentially permanently, that’s the point, and why this destructive set up as new bs is damaging and counterproductive. It messes with iCloud and important data.

Just curious - serious question.

The cited procedure is functionally the same process we follow when we buy a new generation iphone and prepare our old phone for resale or trade in. The difference being only that the restore occurs on the same phone instead of the new one we've just purchased.

So if you feel this is damaging, counterproductive, messes with iCloud and important data, just what exactly are you planning to do instead when you next buy a new phone?
 
This is why I have and STILL use my Garmin Forerunner 235. I have never ever had a problem with my routes being saved or my data. When I do a run, even on a treadmill, I wear both.

I REFUSE to wipe both of them. Not happening. Hopefully, a software update will fix this as this 'solution' is beyond ridiculous for a company that previously used the tagline 'it just works.'

:(
 
For what it's worth, I spoke with an Apple Tech "Mike" about this issue. I did the unpair, backup, restore, repair, etc. process as recommended in the published guidance but my step counts and move ring stopped.

Here is the fix...

Keep in mind the process Apple recommends in the guidance will NOT restore the lost data GPS data. In fact, workouts where I didn't take my iPhone were lost in their process but the exercise minutes and move data remained seemingly accurately. Their fix is about fixing it for future workouts, not past workouts.

After the restore, as I mentioned my steps stopped being counted and move ring stopped. Stand hours continued and I was able to capture additional exercise minutes with a workout but the calories from that workout did not show in the move ring at all.

After a call to Apple support, Mike helped check the watch sensors (all ok) with a diagnostics upload. Pretty slick.
Within the Watch app on my iPhone we checked to make sure the "Health Details" in the Health settings were all completed. They were.
Then in "Privacy" he asked that I tap the "Reset Fitness Calibration Data". I then needed to complete an "Outdoor Walk" workout of 20 mins or more with my Series 5 watch and take my iPhone with me. The walk recorded 102 active calories but only about 40 showed on my move ring. The good news is the move ring moved and calories after that walk started showing up. Steps also started moving. Seems the "Reset Fitness Calibration Data" and walk did the trick.

The next step to trouble shoot would have been to "Reset all Setting" in iOS on my iPhone. Support recommends doing this LAST as it wipes out all the diagnostics data that can be helpful during troubleshooting.

Hope this helps.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.