Apple Watch Tip: How To Fix Battery Drain And Missing GPS Data Issues

Apple Watch owners who have updated their wearables to watchOS 7 and have experienced battery drain issues, as well as problems with missing GPS data, will be glad to know that there's a solution for these.

Some Apple Watch users who have updated their devices to watchOS 7 have complained about their wearable devices not keeping track of their movements via GPS and running out of battery quicker than usual.

Users who shared their problems via forums such as the MacRumors forums and Apple's support communities noted that they used the Apple Watch to record their workout while leaving their iPhones at home.

The Apple Watch will normally take note of the location where the wearer started the workout, keep track of the user's movements using GPS and give the user a report indicating the route the user took for the workout. The Workout map will be shown via the Activity app.

Users complained that instead of seeing the workout map, the Activity app simply showed them the starting point on the GPS map and nothing more.

The users also complained about the Apple Watch's battery drain issues. They said the “battery life isn't good” and described the issue as “severe.”

One user said the smartwatch normally has a “50-60%” battery life “by the time I hit the bed.” Now that the device has been updated to watchOS 7, the device “dies” by the time the user is preparing to sleep.

Fixing the problem

Thankfully, Apple took notice of the problem, acknowledged it and published a support document to help affected users deal with the issue.

According to the Apple Watch maker, users will be able to fix the above-mentioned problems by doing the following:

• First, users will need to unpair their Apple Watch from the iPhone. This is a necessary step in solving the problem.
• Second, users will need to verify their iCloud settings and create a backup for the iPhone. The iPhone normally backs up the Apple Watch whenever it is unpaired. Users will only need to backup the iPhone. Users must be careful to backup their Health information.
• Third, users will then need to erase all of the content and settings stored on their iPhones.
• Lastly, users will need to restore both the iPhone and Apple Watch from backup.