Methods to Use Backtrack on Apple Watch
Do it’s essential retrace your steps in an unfamiliar place with little to no Wi-Fi or mobile sign? Utilizing the Apple Watch Backtrack characteristic, you may monitor and hint your steps to get again to your place to begin within the Compass app. This characteristic works even when your Apple Watch isn’t linked to the Web, which makes it extraordinarily handy throughout emergency conditions in distant places. This tutorial examines which Apple Watch fashions and watchOS variations have this characteristic and the way it’s used.
Apple Watch Backtrack Supported Fashions and WatchOS Variations
The Compass app is offered ranging from the Apple Watch Sequence 5, however the Backtrack characteristic is just accessible on the Apple Watch fashions launched after Apple Watch Sequence 5. These embrace:
- Apple Watch SE (1st technology)
- Apple Watch Sequence 6
- Apple Watch Sequence 7
- Apple Watch SE (2nd technology)
- Apple Watch Sequence 8
- Apple Watch Extremely
On prime of mannequin compatibility, your watch additionally must be up to date to watchOS 9 or above to make use of Backtrack.
Word: the Backtrack characteristic isn’t accessible on Household Setup Apple Watch units, so if yours was arrange utilizing a member of the family’s iPhone as an alternative of your personal via Household Sharing, you may’t use the characteristic within the Compass app.
Issues To Do Earlier than Utilizing Backtrack
The Compass app requires permission to entry your exact location and important places to offer you correct location and route knowledge. Comply with the steps beneath to permit location providers for the Compass app:
- Launch the Settings app on the iPhone that’s paired together with your Apple Watch.
- Scroll down and faucet “Privateness & Safety.”
- Within the Privateness & Safety display screen, faucet “Location Companies.”
- Discover and faucet “Compass.”
- Beneath “Permit Location Entry,” verify “Whereas Utilizing the App” to provide the Compass app permission to point out your location and calculate true north. Allow “Exact Location” to let the Compass app use your location.
- Return to the Location Companies display screen.
- Scroll all the best way to the underside of the checklist and faucet “System Companies.”
- Faucet “Important Areas,” positioned on the backside of the checklist on the System Companies display screen.
- Allow “Important Areas.” This permits your iPhone to be taught locations important to you to supply location-related info in Maps, Calendar, Pictures, and different apps.
Good to know: Backtrack doesn’t require Apple Watch to be paired together with your iPhone, permitting you to retrace your steps off the grid with solely your Apple Watch.
Methods to Retrace Your Steps with Backtrack on Apple Watch
After permitting your Apple Watch and iPhone to entry your location, you need to use the Backtrack characteristic to retrace your steps. Comply with this step-by-step information to make use of it:
- In your Apple Watch, launch the Compass app.
- Faucet the Backtrack button on the backside proper of the display screen.
- When the Backtrack button turns right into a Pause button, the Compass app has began monitoring your step route. You should utilize different apps whereas Backtrack is monitoring your steps and may also put your wrist down.
- When you attain the top of your step route, faucet the pause button, then faucet “Retrace Steps.”
- The tracked route will present up on the compass. Rotate the digital crown up and down to regulate the compass zoom.
- To return to the place you began, comply with the white line that seems on the compass, which is the route you’ve taken.
- After reaching your place to begin, faucet the Backtrack button.
- Faucet “Delete Steps” to provide room for an additional route. The Compass app can’t save earlier routes.
Security tip: If you happen to forgot to show Backtrack on in the beginning of a route, the characteristic could possibly retrace your steps utilizing your historic location knowledge. To make use of this characteristic, launch the Compass app in your Apple Watch, then faucet the Backtrack button. This characteristic solely works when your present location is away from important places, corresponding to your property or office, or there’s no Wi-Fi sign.
Different monitoring: apart out of your routes, your Apple Watch may also monitor your sleep.
Different Apple Watch Compass App Options
If you happen to benefit from the nice outdoor, there are numerous advantages with the Apple Watch’s Compass app?
1. Discover your route, elevation, incline, and coordinates.
Whenever you launch the Compass app, you’ll see the route you’re going through. To view your elevation, incline, and coordinates, rotate the digital crown up. You can even faucet on the menu button on the prime left of the display screen to view this info higher.
Word: coordinates aren’t supported within the Compass app in Mainland China.
2. Add waypoints.
Within the Compass app for Apple Watch, you may set waypoints for places you need to return to. They’ll present up on the compass and as map places within the Compass app. You should utilize these waypoints to seek out your approach again to necessary places and measure the gap between every waypoint and to your present location.
So as to add waypoints, launch the Compass app in your Apple Watch, then faucet the waypoint button on the backside proper of the display screen.
Word: like Backtrack, including waypoints within the Compass app isn’t accessible for Household Setup Apple Watch units.
Continuously Requested Questions
Is it potential to avoid wasting step routes within the Compass app?
It’s not potential to avoid wasting step routes for future use with Backtrack. The one route you may retrace is the one you simply took. If you wish to save your step routes, use third-party apps that can help you file, save, and look at routes.
Is there an iOS app that has the identical perform as Backtrack?
If you happen to’re in search of an identical characteristic you need to use together with your iPhone or older Apple Watch fashions, the Footpath Route Planner and Relive apps file your strolling, operating, biking, and different actions. Utilizing the apps’ recorded routes, you may retrace your path in the event you get misplaced or need to take the identical route sooner or later.
Picture credit score: Unsplash. All screenshots by Natalie dela Vega.
