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WorkOutDoors |
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WorkOutDoors |
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If you are having problems after installing version 6.0 of the app then please check that the watch app has also been updated. To do this go to the Settings and tap More and then scroll to the bottom. If it does not show v6.0.14 then please go to the App Store app on the watch and update it from there.
If it is not possible to update the watch app using the App Store on the watch then use Apple's 'Watch' app on the iPhone to uninstall and reinstall it. Note that this will lose the data on the watch app so you will need to send it from the phone app to the watch app.
To do this go to the Settings tab and tap 'Storage & Transfer' and then 'Send Yesterday's Watch Settings', 'Send Screens to Watch' and 'Send Interval Schedules to Watch'. If you want then you can also send routes or workouts individually. They can't all be sent at once because they are too large.
This page describes features that are not explained in more detail elsewhere on this site. For detailed information on how to use Routes, Waypoints, Targets, Intervals or Sensors please see the links at the top of the page.
To start a workout tap the activity name on the menu. For outdoor workouts it is worth waiting until you get a good GPS signal before starting a workout. So wait for 4 or 5 blue bars in the top left of the screen or the distance or elevation values may be inaccurate.
Activity types are ordered by last used time, so the most recent activities are shown at the top.
If you cannot find the activity you require then scroll down and tap Other Activities and choose it from there.
The app offers 42 of the activities provided by Apple's workout system. In the future it will offer the ability to create your own activity types which map to Apple's types.
For more advanced options tap the '...' button to the right of the name.
The 'Open' option displays the Precision Start screen, which allows you to wait before starting an open workout. It is described below.
For information on how to use the other options see the pages on Targets, Intervals, Routes and Waypoints.
The Precision Start screen allows you to wait before starting an open workout. It shows a big green 'Start' button and also displays the heart rate at the top of the screen, as well as the GPS signal strength for outdoor activities.
This allows you to wait for a good signal from both the GPS and the heart rate sensors before starting a workout. In both cases they can find it easier to get a lock when you are static.
If you have external sensors configured for the activity then the Precision Start screen will be shown by default even if you start the workout from the main menu. In this case the precision start screen will show the status of the sensors and will automatically start when they are all connected.
If they do not all connect then tap 'Start Anyway' if you want to start without the unconnected sensor(s). it will disappear when It will show the status of the wait for the sensors to connect but if they do not connect then you can start anyway. See the page on Sensors for more information.
If you have an Apple Watch Ultra then you can configure the action button to start a workout in WorkOutDoors. To do this go to Apple's Settings app on the watch and tap 'Action Button'. Then set the 'Action' to 'Workout' and the 'App' to 'WorkOutDoors'. If you want to start a particular activity then set that for the 'First Press' option.
Note that you can also configure what happens when you press the action button during a workout. To do this go to Settings / Commands / Shortcuts. By default it will start a new interval.
There is a Start Options screen in the app's settings which allows you to control what happens at the start for a particular activity type. For example you can configure the app to engage the water lock when you start, or make it so that the Precision Start screen is always shown, even if you tap the main part of a menu row.
To end a workout touch the screen for a second until a menu appears and then select '"End" from that menu.
If you want then you can configure another way of ending a workout. To do this go to Settings / Commands / Shortcuts and configure a gesture, button press, or menu option to 'End Workout'.
When you end a workout then the summary screen appears, showing metrics for the workout. For outdoor activities it also shows a mini-map of the route. The green dot indicates the start and the route slowly gets less green until it is white at the end.
Tap a metric to see a screen showing the lap by lap break down of that metric. If the workout has more than one interval then you will also get the option to see the break down by interval.
You can also display the summary screen during a workout by invoking the 'Info Screen' command. To do this go to Settings / Commands and select the 'Info Screen' button. If you do this often then tap Shortcuts and configure a gesture, button, or menu option to display that screen.
The summary screen also allows you to set an assessment of the effort you gave during the workout, which will be stored in Apple's Health system. If you want then you can configure the app to show this effort screen at the end of every workout. To do this go to Settings / More and enable the 'Effort Reminder' option.
To pause a workout touch the screen for a second until a menu appears and then select '"Pause" from that menu. Repeat the process and select "Resume" to continue the workout.
Alternatively press both side buttons at once to pause or resume.
If you wish then you can use the Shortcuts screen in the Commands settings to configure a different gesture to pause the app, or you could make pressing both side buttons do some other operation instead of pausing the app.
The app offers auto-pause for all outdoor activities. Where Apple offer auto-pause for an activity then the app will default to using that. Otherwise it uses its own auto-pause algorithm which works using GPS.
Note that using GPS for pausing can be unreliable when the GPS signal is poor (which is probably why Apple do not offer it for most activities).
To change the data screen swipe left or right. This will show the next or previous screen of data. When a map is visible then swipe below the map or it will pan the map.
You can also tap the screen 3 times quickly to move to the next screen. As with many other processes you can associate different commands with different functions by going to Settings / Commands / Shortcuts. For example you may want to configure the crown or the action button to change between screens.
To configure which screens are displayed it is best to use the Screens tab of the iPhone app. Tap the row for the activity type that you wish to customise and then the app will display a list of the screens for that activity.
Tap '+' to add a screen or 'Edit' to move or delete a screen.
Change the profile to control the content (e.g. heart, pace, elevation etc). The layout and text size control how the data is arranged.
Tap the image of the screen on the right of a row to display a new page that allows you to edit the individual metrics for that screen.
The app offers up to 800+ metrics that can be configured anywhere on the screen. To do so tap the position on the screen at the top right. Then tap the name of the metric in the bottom left.
To refine the list of metrics that are shown you can use the Categories and/or Filters columns, or you can enter text into the search box.
You can merge 2 or more adjacent fields into a larger field by setting them to show the same metric. This allows hundreds of possible layouts.
It is also possible to configure the screens from within the watch app (even during a workout). To do this go to Settings / Screens. Note that it is much easier on the larger iPhone screen, so it is best to use that if you have it with you.
The vector map in WorkOutDoors functions in a similar way to the one in Apple's Map watch app. You can pan using your finger on the screen, and zoom by rotating the crown.
The app will move with your location by default, so if it doesn't seem to be tracking then you have probably panned the map away from your location. To start tracking again tap the tracking icon in the bottom left corner of the map.
By default the map will be rotated according to the compass. Tap the red compass in the bottom right of the map to switch between "North Up" and "Auto-Rotation".
Note: Apple Watches prior to the Series 5 do not have a compass, so the orientation is calculated from your direction of travel. This means that the compass will not appear at the start of a workout until you have moved far enough for the app to determine the direction. Direction of Travel is also an option in the map settings for watches with a compass.
The green compass shows the direction back to the start. Tap it to see a message describing the distance and direction back to the start of the workout.
You can also follow the breadcrumbs to the start.
Note that the green compass is not shown unless you have move 100m from the start. It is also hidden when other items are displayed in the corner of the map. For example the tracking icon or a waypoint.
If you want to hide the compasses to show more of the map then simply double tap them. Double tap again to make them reappear. This also works with the GPS and battery meters and the shaded background behind the time.
To see a full screen map simply double tap the display at any time during the workout. Try not to double tap the compasses or the GPS or battery meters because that will hide or show them.
Note that this will not work if you have used the Shortcut settings to configure the double tap gesture to perform a different command.
Tap the blue dot or arrow at the GPS position and the current latitude and longitude will be shown at the bottom of the screen. Tap again to see the altitude, and again to see the bearing of your current course. If you are in the UK then tapping again will show the Ordnance Survey grid reference.
Similarly, if you tap the time then it will be shown at the bottom of the screen for a while, but with seconds also included.
Go to the Map Downloads tab on the iPhone app. Move the map to show the area that you want. Touch the screen at one corner of the area and drag the resulting box to the other corner. Let go and you will be shown how many tiles need to be downloaded and how many need to be transferred to the watch.
Note: There is a limit to the amount of tiles that you can transfer in one go because it costs us money for every map tile that is downloaded. The app's business model of a one-off payment makes it uneconomical to allow unlimited downloads. However you can download as many areas of up to the limit as you want.
Go to the Settings tab and select the appropriate "Remove All Tiles..." option.
The first thing to try with most problems is to reboot both the watch and the iPhone. It is a boring standard IT response but sometimes watchOS and/or iOS just need restarting to fix an issue.
The next thing to check is that you have given the app all of the required permissions: for Health, Location Services, and Motion & Fitness (for the pedometer, altimeter etc). To do this go to Apple's Settings app and tap Privacy & Security and then check all of those 3 sections. Note that all the health permissions must be given.
If a permission is enabled but the app seems to be acting as if it is not, then you may be experiencing a bug in iOS / watchOS where the watch seems to lose a permission. To fix this disable that permission, then reboot both the watch and the iPhone, and then enable the permission again. This seems to nudge iOS into sending the permission to the watch.
There are several possible reasons for a lack of heart rate information. The most likely reason is that you have not given the app permission to access it. To check this go to the Settings app on the iPhone and select Privacy / Health / WorkOutDoors. Make sure that every health setting is enabled (you may need to scroll down to turn them all on). Note that if you have installed on a new iPhone then you may need to give permission again.
If they are all enabled then you may be experiencing a rare bug with iOS/watchOS where the watch seems to lose the permission. To fix this switch all of the permissions off, then reboot both the iPhone and the watch, and then switch them all on again. This procedure nudges iOS into sending them to the watch again.
If that doesn't help then there may have been an error on installation of the watch app. To fix this uninstall the watch app (not the iPhone app); reboot both the watch and the phone; and reinstall the watch app.
If you are seeing heart rate values but only infrequently or they do not look correct then it could be one of many reasons, including not having the strap tight enough, having tattoos, or just having blood vessels further below the skin than most people.
See this article by Apple about what to do in these circumstances.
As Apple say in that link it may be that you need an external sensor. These detect electrical signals in your chest whereas the watch beams light into your wrist. The blood vessels are further from the surface for some people and get even further when it is colder.
Note that sometimes WorkOutDoors cannot get a reading but Apple's Heart app can get one. The reason for this is because the watch uses infra-red light for one-off measurements, but it uses green light for the frequent readings during workouts (explained here). This is presumably to save power.
GPS accuracy is mainly dependent upon the conditions. However there are a few things that can help. Firstly make sure that you have a good GPS signal before you start. The signal strength is shown in the top left of the screen. Wait until you get 4 or 5 blue bars before starting a workout.
Older watches (series 7 and older) use the iPhone's GPS if it is connected. So if you take your iPhone with you then it may be worth switching Bluetooth off so that the watch uses its own GPS instead of the phone GPS. If you did not have your iPhone then maybe try taking it. It is subjective but some people find the watch GPS better than the iPhone GPS and some people find the reverse. Unfortunately Apple do not allow apps to choose which to use - newer watches will always use their own GPS but older watches will use the iPhone GPS if available. Note that your watch battery will last longer if the iPhone is supplying the GPS.
Lastly the position of the GPS device can make a difference. For example if you are using your phone's GPS then try not to keep it at the bottom of a rucksack or too deep in a pocket. Similarly if you find that your watch GPS is poor then maybe consider a different case if it has one.
There are several possible reasons for the data in the WorkOutDoors app not matching that in the system that you export it to. Before we get into them it is worth mentioning that each system does its own thing and getting an exact match can be impossible in some circumstances.
It is also worth mentioning that when exporting a workout it is better to use FIT or TCX files rather than GPX files. This is because GPX files can only contain the route, from which the receiving system has to calculate the times and distances. However FIT and TCX files allow the app to also include the times and distances that it thinks were correct for the workout. This means that the receiving system should show the same values as WorkOutDoors. I say "should" because some systems respect the data (e.g. Garmin Connect), whilst others sometimes seem to ignore some of it and still calculate their own values from the GPS positions (e.g. Strava).
Time & Pace Differences: The first thing to check is whether Strava is showing Elapsed or Moving time. It often defaults to moving time but is not good at detecting when you paused. So it is best to make Strava show Elapsed Time (as long as you didn't actually pause because then Strava will include that). To show elapsed time in Strava for running please change the Run Type field in Strava to be Race.
Distance & Pace differences: By default WorkOutDoors uses Apple's estimates of distance. These presumably take into account the GPS but also other sensors such as the pedometer (I say "presumably" because Apple give no details about their calculations). You can change this in the settings to only use the GPS but generally Apple's estimates are better, especially if the GPS signal is poor or non-existent.
The problem with distances is similar to that with times. Using Apple's estimates means that the distances shown in WorkOutDoors can differ from the distances shown in other systems which ignore the distance information contained in the TCX files and determine the distance purely from the GPS positions.
In an ideal situation the distances would be similar but if they are wildly out then there are generally two possibilities: your pedometer needs calibrating, or your GPS signal is poor.
To get an idea of which one is the problem look at the workout on the iPhone and go to the GPS tab. If there is a Steps tab but no GPS tab, then select the Steps tab and tap "Show GPS". This will show you how the GPS accuracy varied along the route. The colour scheme matches the signal bars, so blue is good, grey is poor and red is bad. The average accuracy is shown, and if you swipe along the profile below the map then it shows the GPS accuracy at each point. Generally 7m to 8m accuracy or under is good and anything above 10m could affect distances.
If your GPS accuracy is poor then there are a few things that you can try
If the GPS looks ok then your pedometer probably needs recalibrating as described on Apple's website.
If you have tried all the above and are still not happy with the consistency between WorkOutDoors and the external system then you could try a third party app such as HealthFit or RunGap. These apps export the data that WorkOutDoors stores in Apple's Health system, so they offer another way to send the data.
The most common reason for workouts not appearing on Strava is because you entered the wrong Strava account. This usually happens because the app uses Safari to log into Strava and Safari defaults to the last login that you used with it, which could be from a long time ago.
The best way to fix having entered the wrong Strava account is to go to the Safari app on the iPhone and log into that wrong Strava account and de-authorize WorkOutDoors. Then logout and log in to the correct Strava account. Then go to the WorkOutDoors app and tap Change Strava Login and use the correct account to authorise the app.
Sometimes the communications between the watch app and the phone app can stop working. This can result in several issues, such as the inability to send maps, screens, intervals or routes from the phone app to the watch app, or the inability for the watch app to send workouts back to the phone. Other communications can still work (for example the workout is successfully sent back to the Health and Activity apps) but communications stop working between the WorkOutDoors watch and iPhone apps.
The app uses the standard iOS to watchOS file transfer system but that can be unreliable at times. Unfortunately there is nothing the app can do about it.
The usual reason for problems is if you have another app which is transferring data (usually an audio app). WorkOutDoors then needs to wait until that app is finished. So it is worth waiting and trying again later.
Some people have reported that starting a dummy workout on the watch can help because it gives the app higher priority in the eyes of watchOS. However I never get any file transfer problems (I don’t use audio apps) so I can’t confirm this. An outdoor activity type is best because it makes the app use GPS which may increase its priority.
Also some people say that switching off Bluetooth helps because the transfers are much faster over WiFi. If that doesn’t help then try moving the watch away from the iPhone so it is out of Bluetooth range but still in WiFi range.
If none of this helps then the next thing to try is to reboot both the watch and the iPhone. Sometimes watchOS and/or iOS just need restarting to fix an issue. However it is worth trying other things first because if another app is transferring a large data file then rebooting may just make it start all over again.
If you have waited a long time and rebooting does not fix the communications problem then try uninstalling the watch app (not the iPhone app); rebooting both the watch and the iPhone; and then reinstalling the watch app. If you do this then watchOS does not remember the watch settings but you can send them from the phone app to the watch app. This can be done by going to the Settings tab and tapping 'Storage & Transfer' and then 'Send Yesterday's Watch Settings', 'Send Screens to Watch' and 'Send Interval Schedules to Watch'. If you want then you can also send routes or workouts individually. They can't all be sent at once because they are too large.
If you cannot hear voice alerts then the first thing to check is that your Siri volume is at maximum. To check follow the instructions here.
The second thing to check is that you have configured the app to send the alerts to the correct device. By default this is the watch but if you are using headphones that are connected to the iPhone then go to the app's Voice settings and set the device to be iPhone.
If you are still not hearing alerts then try rebooting the watch (and also the iPhone if you are sending alerts to that).
There are two possible reasons for strange voice messages. The first is if you run another workout app at the same time as WorkOutDoors. WatchOS only allows one workout session to be running at any one time, so if you start a session in another app then the workout session in WorkOutDoors will be killed off. The app will inform you of that with a spoken message when it happens and also and the app will speak another message that it gets from watchOS when you end the workout (usually mentioning 'collection' issues.
The 'collection' message is also spoken if you have not given the app permission to read and write all the health data. To check this go to the Settings app on the iPhone and select Privacy / Health / WorkOutDoors. Make sure that every health setting is enabled (you may need to scroll down to turn them all on). Note that if you have installed on a new iPhone then you may need to give permission again.
If they are all enabled then you may be experiencing a rare bug with iOS/watchOS where the watch seems to lose the permission. To fix this switch all of the health permissions off, then reboot both the iPhone and the watch, and then switch them all on again. This procedure nudges iOS into sending them to the watch again.
If you sometimes forget to end a workout then there is an alert that warns you when you get back to the start, so that you can end the workout. It also has an option to end the workout automatically when you return.
Similarly there is a "Possibly Travelling Home" alert which detects when you are going above a configurable speed, and can also automatically end the workout if required.
The app uses Apple's workout system and unfortunately that does not allow workouts to be edited. Sorry about that.
In the future I may allow the workout that is displayed in the WorkOutDoors iPhone app to be edited. It would then be inconsistent with what is shown in Apple's Fitness and Health apps, but that may not be a problem for some people.
If you don’t copy the data from the old phone or restore from a backup then you can use Apple’s File Sharing function (which effectively provides file system access for the app) to copy the files from the old iPhone to a computer and then from there to the new iPhone:
You will then need to send the data to the watch, which can be done by going to the Settings tab and tapping 'Storage & Transfer' and then 'Send Yesterday's Watch Settings', 'Send Screens to Watch' and 'Send Interval Schedules to Watch'. If you want then you can also send routes or workouts individually. They can't all be sent at once because they are too large.
The first thing to try with most problems is to reboot both the watch and the iPhone. It is a boring standard IT response but sometimes watchOS and/or iOS just need restarting to fix an issue.
The next thing to check is that you have given the app all of the required permissions: for Health, Location Services, and Motion & Fitness (for the pedometer, altimeter etc). To do this go to Apple's Settings app and tap Privacy & Security and then check all of those 3 sections. Note that all the health permissions must be given.
If a permission is enabled but the app seems to be acting as if it is not, then you may be experiencing a bug in iOS / watchOS where the watch seems to lose a permission. To fix this disable that permission, then reboot both the watch and the iPhone, and then enable the permission again. This seems to nudge iOS into sending the permission to the watch.
If this does not work then please email us at info@workoutdoors.net and we will be happy to help.
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