The location feature on many devices is very important in collecting data for certain apps, making some people worried about their privacy. If you are using an Apple Watch, you might be wondering if someone can use it to track your movements.
So, can someone track me on my Apple Watch? Someone can track you on your Apple Watch if you have enabled the Find My feature on their device or if they have your Apple ID credentials. The Find My feature, when enabled, will send your location data to any of the devices selected.
Therefore, if you have enabled someone’s iPhone to locate your Apple Watch using the Find My app, they can track you. If they have your Apple ID and password, they can log in and request your Apple Watch’s location.
Some apps on Apple Watch require Location Services to provide accurate information. When your Apple Watch Location Services are on, it will collect data on every place you go. An Apple Watch is a great device from Apple Inc. that has great features, including making and receiving calls, monitoring your health, tracking your workouts and many more.
Some apps will require you to turn on Location Services on your Apple Watch, which means that your device will start collecting data on your movements. If you are concerned about your privacy and safety, you might be wondering if someone can use your Apple Watch to track you.
Someone can track you on your Apple Watch if you have enabled Find My feature on their Apple device or if they have your Apple ID and password. Apple introduced the Find My feature on some of their devices to let the users track their location.
Some users have used this feature to share their location with their friends and relatives. If you have shared your Apple Watch’s location with someone else, they can track you using the Find My app on their Apple device. If they have your Apple ID and password, they can also track you using your Apple Watch.
It is important to know where people important to you are in case of an emergency. Apple Inc. developed and introduced the Find My feature that can be used to track Apple devices like iPhones, iPads, Apple Watch and Macs.
If you want someone to know where you are, you can share your Apple Watch’s location as long as they have a supported Apple device. To add someone, open the Find People app on your Apple Watch and
- tap “Share My Location”
- tap the “Dictation” “Contact,” or “Keypad” button to choose a friend.
Select an email address or phone number and choose how long you can share your location with that person. It can be for an hour until the day ends or indefinitely.
After choosing someone to share your location with, they will receive a notification that you have shared your location with them. If someone wants to track your movement, they will see your Apple Watch’s location on a map in the Find My app on their Apple device.
Another easy way to track you is using Siri. If the person you shared your location with has an Apple device that has Siri, they can use it to track your movements. They can open Siri and say, “Where is Sam” and they will receive information about where you are currently located.
Your Apple ID and password can also show your Apple Watch’s location. If you have shared your Apple ID credential with someone who cannot find you, they can use the Apple ID and password to locate you.
They can log in to iCloud using your Apple ID credentials and locate your Apple Watch. However, this method can only work if you sign into your Apple Watch with the same ID or you have approved them to sign in to iCloud using your Apple ID credentials.
Apple usually sends you a notification if someone is trying to sign in using your Apple ID and password on an unknown device. You should also be careful who you give your Apple ID credentials to.
If you are concerned about your privacy or safety, you should avoid sharing your Apple Watch’s location with anyone you do not trust. If you have shared your location with someone and want to stop sharing the location, go to the Find People app on your Apple Watch and tap “Stop Sharing”.
Someone hacking your Apple Watch to track your movement is highly unlikely because Apple has a very secure system. However, you might create paths for someone to track your movements by installing untrustworthy apps on your Apple Watch.
Therefore, you should avoid installing untrustworthy apps on your Apple Watch or any other Apple device linked to your Apple Watch. If you believe someone is tracking your Apple Watch without your consent, you should notify Apple Inc and local authorities as soon as possible.
Apple Watch Location Services
Many apps use Location Services to provide accurate information on services you need, for example, food delivery apps. These apps will request permission to use your Location Services, and if it is turned off, they will send you a notification asking you to turn on the location. If you have been using your Apple Watch for some time, you might notice its Location Services is always on and here are some of the reasons it does that.
Your Apple Watch Location Services is always on because most of the apps installed in it require Location Services to function perfectly. Some apps that require the Location Services to work properly include Find Devices, Find Items, Find People, Maps, Weather, Activity, and Workout.
You might also have third-party apps that require location services to work properly. When you use the Find My feature to track your Apple Watch, it will work perfectly if your device’s Location Services are always on.
Another reason the Location Services on your Apple Watch is always on is that your iPhone and Apple Watch will be close to each other most of the time, but if they are far, you might need Location Services to locate your iPhone or Apple Watch.
Some apps on your Apple Watch require data from Location Services to work properly or give accurate information. When you buy an Apple Watch and complete the initial set, Location Services will be on by default.
The data collected from Location Services is important when accusing apps that provide routing and traffic information. Location Services also send important location data on significant places you have visited while using your Apple Watch.
Some apps that provide location-based alerts, such as news apps, will use Location Services to provide news relevant to your current location. When you make an emergency call and end it before providing your location, emergency services will use data collected by your Apple Watch’s Location Services to find you.
Having Location Services on every time you use your Apple Watch is important, but you can turn it off. If you do not want to share your location with someone or want to stop a certain app from gathering your location data, you can turn on Location Services.
Go to your Apple Watch’s home screen and tap on the Settings app to open it. Scroll down and
- tap on “Privacy” to locate “Location Services”
- tap on “Location Services” and
- to turn it off, use the toggle on the right to disable Location Services.
You will be notified that turning off Location Services on your Apple Watch will also subsequently disable Location Services on the paired iPhone. Click on “OK” to confirm the action.
You should note that you cannot disable Location Services on your Apple Watch without turning off Location Services on your paired iPhone. If you want to keep Location Services on your iPhone but disable it in your Apple Watch, you must unpair the two devices.
Even though turning off your Apple Watch’s Location Services might save your device’s battery or stop people from tracking your location, the disadvantages of turning it off are overwhelming.
If you have enabled Find My feature, you will not get an accurate location if you turn off Location Services on your Apple Watch. When you try using another Apple device’s Find My device feature, the only location you will get is the last known location before you turn off Location Services.
Apple Watch GPS Tracking
When you are looking for an Apple Watch to purchase, you can get an Apple Watch with GPS only or an Apple Watch with GPS and Cellular. After buying your Apple Watch with GPS or GPS plus Cellular, you have to set it up, and you need an iPhone 6s or later with iOS 15 or later to do so. After pairing your Apple Watch to your iPhone, you might be wondering if it can track GPS without it.
An Apple Watch can track GPS without the phone because it does not need it to track your movements. The Apple Watch has an in-built GPS that works independently from your iPhone. Whether you are using an Apple Watch with GPS only or an Apple Watch with GPS plus Cellular, you can leave your iPhone at home or work and still be able to track your movements using GPS.
Certain apps on your Apple Watch require Location Services to work properly, such as Find Devices. If you have misplaced your iPhone or any other Apple devices that you have added to your Find My feature, you can track it down using GPS on your Apple Watch.
The Apple Watch has an in-built GPS that works perfectly without your iPhone. If you forgot your iPhone at work or home and need to use your GPS to drive to a certain location, you can use the Maps app to get directions to where you want to go.
Open the Maps app and tap an entry to get driving, walking, transit and cycling directions depending on your mode of transport. If you are driving, tap on “Driving” and you will see suggested routes you can use.
Tap on the best-suggested route you can use to get to your location safely and quickly. The process of getting directions using your Apple Watch will vary depending on the model you are using.
However, while using your Apple Watch to get directions to a certain location, you will need your iPhone to use turn-by-turn directions. You can use turn alerts when getting directions from your Apple Watch, where you will be instructed regularly on where to turn and which rods or paths you can use.
To start using turn-by-turn directions on your Apple Watch, open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone. Tap on “My Watch” and then tap “Maps.” Turn on the turn alerts you want to receive by tapping on the mode of transport you are using, such as Driving. You should note that you can only use turn-by-turn directions if your Apple Watch Location Services are on.
If you are trying to use your Apple Watch to track your movements or get directions, but GPS is not working correctly, you first need to check the settings. You need the paired iPhone to check the settings. Using your iPhone,
- go to “Settings”
- tap on “Privacy”
- tap on “Location Services” and ensure the toggle on the right is toggled to “On”
- scroll down and tap “System Services” and
- ensure that “Motion Calibration & Distance” is enabled.
If your Apple Watch GPS continues to have issues when you try to use it without your iPhone, you should contact Apple Support for help.
Wrap Up
The Apple Watch is a great accessory that any iPhone owner should have. Apple Inc. has released several models of the Apple Watch, releasing each with better features. Most apps in the Apple Watch require the Location Services to be on, and some people would be worried about their privacy and safety.
If you share your location with someone on your Apple Watch or have your Apple ID credentials, they can track your movement. Apple has a strong security system where data collected from Location Services is encrypted, hence it is difficult for someone to hack your Apple Watch and track your movements.
However, if you believe that someone is tracking your movements using your Apple Watch, you should stop sharing your location, change your Apple ID password and turn off Location Services.
