Inaccurate Compass, Location Services

[BlobM]

Hi,

I'm confused. New iPhone 7 Plus. If I use the compass it is inaccurate - no, it's completely wrong, North showing where it is really South West - like nowhere near right. I've rebooted or quit and then it is still wrong but different ie it now says North is where West is!! It's just wrong. No metal or magnets nearby -I'm in the garden - only trees.
No consistency. I read elsewhere to turn Location services off and back on and now this where I'm confused - In Settings Privacy there is Location Services and under that a list of Apps - I set Compass App to use Location Services Never but it still behaves the same - if I turn off location services (note I have left the compass app to use location services - never) the compass does not work at all, just dead.
So what's up with the compass first question? second question why when the compass is set tot never use location services does it not work at all where aforementioned services are off. To me this is typical Apple behaviour designed specifically to confuse and make you go mad.

Can anyone explain or offer a solution to get my compass working properly?

 

[Ledsteplin]

Do you have "compass calibration" toggled on in location services > system services?

 

[BlobM]

Yes it's on, if I untoggle it the compass doesn't work at all North is at the top and it's just not a compass just a picture of one which is equally puzzling. Why should turning this off cause the compass to not work at all?

 

[Ledsteplin]

Yes it's on, if I untoggle it the compass doesn't work at all North is at the top and it's just not a compass just a picture of one which is equally puzzling. Why should turning this off cause the compass to not work at all?

Because it has to be calibrated. If it's on, and the compass still doesn't work, you might try Reset All Settings.

Go to Settings >General >Reset >Reset All Settings. This resets to default everything in Settings, including notifications, alerts, brightness, and clock settings like wake up alarms.

 

[BlobM]

Hmmm. Not sure. It's only 2 weeks old. Thanks for your help but I've hardly changed anything on the phone so far. Still don't get a) why the compass needs location services at all and b) why does it not work at all without LS and when compass calibration is not on. It might as well be labelled 'turn off compass'.
It's daft. No it's Apple.

 

[Ledsteplin]

Hmmm. Not sure. It's only 2 weeks old. Thanks for your help but I've hardly changed anything on the phone so far. Still don't get a) why the compass needs location services at all and b) why does it not work at all without LS and when compass calibration is not on. It might as well be labelled 'turn off compass'.
It's daft. No it's Apple.

It's a compass, but it's on an iPhone. It's different than having a regular compass in hand. Mine works fine. I never use it though. It needs location services to know your location. Just like other iPhone apps like maps. It should work whether the calibration is on or not. Having that on just keeps it on track. You can switch to true north in settlngs -> compass. Did you try Reset All Settings?