iPhone Compass Not Working: 9 Ways to Fix it

In the earlier versions of the iPhone, users had to regulate and interpret the iPhone Compass manually. But with advancements in technology, iPhone Compass can manually calibrate itself provided that users don’t make any mistakes while setting it up.

But is your iPhone compass not working? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Several people have reported the same problem.

Why is my iPhone Compass Not Working?

It’s hard to pinpoint what could be the main reason behind your iPhone compass not working. Several factors including magnetic interference, third-party applications, and faulty settings could be the reason behind why your iPhone compass might not be working properly.

The most commonly reported user errors when it comes to the iPhone compass are as follows:

• The iPhone compass freezes and gives false readings.
• The compass doesn’t function regularly and gives strange readings.
• Compass cannot find user location and related data.

Read Also: How to Turn on Weather Alerts on iPhone?

How to Fix iPhone Compass not Working Issue: 9 Solutions you can Try

There are many things that you can do to fix a faulty iPhone compass. In this article, we’ll go through some of the common causes as to why the compass might not be working properly, and how to fix those issues.

1. Eliminate All Magnetic Interference

Before pointing fingers at the wrong issues, users must first ensure that the iPhone isn’t influenced by any third-party, external factors.

The iPhone compass is sensitive to any magnetic interference, which is brought about by the presence of electronic objects. Even something as simple as keeping your iPhone on a metal surface, or iPhone cases with metal flaps can render your iPhone compass useless.

Make sure that you eliminate such interferences before you try out the other solutions.

2. Enable Compass Calibration

If the above issue wasn’t the reason behind your iPhone compass not working, then you can try and tinker with your settings. First, you need to ensure that the compass is calibrating well.

Here’s how –

1. Open your iPhone Settings.
2. Scroll down and tap on Privacy settings.
3. Find and tap on Location Services.
4. Turn on the location services and then scroll down to find System Services.
5. Under system services, switch on Compass Calibration.

3. Turn Off True North Setting

The True North feature sets your iPhone compass to show the geographical North. Although a useful setting, it might be interfering with your iPhone’s compass functioning.

Here’s how to turn off True North Setting in iPhone –

1. Open your iPhone’s Settings.
2. Scroll down and tap on Compass.
3. Toggle off the Use True North feature.

4. Shake your iPhone

While this solution sounds ridiculous, it has worked wonders for many users who possess iPhone XR and later versions.

Here’s what you need to do –

1. Open the Compass app on your iPhone.
2. Hold your iPhone and shake it for a while. Make sure that you maintain a steady grip to avoid costing yourself a lot of money.
3. After a few minutes, check if your compass is working. Repeat the process a couple of times before you move on to the next solution.

5. Revive Location Settings

The Compass app on your iPhone is integrated into its GPS. When your location services are turned on, it creates an ambiguity which in turn creates room for many GPS errors.

Here’s what you need to do to fix this –

1. Open your iPhone’s Settings.
2. Go to Privacy settings.
3. Tap on Location Services.
4. Choose the compass app and then disable the location services.

6. Restart the iPhone Compass with a Tap on the Back

If you find that some magnetic flap on your iPhone cover was interfering with your iPhone compass, or if your device was close to some magnetic field, then you need to restart your iPhone compass as it might still be frozen.

The process is very easy; here’s what you need to do –

• Hit the iPhone device gently with the back of your palm, giving a medium shock to the body of the iPhone. This might cause the compass to unfreeze and start functioning properly.

7. Restart your iOS Device

If the above solutions don’t work for you, you can try to force restart your iPhone. This might fix the issue if it is caused by any technical or software glitch which is interfering with the functioning of the compass.

8. Update your iPhone’s Software

As a final straw, you can try updating your iPhone’s software to the latest available version.

Here’s how –

1. Open your iPhone’s Settings.
2. Tap on General settings.
3. Find and tap on Software Update.
4. Check if any updates are available. If they are, download and install the app.

Check if your iPhone compass is working with the new update.

9. Consult Apple Support

If none of our above solutions work for you, there’s nothing left for you to do other than consult a specialist from Apple’s team.

Chances are that you might be the unfortunate owner of a defective model. Either way, representatives from the Apple support team would be able to help you.

Winding Up

In this article, we listed out the possible causes of what might be interfering with your iPhone’s compass, thereby disabling its functionality. We then made a comprehensive list of solutions to tackle those issues.

The Compass app on Apple devices is useful, especially for outgoing and adventurous folk. If the application is not working properly, you need to get it fixed to enjoy the full experience of being an Apple user.