How to know your altitude from your iPhone or Apple Watch

For users who like hiking, excursions or simple walks, we show you how to know the current altitude of a place from iPhone, Apple Watch or using the browser of your choice

For the hikers or hiking enthusiasts surely already have applications to be able to trace routes or take advantage of new Apple Maps features in iOS 18. This experience can be supplemented by information which could be very important in your journey. Know the altitude of your current location from your iPhone or Apple Watch with the Compass app. In the case of the iPhone, since the iPhone 6, it has been possible to use it thanks to the barometer integrated into the mobile device.

Use the Compass app to find out your altitude

On iPhone the application is more complete since you can know, in addition to the altitude and location, the direction in which your iPhone is pointing towards the cardinal points. Gives you exact coordinates of your location

. To give you the exact information, iPhone must be placed flat so that the crosses in the center of the compass are aligned.

Once the current direction is established, it can be locked by clicking on the compass dial. Remember to leave location enabled in the Compass app in “When Using the App”. Apple says compass accuracy may be affected if there is magnetic or environmental interference. If you have EarPods nearby, they might also be affected.

The Compass tool should be used as a basic support tool. According to Apple, you should not rely on it to establish an exact location, distance or address. To see your current altitude, follow these steps:

Altitude in the iPhone Compass app

Open it Compass app on your iPhone

If the app asks for your permission for the first time, allow it
The compass will appear on the screen with the Location and altitude data at the bottom of the screen

Or if you prefer, you can ask Siri directly “What is my altitude?”

How to know my altitude from Apple Watch

The Compass app is also available on the Apple Watch, if you have one it will be much easier to find this important information if you are already traveling to a location. The information is displayed in a more summarized manner given the size of the screen.

Open it Compass app on your smart watch
In the At the bottom of the compass, the current altitude will appear next to a mountain icon
Click on the information icon (the letter i) for more data on coordinates, elevation, inclination and heading in terms of cardinal points.

Altitude in the Apple Watch Compass app

An advantage of the Apple Watch is that you can set a target altitudeas if it were a goal to be achieved, and that the same watch will notify you when you reach said altitude. It can work to alert you when you reach a certain limit that you don’t want to exceed or if you complete different stages of a trip.

Click on the information icon top left of the Compass
Swipe down and Tap the Target Alert option
Scroll through the different altitudes until you find the one you want and Click on the verification icon.

Set an altitude goal on Apple Watch

If you want to remove the target, go back to the information icon, then tap Remove Target. If the target cannot be configured, go to the iPhone in the Settings app, Privacy & Security section, Location Services, System Services and enable the Alerts & Shortcuts Automations option.

What are the other options for knowing my altitude?

The most viable option would be to visit the App Store on iPhone to discover an application that can satisfy your needs, in case the Compass app is not good enough for you. You can also turn to old reliable Google to do a quick search to find out the elevation of your current city or location.

On the other hand, there is a website called What’s My Elevation that relies on your mobile device’s location to get the approximate altitude. If you allow it, you can also get more accurate data via IP for as long as you want. Finally, You can choose to explore the built-in map and search for your location or let your browser (via the device) provide the precise location..