Auto Detect Activity on Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 not recording Heart Rate or Location

[mm8718]

Hi All

Just set up my brand new Galaxy Watch 3 with my S21 Ultra and I note the auto detect activity ( walking) in not picking up my location or  my hear rate data. All sensors are active, Samsung Health has permission for everything, location is on etc etc.

I have restarted the watch and the phone a number of times but no luck. It detects the workout but just give me steps, distance and calories. The map is usually my startign point with no routes.

This is for the automatic detect activities. 

I had the original Watch and the Frontier before it and they were both recording my locations when walking about for more than 10 minutes.

Time to head back to Garmin?

Any ideas?

[Pd810]

hello, I am using the Galaxy Watch 3, and I do not know about auto-location when they detect workout. the thing is, I have location turned off all the time, but I just found the solution to your problem. I do not know if it is working, I have never tried or used it, but you can tell me later if it works. you need to enable it in settings of Samsung health app. open Samsung Health app on your watch > scroll all the way down to settings > click on settings > scroll and find workout detection > click on it > and then enable record location.

the location will be then automatically recorded when walk or run are detected. I hope you find it and it will resolve your problem  

[mm8718]

@pd810...thanks but this is not it. As I said before I had already turned on all the location settings on the watch including the one you just specified. 

Watch does not record location or heart rate when auto detecting an activity. What is the point of billing this as a health monitor if it cannot do that. If I have to choose am activity every time I start one the. I might as well stay with Garmin Venu who starts GPS every time i go out and tracks my sleep automatically and it does not light up the screen at night time when I am.in bed despite do not disturb being on. A joke!

[Pd810]

@mm8718 , I am sorry to hear that. There is probably som problem, because, when this enabled the location should be recorded automatically. Maybe try to contact Samsung live support, it can be something wrong with your device, like on the hw side. The only thing I can suggest is to manualy start workout, the measurements are there much more precise and accurate, and you will get more info at the end, like your asymetry, contact and flight time, etc... (all these applies only for running). I mean it is not a big deal to start it manually before the run

[mm8718]

Thanks @pd810 

It's not that I don't like the watch...I do but I just feel for a smart watch and a health device I should not have to start an activity. If I am going out for a run or a ride then sure I can start it but I am talking about informal walks etc. I had the Garmin Venu for a year and it will record all data without me pressing a single button. It even recorded my sleep rather accurately without me having to confirm my sleep time the next morning. It is not even recording heart rate during sleep....what is that all about? I am looking to repurchase the Venu at this point. Or even try Fitbit sense but I don't trust their quality. 

[Pd810]

@mm8718 , as I see it now, you have faulty device. You wrote about sleep recording, I do not have to confirm the time, or something, my sleep times automatically appear after few minutes in the morning, and at the same time my watch measure my hr during night, no problem there. Please, try to factory reset the device, or contact support/service center. I do not have any more suggestions... but what you wrote is very weird

[mm8718]

It says it needs the heart rate set to continuous recording @pd810 in order to record heart rate data in auto detect activities. As for the sleep, I need to some more testing now that I turned that setting on. 

If I have to reset a brand new device two days after activation then I might as well ask for s replacement!

[Pd810]

Hm, I understand @mm8718 , but the continual hr monitoring consumes more battery... But when continuous measurement is on, it also measures the stress level, which is good. I have set it to every 10minutes and it measures also during activity, but it is visible only in Samsung Health app in hr section. You could probably ask for replacement, but I know it is very unpleasant... On my side, I have been extremly happy and satisfied with the watch from the first day, and I am sorry that you are experiencing such issues

[mm8718]

This is what the activity is recorded as...no location data at all... And this is an auto detect activity while walking the dog earlier around the block.   

[Pd810]

Okey, that is interesting, clearly the location is turned on... the thing is if the signal is strong enough. Next time, try to manually turn the walking activity also with location, and we will see the difference.