How to See Your Grid, Bearing and Distance on Apple Watch (and Widgets and Lock Screen)

TL;DR

The Watch app shows your current grid and, when navigating, the bearing and distance to the destination. It is fed by the iPhone, so it shows "Waiting for iPhone" if they are not connected. Pin the grid in a Live Activity, or add Grid and Nav widgets to the Home Screen.

The problem

Your phone is in a chest pocket or on a pack strap. Pulling it out, unlocking it and waking the app costs time, and in the cold or rain it costs more. You want your grid and where you’re heading at a glance.

Apple Watch

The Watch app shows a GRID readout (designator, then easting and northing). While you navigate, it shows the distance and bearing to your destination and its name; with none set it says “No destination set”. The numbers come from the iPhone over the Watch connection, so keep the phone close, and open the app on it once if the watch says Waiting for iPhone.

Lock Screen and Dynamic Island

On Location, tap the pin icon to pin the current grid as a Live Activity. It stays on the Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island while you use other apps. Starting navigation or recording a track also starts a Live Activity automatically. Unpin to end it.

Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets

Add the Grid widget for your current position, or the Nav widget for destination, bearing and distance (it says “Open to pick a waypoint” if none is set). Widgets refresh from the app’s last known position, so they are a quick look, not a live instrument.

Tips

  • On long walks, put the Nav widget on the Lock Screen: one glance, no unlocking.
  • If the watch shows a stale grid, open the iPhone app to refresh the link.
  • Live Activities need to be allowed in iOS Settings, and iOS limits their length of time on screen.

FAQ

Does the Watch use its own GPS? No. It displays what the iPhone sends, so the iPhone needs to be nearby and running the app.

What does “Waiting for iPhone” mean? The Watch has no data from the iPhone yet. Open MGRS GPS on the phone and check the watch is connected.

How do I put my grid on the Lock Screen? Tap the pin icon on the Location screen to start the grid Live Activity. Navigation and track recording start their own activities automatically.

What widgets are there? A Grid widget (your current readout) and a Nav widget (destination, bearing, distance).

The app MGRS GPS →