How to see your current elevation on iPhone and Apple Watch

Learn how to know the elevation of your current location or some other city, and even get alerted when you reach a specific elevation.

Difference between “elevation” and “altitude”

Before we get to the steps, you must know that many people use the words “elevation” and “altitude” in the same sense. And for most day-to-day talks, it doesn’t make much of a difference. However, they are distinct, and here’s the simplest definition for both:

• Elevation is the vertical distance between a location/object on the earth’s surface from the sea level.
• On the other hand, altitude is the vertical distance between an object and a reference point on the earth’s surface.

Important: In aviation, altitude (true altitude, to be specific) takes on the meaning of elevation and means the vertical distance of an airplane from sea level.

In this tutorial, we’ll share how you can see the elevation of a location.

Knowing the elevation is valuable for hikers as it can help them understand the terrain, plan their route, and so forth. It can also help people with respiratory issues prepare before going to a holiday location or resort that’s at a higher elevation.

Additionally, knowing the elevation of a place is useful for providing emergency help, comprehending weather details, increasing your general awareness, and so forth.

Use the Compass app on iPhone to know your elevation

iPhone 6 and later have a built-in barometer that can determine your elevation at any given time.

1. Open the Apple Compass app on your iPhone.
2. If you see a prompt to allow location access, make sure you do that.
3. You will see a digital compass on the screen, along with your coordinates, location name, and the current elevation.

Ask Siri

You can invoke Siri and ask it, “What’s my elevation.”

Use third-party iOS apps for elevation and altitude

While the stock Compass app only shows the elevation of the place you are currently in, some third-party apps let you see the elevation of any place you want, all from the comfort of your home.

So, if you are planning for an outdoor adventure or just want to brush up on your knowledge, you can use these two apps.

My Altitude: Simply open the app and give it the necessary permissions. You will see your current elevation at the top of the screen. Tap to view it in meters or feet.

Now, bring your attention to the two tabs at the bottom: Device Sensor and Data Files. The former uses your iPhone’s sensors to figure out your elevation from the sea level. The developer claims that using Device Sensor is more accurate in most areas. Alternatively, if you go to the Data Files tab, the app will show you the elevation of your location by fetching the figures from NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).

Furthermore, to see the elevation of other locations, tap the pin icon from the top left and zoom in on the map. After that, tap the spot to see its altitude, latitude, and longitude.

Finally, tapping the globe icon in the bottom left allows you to download NOAA data files for the selected region so you can view the details without a cellular or Wi-Fi connection.

Elevation – Altimeter Map: It’s a free-to-use app with optional paid upgrades that displays your elevation in meters of feet. Simply open the app, grant it the required permissions, and tap the plus button to see your elevation.

You can also tap the search button and then choose to find a location by its name. After that location loads, zoom in and touch & hold a spot to drop a pin on the map to get its elevation.

Use websites

You can use sites like What is my elevation or simply do a Google web search to find out the elevation of your city.

See your elevation on Apple Watch

Similar to the iPhone, there is a built-in Compass app on Apple Watch that, among other things, also shows your elevation.

1. Go inside the Apple Compass app on your watch.
2. You will see the current elevation at the bottom of the screen next to the mountain icon.
3. Additionally, you can tap the info icon ⓘ to see the elevation.

Get notified when you reach a specific elevation

You can set a target elevation alert on your Apple Watch to get notified when you reach that elevation. This nifty feature can help you set goals or alert you to rest when trekking in a hilly area.

1. Open the Compass app on your Apple Watch and tap the info icon ⓘ from the top left.
2. Scroll down and tap Set Target Alert.
3. Set a target and hit the green check mark.

If you can’t Set Target Alert, go to iPhone Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > System Services and turn on Alerts & Shortcuts Automations.

Check out next: 3 ways to find the GPS coordinates of any location on iPhone