Wear OS | Tips to Optimize a Wear OS Watch

Wear OS Watches are an amazing piece of technology. With the 18Birdies Wear OS Watch app, we bring you an easier take on the 18Birdies experience. Now you can score your round, log stats, and get distances directly from the watch!

We have a few tips designed to help make the watch experience as smooth as possible. Here are some tips on optimizing your 18Birdies Wear OS experience:

1. Screen Timeout: Set the screen timeout duration to 1 minute.
2. Raise to Wake: Make sure that the "Raise to Wake" option is set to Off (formerly known as "Tilt to Wake") to conserve battery life and avoid distractions.
3. Location Services: Enable Location Services:
   • On Wear OS: From your watch home screen, go to Settings > Location and toggle Location Services On. If available, also enable "Improve Your Accuracy" for enhanced GPS performance.
   • On Samsung devices: Note that there is no "High Accuracy" feature, but Location Accuracy Mode is automatically enabled when Location Services are on.

These options may be different for your Wear OS device. For detailed instructions specific to your Wear OS device, please refer to your device manufacturer.

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Compatibility 

To ensure the best experience, we recommend using the most current version of Wear OS and Android.

Check if Android Puts 18Birdies to Sleep

If an app is set to be put to sleep while not in use, it can prevent the GPS location from being updated in between shots. Please try this to check if 18Birdies is set to be put to sleep.

1. From your Android home screen, find and open Settings.
2. Tap Battery and Device Care.
3. Tap Battery.
4. Tap Background Usage Limits.
5. Tap Never Auto-Sleeping Apps.
6. Tap the + icon.
7. Tap 18Birdies and tap Add.

Turn Off Power Saving Mode

Power Saving Mode can reduce GPS accuracy and app responsiveness. To disable this:

• On Wear OS: 
  • Go to Settings 
  • Battery 
  • Power Saver Mode and toggle it Off.
• On Samsung devices: Similarly, ensure any Power Saving options are turned off under 
  • Settings 
  • Battery

Location Services

If you are experiencing difficulties with GPS accuracy, you may need to enable Location Services on your watch.

1. From your Wear OS home screen, find and open Settings.
2. Tap Location.
3. Tap the toggle to enable Location Services. You may also want to toggle on the "Improve your accuracy" option, if available.

1. To ensure Location Services are enabled on your Wear OS device, swipe directionally down from the top of your Wear OS device screen. 
2. Then swipe directionally to the left to see the Location Services icon. 
3. In the screenshot below, Location Services are indicated as enabled (blue location icon).

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Show Last App

Open the Settings app on your watch to configure your watch hardware settings prior to launching the 18Birdies app in the following configuration to optimize your watch for use with 18Birdies.

• • On Wear OS devices: Configure this under 
    • Settings 
    • Display 
    • Show Last App, and select a duration of up to 1 hour to keep the app open after the device sleeps.
  • On Samsung Watches: Note that the maximum duration available is now 2 minutes instead of 1 hour, following a recent system update.

Please use the following instructions to make sure that you have set your watch to return to the app after it sleeps:

1. Tap 'Display' 
   

   

2. Tap 'Show Last App'.
   

   

3. Make sure that 'Within 1 Hour' is selected.
   

   

4. Navigate back and tap on 'Screen Timeout' and make sure that ' 1 Minute' is selected.
   

5. Navigate back and make sure that ' Raise wrist to wake' is in the 'Off' position.
   

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Sounds awesome, right? Click here to open the app on your device and start your round!

Looking to take your game to the next level?  Download the 18Birdies app today!