If you find your Polar Vantage M GPS not working as expected, you’re likely feeling frustrated and looking for solutions. Rest assured, this guide will provide comprehensive, step-by-step solutions to help you navigate this issue.
Photo from Pxhere
Step 1: Check Your Device
The first thing to do when your Polar Vantage M GPS is not working is to check the condition of your device. Ensure that your smartwatch is adequately charged, as a low battery can lead to several functionalities, including GPS, not working optimally.
Also, double-check to make sure the GPS function is enabled within your device settings. You can usually find this option under the ‘Features’ menu in your device settings.
Step 2: Software Update
Outdated software can be a significant reason why your GPS may not be working correctly. To update the software on your Polar Vantage M, navigate to ‘General Settings’ from the home screen.
Then scroll down to ‘About Your Watch’. Here, you will see if there’s an available software update. If there is, follow the on-screen instructions to complete the update process.
Step 3: Optimizing GPS Signal
When experiencing issues with GPS, the physical environment you are in can be a major factor. Buildings, trees, and even weather conditions can obstruct the GPS signal.
To optimize the signal, move to an open area, preferably one without too many tall structures around. Wait for a few minutes to see if the GPS signal picks up. You can usually see your GPS strength indicator on the top corner of your watch screen.
For more articles like this one click here – GPS Problems: Your Complete Guide to Common Issues and Solutions
Step 4: Factory Reset
If none of the above steps resolve the issue with your Polar Vantage M GPS not working, a factory reset may be your next course of action. But before you proceed, it’s essential to understand the implications of a factory reset.
Precautions Before Reset
A factory reset will completely erase all the data, settings, and configurations on your device, reverting it to its original factory settings. This means you will lose all your activity logs, personalized settings, and any apps you’ve installed.
Therefore, it’s highly recommended to back up your data before proceeding. You can use Polar’s proprietary software, Polar Flow, to sync and save your data to the cloud.
How to Perform a Factory Reset
After you’ve taken all necessary precautions, you can start the factory reset process. Here is how:
- Go to the ‘Settings’ menu on your Polar Vantage M.
- Scroll down and select ‘General Settings.’
- Scroll further down to find and select ‘Reset.’
- An on-screen prompt will appear, asking you to confirm your action. Confirm to initiate the reset.
- Your device will restart, and you will see a message indicating that the reset is in progress. This process may take a few minutes.
- Once the reset is complete, your device will restart. You’ll then need to go through the initial setup process, just like when you first purchased your watch.
Post-Reset Steps
After the factory reset, the first thing to do is to check if the GPS function is now working. If it is, you can proceed to restore your backed-up data using Polar Flow.
If your GPS is still not functioning as it should, then it might be a hardware issue that requires professional repair or replacement.
Step 5: Contact Customer Service
If all else fails and your Polar Vantage M GPS is still not working, the best course of action would be to contact Polar’s customer service for a more tailored solution. Customer service may be able to guide you through additional troubleshooting steps or suggest repair or replacement if necessary.
Conclusion: Polar Vantage M GPS Not Working
This guide has provided you with a sequential plan of action to tackle the issue of your Polar Vantage M GPS not working. We understand how essential GPS functionality is to your daily activities, and we hope these steps get your device back to its optimal working condition.
