We've been working hard to make Surfr more reliable on Samsung Galaxy watches. The latest version brings a brand new tool to fix the GPS issues some of you have run into after recent WearOS updates: the GPS check.
💡 If your Galaxy Watch recently stopped recording your GPS track or distance
during a session, the first thing to try is to turn your watch off and on again.
After that, run the GPS check, which verifies and resets the sensors Surfr
needs.
🛰️ The new GPS check
The GPS check is a quick self-test built into the Surfr app on your watch. It confirms that the sensors Surfr relies on are active and working, and resets them if something is off. The whole test takes about 2 minutes.
Before you start
First, restart your watch. Turn it fully off and back on again. This resets the sensors and clears up most issues on its own.
Then make sure you're running the latest version of the Surfr app from the Google Play Store on your watch. After this, you are ready to do the GPS check.
☀️ Do the test outdoors, with a clear view of the sky as GPS can't get a proper
signal indoors. Also make sure your phone is not nearby: if it is, your watch
will use the phone's GPS instead of its own, and the test won't reflect what
the watch actually does. So important, run the test with no phone
connection.
How to run the GPS check
On your watch, open the Surfr app.
Go to Settings → Support.
Tap GPS check.
Tap Start test and wait. The test runs for about 2 minutes while it checks and resets the sensors.
Reading your result
At the end of the test you'll see one of two results:
🟢 Green — Everything is working as it should. You're good to go and can start your session.
🔴 Red — Something needs a reset. You'll get an extra option: Clear cache. Tap it, then run the GPS check once more. This clears out old data that can block the sensors from working properly.
🔧 Still not recording after the GPS check?
On some watch models, GPS can start perfectly but drop out mid-session once the screen turns off, because the system suspends location tracking in the background. A few watch-side settings help keep Surfr running freely:
Battery set to Unlimited
On the watch, go to Settings → Apps → Surfr → Battery and set it to Unlimited (exclude it from battery optimization).
Battery saver off
Keep battery-saving mode disabled while you record.
Not in the sleeping apps list
Make sure Surfr is excluded from the "sleeping apps" list.
Always On
In the Surfr app on your watch, enable Always On so the screen stays active. It uses a little more battery but greatly improves stability.
Water Lock
On Samsung watches, activate Samsung's Water Lock during your session (on the Galaxy Watch Ultra you can add it as a Quick Action on the Action Button).
💬 Still stuck? Run the GPS check outdoors one more time and reach out to us. If you can, mention your exact watch model. That helps us pinpoint what's happening and get it fixed. We're happy to help!