VaneWhat Is My Elevation? How to Find It on Your iPhone
Your iPhone can tell you your height above sea level in seconds, and there are three different ways it can know. They often disagree by tens of metres. Here is where to look, and which number to trust for what.
Updated 23 October 2026
The quickest way: the Compass app
Open the built-in Compass app. With Location Services allowed for Compass, your coordinates and elevation appear at the bottom of the screen. If they are missing, go to Settings, Privacy & Security, Location Services, Compass, and choose While Using the App. Apple notes that coordinates and elevation may not be available in some countries or regions.
Three ways a phone knows your height
| Source | What it measures | Good for | Weak at |
|---|---|---|---|
| GPS | Your height from the satellites | A rough figure anywhere outdoors | Often off by tens of metres; jumps between fixes |
| Barometer | Air pressure, turned into height | Changes in height, to about a metre | Drifts with the weather unless calibrated |
| Elevation map | The surveyed height of the ground | The height of a place, not of you | Needs a connection or a download; ignores floors and bridges |
So the numbers disagree for good reasons. GPS is weakest at height: its vertical error is roughly one and a half times its horizontal error. A barometer is superb at telling you that you climbed 40 metres, but the weather shifts the pressure it starts from. A map knows the ground, not whether you are on the fourth floor. Our explainer on barometric vs GPS altitude goes into the detail.
Which number to believe
- Standing outside, roughly: GPS is fine. Give it a minute in open sky.
- How much you climbed on a walk or ride: the barometer, by far.
- The height of a place, such as your house or a campsite: an elevation map.
- An accurate height as you move: calibrate the barometer at a known height, a summit marker, a trail sign or a map spot height, and let it carry that height with you.
Sea level is not one thing
Heights can be given above the mean sea level, which is what maps and signposts use, or above the ellipsoid, the smooth mathematical shape GPS uses internally. The two differ by up to about 100 metres depending on where you are on Earth. An iPhone reports altitude above mean sea level, with the ellipsoid height available separately, so the number you see is the one that matches the map. If an app or a GPS device disagrees with a signpost by tens of metres in a steady way, this is one thing to check.
The height of your house, or any place
For a fixed place, skip the phone and look it up. In the United States, the USGS Elevation Point Query Service gives the ground height at any point. Elsewhere, national mapping agencies and topographic maps give spot heights. Add about 3 metres for each floor above the ground floor.
Sources
- Apple, Use the compass on iPhone: coordinates and elevation, and their regional availability.
- Apple, CLLocation.altitude (above mean sea level) and ellipsoidalAltitude (above the WGS84 ellipsoid).
- US Government, GPS SPS Performance Standard: vertical against horizontal error.
- USGS, Elevation Point Query Service.
Common questions
How do I see my elevation on iPhone?
Open the Compass app with Location Services on: your coordinates and elevation are at the bottom of the screen. Apple notes they may not be available in every country or region.
Why does my iPhone show a different elevation from the map?
The phone's number comes from GPS or the barometer, both measured where you hold it, while a map gives the height of the ground from a survey. GPS height is often off by tens of metres, and a barometer drifts with the weather unless it is calibrated.
How do I find the elevation of my house?
Use an elevation map rather than the phone: in the US, the USGS Elevation Point Query Service gives the ground height at any point. Then add about 3 metres for each floor above the ground.