How do I stop water lock on Sense?

[elmsley]

Just swam for first time with a new Sense. Without my glasses, the screen is slightly blurry. Finished swim but couldn’t stop timer. Now I learn this has an insane water lock. Previously had a charge 3 and Versa 2, easy to stop timer on them, never had a problem.  I read here about pushing side button twice quickly, tapping screen twice, etc.  Which is it?  I ended up in the change room where, after pushing the side button a few times but not in rapid succession, Alexa came on demanding that I ask it something!  Then Alexa wouldn’t go away!  By the time I got the timer stopped, my swim came up as 10 minutes longer than it actually was.  Is there anyway to turn off, or get rid of this absurd water lock?

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[Guy_]

Hi @elmsley  - try drying the the watch and hands first and pressing the button two times as opposed to double press which brings up voice assistant.

You could possibly use voice assistant to stop swimming, worth trying.

You need the lock as otherwise water interaction with the screen will do all sorts of things you don't want. 

[elmsley]

Hi Guy.  Thanks for answering.  I will try pushing the side button twice in 2 days time when I next swim.  At my age, it’s nice to know how my times compare with, say, 6-12 months ago.  Am I deteriorating?  To dry the face, I have to get out of the pool, go to the change room, etc., which throws the time out.  Thanks for explaining how to get the voice assistant, but that could also be a problem with time.  As I read the forum questions, it seems a lot of people are having trouble with this water lock.  My old charge 3 and versa 2 didn’t have it, nor does my wife’s charge 4, but never had any problem swimming with them.  The newer, more expensive tech has created more problems?

[Gr4ndp4 · Accepted solution]

Hi, @elmsley welcome, the process I use daily (having started the "Swim" before getting in the pool and watching the water lock engage) is as follows.

I stand up or clear of the water, I run my thumb over the screen removing and water on the screen, I squeeze the side button twice to stop the timer and then twice again to get "end" /"Resume", I touch "end" to get the "way to go screen". Bear in mind the touch-sensitive screen is sensitive to water and you may have to touch "end" a couple of times to get "way to go", especially if your finger is very wet. I'm pretty proficient at it now, it just needs a bit of patience & practice.

Keep swimming, the best exercise there is.

Cheers

[elmsley]

Hi Gr4ndp4.  Thanks for your reply.  Will definitely give your advice a try at my next swim.  It seems as though the secret is to push the side button twice.  I need my glasses to see the screen clearly, but never had a problem with my versa 2.  During the swim, I could glance at the screen and see how long I had been swimming for.  When I glanced at the sense screen, the timer was at the bottom in small letters that I had trouble reading, and there was some other number and symbol in the middle of the screen, no idea what.  I pushed the side button when I had finished and nothing happened.  I kept pushing it, went to the change room, for some reason got Alexa ( “Guy” explained why above”), asked it to stop the exercise.  Alexa said there was no exercise going on!  When I got home, the Fitbit app told me I had swum for about 5 minutes longer than I had.  Maybe it because I am an old guy, but I am a great believer in “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”.  I had no trouble with the versa 2 

Anyway, from one grandfather to another, thanks for your advice😊.  I will try the thumb wipe, push the button twice, pause, then twice again, look for the “end/resume screen”.  If I can get to that screen, I will have no trouble.

[Gr4ndp4]

Hi, @elmsley, thanks for the feedback, my eyesight not getting better as we advance to the rank of living legends. Remember you can personalise the stats screen for swimming exercise>swim> see the little chevron at the bottom of the start screen & swipe up, you can set the central register (and the other two) to the stats you want, the central register is large & orange much easier to see in the water.

I hope this is helpful.

Cheers