iPhone Acts Crazy while walking/exercising!!

[peachpup]

This issue started a few weeks ago. I average 4 miles-plus walking for exercise everyday. I have iPhone in pocket and Apple Watch on wrist. I use the Adidas Running app - installed on both devices. As I'm walking, my phone starts to dial random people; sending random text messages; and various apps just start opening up - unbeknownst to me until I stop. Then I notice it has tried to call someone; or tried to dial out the SOS emergency number. Or sent a text message or two with crazy characters, at times being vulgar. I will have webpages open in Safari I've never even visited. Again, phone has been in my pocket the entire time; haven't touched it; no visible audio signals, beeps or anything. The people it tries to call or text will respond asking if I tried to call or ask if I'm ok. At first, I thought it was maybe Siri mistaking my "huffs' and "puffs", etc... as trying to call or open an app. So I turned "Hey Siri" completely off. But it still does it. I've been walking everyday for years w/phone in pocket and this recently started happening. Any clues to what could be causing this? Or where to find info? Thx in advance!!

 

[Apple_Robert]

You need to make sure your phone screen is locked and off before putting it in your pocket.

Good job on walking 4 miles a day.

 

[Runs For Fun]

I‘ve had this happen myself. My phone started calling people while it was in the back of my hydration vest while running. It can happen because of tap to wake causing the screen to wake up because of the motion of running (or walking) and any kind of moisture can trigger ”touches”.

 

[BugeyeSTI]

I've found not only do you have to make sure your screen is off and locked but set the phone to lock automatically after a certain amount of time just in case it gets woke during your exercise

 

[peachpup]

You need to make sure your phone screen is locked and off before putting it in your pocket.

Good job on walking 4 miles a day.

Thx. Yes, I always make sure it is locked and off. I double-check everytime. Like I said, have had the phone for almost 3 years - behavior started recently.

 

[peachpup]

I've found not only do you have to make sure your screen is off and locked but set the phone to lock automatically after a certain amount of time just in case it gets woke during your exercise

I have it set to auto-lock after 30 seconds. Would "raise-to wake" cause it? I mean, I have had that setting enabled since owning the phone almost 3 years ago... and only started happening recently. Thx.

 

[Runs For Fun]

Would "raise-to wake" cause it?

It could in the right circumstances as I mentioned above.

 

[peachpup]

I‘ve had this happen myself. My phone started calling people while it was in the back of my hydration vest while running. It can happen because of tap to wake causing the screen to wake up because of the motion of running (or walking) and any kind of moisture can trigger ”touches”.

Thx. I just disabled "tap to wake" in the accessibility settings. Makes sense. But why would have this issue just started a few weeks ago when I've had the phone almost 3 years? Shall see tomorrow. ))

 

[peachpup]

I've found not only do you have to make sure your screen is off and locked but set the phone to lock automatically after a certain amount of time just in case it gets woke during your exercise

yes, I have it set to auto-lock after 30 seconds.

 

[Runs For Fun]

Thx. I just disabled "tap to wake" in the accessibility settings. Makes sense. But why would have this issue just started a few weeks ago when I've had the phone almost 3 years? Shall see tomorrow. ))

Sweating more than normal? Higher humidity? Different clothing? There's a number of things that could create a condition where this could happen.

 

[peachpup]

Thanks to all the quick replies. Impressive. I double-checked it was set to auto-lock. It is - 30 seconds. I disabled "tap to wake" in accessibility settings. That makes sense too. Will see how it goes tomorrow! )) But still don't understand with my current settings, why it would have started a few weeks ago - and everything worked fine up until that point (at least 3 years).

 

[peachpup]

Sweating more than normal? Higher humidity? Different clothing? There's a number of things that create a condition where this could happen.

Of course hotter. More humid. )) But I've taken this phone out on beaches, 90 plus degree heat, high humidity, many times with no issue the past few summers. This is happening in 80 degree, less humid conditions. It's happened when temps are in the low 70's or upper 60s. The thing that is wierd, is it not just one app or two ... it is like 10-12 apps open up or more. Webpages open up to locations I've never heard of. I get notifications from some apps (abnormal notifications). The phone tries to dial people. SOS tried to dial my emergency contacts. iMessages just randomly creates a new message, puts some weird stuff in there and sends. For example, one message went out to a friend asking about "Buckwheat" with a bunch of illegible characers (I kid you not, not being offensive). Another message, different day went to a different friend about an XBox and then illegible characters with mis-spelled curse words in it. All these things happen within ONE session of walking. Also, since I have it locked, the phone should not do this behavior w/Face ID, or ask for a passcode. It just happens automatically. It's happened about 5-6 times the past couple weeks. Never happened before. Thx for the suggestion(s)!

 

[peachpup]

Sweating more than normal? Higher humidity? Different clothing? There's a number of things that could create a condition where this could happen.

And yes, it's HOT bro! )) So my attire is minimal. Ha! Just plain cotton short pants (Champion) w/pockets. Same thing I wear everyday.

 

[sathishps]

This issue started a few weeks ago. I average 4 miles-plus walking for exercise everyday. I have iPhone in pocket and Apple Watch on wrist. I use the Adidas Running app - installed on both devices. As I'm walking, my phone starts to dial random people; sending random text messages; and various apps just start opening up - unbeknownst to me until I stop. Then I notice it has tried to call someone; or tried to dial out the SOS emergency number. Or sent a text message or two with crazy characters, at times being vulgar. I will have webpages open in Safari I've never even visited. Again, phone has been in my pocket the entire time; haven't touched it; no visible audio signals, beeps or anything. The people it tries to call or text will respond asking if I tried to call or ask if I'm ok. At first, I thought it was maybe Siri mistaking my "huffs' and "puffs", etc... as trying to call or open an app. So I turned "Hey Siri" completely off. But it still does it. I've been walking everyday for years w/phone in pocket and this recently started happening. Any clues to what could be causing this? Or where to find info? Thx in advance!!

Hi, did you manage to fix this? I have had this problem too ever since I got iPhone 12 under the same circumstances as you have mentioned. Disabling raise to wake or tap to wake didn’t solve the problem. Anything that lights the screen up while walking (reminders, notifications, calls that you get and answer using Apple Watch) seems to cause - so have shut them all down completely now… but I am no longer sure why I must have an iPhone if it has to be this silent…would be good if there were different profile settings I can set and choose one on-the-go so once I finish walking, I can, at the tap of a single button, return the phone to be fully functional and productive…