Can’t link your Nike+ sensor to your new iPhone 4? No voice updates? Stops recording run? Here’s the fix
by Justin Horn on Jun 29th, 2010 @ 3:29 pm
I started having some issue with Nike+ on my iPhone 3GS running the iOS 4 betas and even still on the GM. They weren’t show stoppers, but pretty annoying:
- Not getting verbal updates most of the time when pressing the home button
- After stopping to refill my water bottles on long runs, Nike+ clock kept running but would stop counting miles. This would happen if I paused the workout or just left it running
I just accepted the loss of verbal updates and would just end / begin a new workout well it stopped tracking miles. I was excited to try my luck with the iPhone 4 yesterday, but I couldn’t even get it to find my shoe sensor. No matter what the Nike+ app wouldn’t detect my sensor and had to fall back to using my old 3GS.
UPDATE The fix below may also resolve the other issue I mentioned above in addition to just syncing the sensor.
The Fix
After contacting @NikePlus I was told to do a general iPhone settings reset, reset the phone, and try again.
1) Settings > General > Reset (all the way at bottom) > Reset All Settings. This will not remove any data or mess up any stored passwords for apps and such.
2) After the iPhone boots back up, restart it again. To do this press and hold the lock button on the top of the phone and then press and hold the home button…do not let go until you see the black screen with the Apple logo.
3) Once the iPhone boots back, go to Settings > Nike + iPod and click on Sensor to try syncing it again. You may also need to give the little button on the bottom of the sensor a series of quick presses.
The first time I tried the above I still couldn’t connect. So I left the Nike+ settings and returned the home screen. I then pressed the little button a few more times, went back into Nike+ settings, threw the sensor back in my shoe and gave the sync another try. This time around it worked! Hopefully this get’s it going for you as well.
Also, according to reply I received from @NikePlus, Nike and Apple are aware of ALL the issues I’ve highlighted here (included the 3GS ones):
Thanks for the feedback. We and Apple are aware that some users are having both problems. Hoping for a quick fix!
Please keep in mind that Apple is control of creating the app for Nike+, as it requires more access than a standard third party app. So don’t blame Nike, there is nothing they can do directly. They can only work with Apple to get it resolved.
Follow me on Twitter @justin_horn
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This worked a treat! Exactly as described, including the details about clicking the sensor repeatedly. Thanks heaps. I thought I was going to have to pay a visit to the genius bar. You saved me the trip.
Glad I could help!
Yay! This worked for me as well!!! I had to exit the settings, return to the home page, and retry. But it seems to be working. I already bought another sensor thinking it was the battery
Still…I’m just excited it’s working again.
Thanks a bunch!
Hi, I have os4 on my 3GS. I bought Nike+ shoes and sensor/reciever after the upgrade. I have tried this fix, but can’t get even the Nike + iPod app to show. Do you know the cure for me aswell?
Elise, glad this helped you!
Finansmannen, first thing…with the 3GS you only need the sensor in the shoe. The receiver end is only needed for the nano, on the the 3GS it’s built in. Second, you will need to “turn on” the Nike+ app. Just go into settings and scroll down to where you see all the app settings. Find Nike plus and enable it.
Hello again,
Yes, I’ve figured out that I didn’t need the reciever – just the censor. My main problem is that the app doesn’t show under settings. We’re talking settings on the iPhone, not in iTunes, right? Would the app appear if I multiclicked on the censor or anything? Is it downloadable? Thanks in advance for spending the time on this one
Sorry, guess my last sentence in the previous comment got lost with the other sensor stuff. You need to “turn on” the app. It is a built in app that you can’t remove, only turn on and off (hide/unhide) in the settings.
Go into settings and then keep scrolling down till you see the Nike+ app line. Go into it and then move the slider to the on position. Exit out of settings and flip through you home screens (it will put it on the first open spot) until you see the app.
Hm.. It’s not in my iPhone settings at all. That’s what’s bothering me. If I had used the nikeplus app previous to the os4 upgrade, it probably would have been there.
This worked for my iPod touch 2nd gen as well. Thanks!
It appears I have iPhone 3G, not 3GS. Guess I’ll have to do some shopping to get my sensor working..
Thanks worked great!
Yup, Fixed thank you. I went to Settings> Nike+ iPod>Reset Calibration at the bottom> then I pushed the button on the bottom of the sensor about 15 times in a row then i pressed the sensor button on the same screen as reset calibration and it worked.
Thanks and good luck to all
Worked for me! Thanks for saving me an hour of driving to the Apple store.
Worked for me! Thanks
thanks. it happened to me multiple times already. this was really helpful.
thanks so much you are a star , worked a complete treat thank you so much , i was just ready for throwing my trainers through the window ha xx
it worked! yay
Justin, you rock!!
Worked for me, THANKS!
Thank you so much for listing this fix. I was just about ready to take my Nike+ sensor back. You saved me a 40 mile round trip, time and frustration.
(iPod 4th gen)
It worked great. I guess give the pluse to the small button at the bottom of the sensor did the magic.
worked like a charm! i didn’t do any of the iphone setting reset stuff though, just step 3 and if finally recognized it again!
Thank you SO much for the tip! This worked wonderfully … now I can finally use my nike+ sensor for it’s intended use!
Worked great. Thanks!
man dude you’re da best . finally got my nike+ to work again , was worried sick when i wanted to start the run today and i realised the bloody thing could not be sensed . thanks alot buddy , great help .
Thank you so much for the helpful blog! So straightforward and easy to follow and understand!
thanks! this worked, I had to exit out of nike setting once but after that it works!
i have an i-phone 4 for verizon and i’ve done everything you’ve said and it still ahsnt work the only problem i had was trying to restart my i-phone instead it would just shut 0ff and not reboot but i mean i highly doubt thats gunna be the problem why its not working lol so fustrating now i dont even feel like going for my run
This solution was the ticket I needed. Now I can stop cursing Nike+ and the new shoes I bought. Thanks again!!!!
Thanks this worked brilliantly. I have just returned a sensor and got a replacement and it still would not work. Just followed your instructions and now everything is working.
Thanks
Thank you so much for these instructions. I dreaded having to return the new censor. Back on track.
I can’t thank you enough. I already returned one sensor because I could not get it to link with my phone as my earlier one did (that I lost) I did exactly as you instructed and at first it didn’t work. So I went to the actual app instead of under setting tried again and It worked!!!!
Perfect it work perfect!!! Muchas gracias Justin
Saludos desde México..
Thank you so much! I was totally stressing today because I could not get it to work. I followed your steps and it worked like a charm. Thanks again!
Worked like a charm! Thanks!
Yeah, it worked for me too! I had to exit the settings and go back in like you did but it worked the second time. Thanks a bunch!
OK maybe I’m just totally lame but I’ve tried this and it isn’t working. I keep getting to the “remote” button blinking at me. Sometimes I get it to hold but then nothing. I’m at my wits end. I’m ready to return the damn thing. Any other ideas?
oh my gosh thank you soooo much that totally worked !!! I had to press the little sleep button on the back a few times and be in workout mode in the nike plus app but its working again !!! (for now anyway)
Skeptical that this may be a trick and destroy my iPhone 4.. But it worked!!
I was getting quite annoyed because my NIKE+ Sportsband could pick up the sensor but iPhone could not. Thank you so much for sharing the knowledge!
Been on loads of sites with no success getting sensor and iPhone 4 to sync and senor to activate. Like others thought my battery was dead even though it was only a few months old, so bought a new sensor… same issue… really frustrated, then I found your site
Thanks for the advice… it works again!!!
Thanks a lot! That’s really help me!
[...] next day after a few minutes on Google, I came across this article on resetting the settings of the iPhone to get it to work with the sensor. Basically you go into [...]
this tip also helped with the itouch 4 thanks