In running modes, you can customize two independent settings for Auto Lap and Distance Alerts on your COROS watch. You can have both settings enabled simultaneously, just one, or neither.
Overview
Previously, COROS watches had a single Distance Alert that functioned as both a reminder and a lap marker for a specific distance. This single function has now been split into two separate settings:
- Auto Lap: Alerts you each time you reach a set distance or position, and marks a lap for that distance/position.
- Distance Alert: Alerts you for a specific distance, without marking a lap.
Auto Laps
Best for: Receiving alerts and marking laps simultaneously, for the same distance or position.
Quick summary: Auto Laps perform two functions: 1) they alert you at a specified distance or position, and 2) they create a lap in your activity at a specified distance or position, and begin a new lap on your watch.
During structured workouts, Auto Laps are disabled. The "Lap" function is reserved for moving you from one interval (like a Sprint) to the next (like a Rest).
How to set up: From the activity menu for your run mode, scroll down to Auto Lap. Choose from one of the options below and toggle Auto Lap ON.
- By distance: A lap is recorded every time you cover a set distance. Useful for any session where you want to review regular distance intervals.
- By position: A lap is recorded when you return to a designated GPS location. Three options are available.
- Starting position: Every time you return to where the activity began, the watch counts a lap. Suited for loop courses and circuits where you reach the starting point multiple times.
- Manual lap position: During your activity, press the Lap button to mark a specific location. Every time you return to that GPS location during your run, the watch counts a lap automatically. Useful when your lap point isn't the start, such as the beginning of a hill or the far end of a loop.
- Start + manual lap position: Both locations trigger lap counting. Any time you pass through either the start point or the location where you manually triggered a lap, a new lap is recorded.
Distance Alerts
Best for: Athletes who want to know their splits regularly, without slicing up their activity into multiple laps.
Quick summary: Receive an alert at a specified distance, without marking a lap. Distance Alerts prompt you with an on-screen reminder each time you cover your specified distance interval relative to the overall activity distance, and display your stats for the previous interval. For example, if you create a distance alert for every 1 kilometer, your watch will alert you every 1 kilometer, without marking it as a lap in your activity.
During structured workouts, Distance Alerts work relative to your workout's lap / stage. If you set a 1 mile Distance Alert, it will nudge you every mile within that specific workout block. Crucially, it will still not trigger a lap, so it won't interfere with your workout's programmed steps.
How to set up: From the activity menu for your run mode, scroll down to Activity Alerts and select Distance Alert. Edit the specific distance that you want to receive alerts for, then toggle ON.
You can also customize whether your watch vibrates and beeps for the Distance Alert. (Modifying the settings below will affect all activity alerts, not just Distance Alerts.)
- Tones: System > More Settings > Sounds > Activity Alerts > ON
- Vibrations: System > More Settings > Vibrations > Alert Vibrations > ON
Which setting is best for me?
If you're not sure how to best customize the above settings to fit your preferences, here are some suggested use cases below:
| Scenario | Activity Setting |
| 1 mile / 1 kilometer splits | Auto Lap by Distance |
| Progression run | Auto Lap by Distance |
| Looped course | Auto Lap by Position |
| Hill repeats | Auto Lap by Position |
| Daily runs where you want consistent distance reminders, without segmenting your activity into laps | Distance Alert |
Note: Auto Laps are automatically disabled in structured workouts, since the workout structure takes precedence over additional lap settings.
FAQs
Any upcoming Auto Laps will get "pushed" by each manual lap that you create. You will receive your Auto Lap alert when you reach the distance interval you have configured since the previous time a lap was triggered, including a manual lap.
Distance Alerts are not affected by manual laps during unstructured runs, since Distance Alerts do not actually create a lap in your activity.
For any run recorded on your COROS watch, you have the ability to toggle between multiple lap views. One view is your activity laps (any auto or manual laps recorded during the actual activity, or if none were recorded, no laps will be shown here). Another view is 1 km / 1 mi splits.
During structured workouts, Auto Laps are automatically disabled. The lap function is reserved for moving you from one interval (like a Sprint) to the next (like a Rest). There cannot be multiple "layers" of laps occurring during a workout.
This is not currently possible. You can set up an Auto Lap for one distance (which marks a lap) and a Distance Alert for the other (which does not mark a lap), but you can't record automatic laps for both. As a workaround, you can set up an Auto Lap for the shorter distance (since it reoccurs more often) and create manual laps by pressing your watch's Back/Lap button for the longer distance.