Rowing Apps That Work With Erg Screenshots
By the Watta Team · Updated
Which Rowing Apps Can Read an Erg Screenshot?
Watta is purpose-built for screenshot and photo capture: take a picture of your erg monitor after the workout, or upload an existing screenshot or photo from your camera roll, and the app extracts the workout data automatically using AI OCR. The mainstream alternatives take different approaches — ErgData connects to the PM5 over Bluetooth during the session, and the Concept2 Logbook accepts manual entry or ErgData sync. If your workout data only exists as a photo on your phone — a common situation after gym sessions, club training, or borrowed machines — a screenshot-reading app is the only way to log it without retyping every number.
How Does Screenshot Logging Work?
After your piece, open the app and either photograph the monitor or pick a screenshot from your gallery. The image is compressed on your phone (to 1024px JPEG) so upload is fast even on gym Wi-Fi, then an AI vision model reads the screen layout: total distance, total time, average split, stroke rate, and per-interval rows if the Memory or interval screen is showing. The extracted values are shown for review before saving, so you can correct anything the photo obscured. From there the workout is scored, added to your history and personal bests, and synced to Strava if connected.
What Data Gets Extracted From the Photo?
From a standard PM5 results screen: total distance in metres, total time, average split per 500m, and average stroke rate. From the Memory or interval detail screens: per-interval distance, time, split, and rate, so a 6x500m session imports as six intervals rather than one blob. Heart rate data comes from your paired watch or strap rather than the photo. Anything the OCR is unsure about is flagged for a quick manual check rather than silently guessed.
When Is a Screenshot Better Than Bluetooth?
Bluetooth capture is great when you remember to pair before the piece — but that is exactly its weakness. Screenshot capture wins when the workout already happened: you forgot to connect, the gym erg is not yours, your phone stayed in a locker, or a crewmate sent you a photo of the screen. It also covers machines and situations live-sync apps cannot: any PM5 machine (RowErg, SkiErg, BikeErg) without setup, and older photos sitting in your camera roll from weeks ago. Many rowers use both: live data when planned, screenshots for everything else.
Tips
- +Fill the frame with the monitor and avoid glare — straight-on photos read most accurately.
- +For interval sessions, photograph the Memory screen so per-interval splits import individually.
- +Old screenshots work: upload from your gallery weeks later and the workout logs with full data.
- +Review the extracted numbers before saving — OCR flags low-confidence fields for you.
Further Reading
- Concept2 Training Resources — Official training guides and workout of the day from Concept2.
- British Rowing — Indoor Rowing — Training plans and resources from the national governing body.
- Concept2 Rankings — Global erg rankings by distance, age, and weight category.
Frequently Asked Questions
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