Methods and apparatus are described herein for calibration and correction of non-constant sensor errors, and in particular non-constant compass errors, that are based in part on changing software and hardware modes of a host device. The non-constant errors induced in the sensor by each mode and combination of modes is determined in a calibration that may be determined during pre-production testing of one or more host devices. The calibration results can be incorporated into software and/or hardware of the host device. During normal operation, a sensor correction can be applied to sensor measurements based in part on the active mode or combination of modes.