Is your Apple Watch not tracking sleep as usual? Don’t worry; it’s a minor problem that could occur due to outdated software, sensor malfunctions, or incorrect settings. Here’s how you can fix it.
First, ensure that sleep tracking and wrist detection features are enabled. If they’re on, check the primary data source in the health app and remove third-party sleep-tracking apps. You can also reset fitness calibration data, disable track time in bed, or update watchOS and iOS. If nothing works for your watch, you can get help from a repair Apple Watch shop.
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Methods to Resolve Sleep Tracking Issues on Apple Watch
Here are some easy solutions to make your Apple Watch track sleep smoothly again:
1. Turn on Sleep Tracking
The Sleep Tracking feature must be enabled for your Apple Watch to track your sleep. To verify, follow these steps:
- On your Apple Watch, open the “Settings” app.
- Scroll down and tap the “Sleep” option.
- Toggle “Sleep Tracking” to the “On” position.
After that, confirm the settings on your iPhone by following these steps:
- Launch the “Watch” app on your paired iPhone.
- Access the “Sleep” option from the settings.
- Turn on the “Track Sleep with Apple Watch” option.
2. Turn on Wrist Detection
Movement and heart rate sensors help in monitoring the sleep cycle. For precise sleep tracking, you must wear your Apple Watch on the wrist with Wrist Detection enabled. Here’s how to do that:
- Launch the “Settings” app on the device.
- Click on “Passcode” and enter the passcode.
- Toggle the “Wrist Detection” to on.
3. Set Primary Data Source in the Health App
Your Apple Watch should be the primary device that captures sleep metrics on the Health app. To set up your Apple Watch as the primary data source, do the following:
- Open the “Health” app on your iPhone.
- Tap the “Browse” tab in the bottom-right corner.
- Choose “Sleep” from the list.
- Scroll down and tap the “Data Sources & Access” option.
- Tap “Edit “in the top-right corner.
- Drag the “Apple Watch” option to the top of the list.
- Lastly, hit “Done” to set it as a primary source.
4. Remove Third-Party Sleep Apps
Sometimes, third-party apps can clash with Apple’s built-in Health app, which results in inaccurate tracking. To eliminate this issue, delete third-party sleep apps from your Apple Watch.
- First of all, launch the “Watch” app on the iPhone.
- Open the “My Watch” tab and scroll to the “Installed on the Apple Watch” option.
- Tap on the sleep-tracking app you want to delete.
- Lastly, disable the “Show App on Apple Watch” option to delete it.
5. Reset Fitness Calibration Data
Incorrect calibration of your Apple Watch sensors may cause errors in sleep tracking. Follow these steps to reset Apple Watch calibration data:
- Initially, launch the “Watch” app on your iPhone.
- Next, tap “Privacy” in the “My Watch” tab.
- Now scroll down, select “Reset Fitness Calibration Data,” and confirm the action.
6. Disable Track Time in Bed with iPhone
For some users, the Sleep section of their Health app causes problems with their Apple Watch sleep tracking. To fix the problem, you can disable the feature.
- To do this, open the “Health” app on your iPhone.
- Next, select the “Browse” tab, then select the “Sleep” option.
- After that, hit the “Full Schedule & Options” widget.
- Finally, move down and disable the “Track Time in Bed with iPhone” option.
7. Update iOS and WatchOS
Software bugs can interfere with sleep tracking. Updating your iPhone and Apple Watch to the latest iOS and watchOS operating systems will fix the problem.
Steps to update iOS on the iPhone:
- First, launch “Settings” and then tap the “General” option.
- Next, select the “Software Update” option.
- When prompted, tap “Download and Install” to install the update.
Steps to update watchOS on Apple Watch:
- Start by moving into “Settings” of your Apple Watch.
- Then, choose “General” and select the “Software Update” option.
- Next, tap “Install” to update to the latest version.
Why Is My Apple Watch Not Tracking Sleep?
- Sleep Tracking Not Activated: Sleep tracking may not be activated on your Apple Watch or even within the Health app.
- Poor Fitting: Sometimes, a poorly adjusted or loose watch strap prevents the sensors from correctly capturing sleep data.
- Low Battery: If the battery level hits too low or is discharged overnight, sleep tracking will no longer be functional.
- Old Software Version: Using an outdated version of the watch OS or iOS version can lead to sleep-tracking problems.
- Sensor Failure: Dirty, broken, or worn-out sensors will limit their sensitivity to measure sleep.
Conclusion
To summarize, the Apple Watch sleep tracking feature stops working properly due to outdated software, incorrect settings, or sensor failures. But you can fix the problem by applying the right method. In the above guide, we have discussed some authentic methods, including enabling the Sleep Track and Wrist Detection option.
You can set the Health app as the primary data source and remove other third-party apps. Moreover, resetting Fitness Calibration Data and updating iOS and Watch OS can resolve sleep-tracking issues. If nothing works for your watch, you can get help from professional technicians. They can repair Apple Watch using the right equipment and solutions.