Can I Use AutoSleep and the Apple Sleep Together?

Yes. They work completely independently, so you can use both quite happily.

Some customers might like to use both apps, just some parts or turn off the Apple Sleep app completely. It's all up to what suits your sleep habits and tracking best, so we have detailed all the common questions below with helpful instructions.

Note that the Apple Sleep app included Sleep Stages in the WatchOS 9 update, so it is only available to those with an Apple Watch Series 4 or later. AutoSleep still works on all models of Watches.

Using Apple's Sleep Stages in AutoSleep

Apple released Sleep Stages in WatchOS 9. With the release of AutoSleep Version 6.9, AutoSleep has integrated the Apple Sleep Stages data into the AutoSleep app, so you can use all of the amazing features of AutoSleep and view the Apple Sleep Stage data. Users will now have the choice of using (1) AutoSleep Sleep Analysis or (2) Apple Sleep Stages.

Remember you need an Apple Watch Series 4 or higher to view this. To turn on the Apple Sleep Stages data, you can do this in Settings under the Sleep Stages menu, or you can go to the Sleep Session page, accessed from the Today or Clock tab. This has all been documented in detail in the Sleep Stages page here. Don't forget the additional setup requirements too!

What About Accuracy?

AutoSleep has been designed to help you easily evaluate and test which Sleep mode feels better for you, so you use the Apple Sleep Stages data or you can continue with the AutoSleep data. You get all the same great insights in AutoSleep regardless of the mode. The value in both models is in evaluating trends and variances in your personal data over time rather than looking at a single night's data in isolation or comparing to others.

A couple limitations to be aware of using Sleep Stages is that it will not automatically track naps and has no lights-off functionality which means some limitations in how it tracks time in bed.

We always believe more options are better than none! So AutoSleep is now fully integrated with the Apple Sleep Stages app, refer here for more information.

Does Apple's Sleep App Track Sleep Automatically?

No. You need to do these things to capture basic sleep metrics:

• Turn on 'Track Sleep with Apple Watch' in the Watch app on your iPhone. This is found under the Sleep menu item in the Watch app on your iPhone.

• Setup a Sleep Focus mode (if it doesn't already exist) by going into your iPhone Settings app, then into Focus. Apple explain all things about Focus in their official support document here.

• Turn on Sleep Focus mode on your Apple Watch before you go to sleep (this is every sleep session). Note that the Apple Sleep app will never know precisely when you went to bed unlike AutoSleep and using Lights Off.

• Additionally, if you would like to use Apple's Sleep Schedules, these can be setup by going into the Health app on your iPhone, go into the Browse tab, tap on Sleep and then into Schedules. Schedules is not part of the sleep metrics but rather aimed at improving a users sleep behaviour by wind down functions. AutoSleep however takes this to the next level, using advanced sleep bank and latest bedtime reminders based on not just your sleep duration, but your actual sleep quality.

Which Watches Work to Track Sleep?

AutoSleep supports all models of Apple Watch. However Apple Sleep schedules requires WatchOS 7 which is available only for Apple Watch Series 3 and above. Additionally, Apple's Sleep Stages require Watch OS 9 and above which is available only for Apple Watch Series 4 and higher. Apple do not support Apple Watch Series 3 and under for Watch OS 9.

Health App Sleep Summary. What Do I Do?

One thing to consider is which app you want to use in the Apple Health app Summary views (this is only if you use the Apple Health Summary and Graph views - see below image showing the views). Both sleep apps work independently of each other, however the Health graphs can only show one primary source. Refer to below steps to setup AutoSleep as the primary source, but remember this only impacts the Health summary graphs, it makes no difference in using both apps.

Setting Apple Health Summary Views

Steps to follow if you would like to set AutoSleep metrics to show in Health Summary views:

• Open the Health app on your iPhone (its the little red heart icon app)

• Select Sleep in Health on the Browse tab, then scroll all the way to the bottom.

• Select Data Sources & Access.

• Then Edit in the top right corner of the screen.

• Scroll to the bottom to view a list where you can move AutoSleep to the top by touching and dragging the side bars next to the app name. This will give AutoSleep precedence for sleep tracking in the Health Summary views. Just make sure AutoSleep is above your Watch and iPhone options.

Remember - AutoSleep uses its own tracking so this setting only affects Apple Health summary views.

Will My Data Be Duplicated in Health?

No. As both apps work separately you don't have to worry about seeing duplicated sleep data if you have read/write permissions to both apps. Just refer to the point above in setting the primary sleep data to assist with Health Summary views and potentially avoid confusion.

I Don't Use Apple Health Summary - Can I Just Continue Viewing AutoSleep?

Of course. No changes are required if you continue to use AutoSleep for viewing your metrics. Not too mention you get far superior sleep graphs and trend views in AutoSleep too.

I Want To Use Apple's Sleep App and Sleep Stages but view it all in AutoSleep

Easy. Refer to the Sleep Stages page here where we have documented all this up in detail.

I Want To Use Apple's Sleep Schedules & Wind Down - But Use AutoSleep For My Sleep Metrics

This is a great example of using both apps together, but be careful of the sleep schedule options and setup. You just need enable and disable some settings in the (1) Watch Settings and (2) Sleep Schedules Settings. Steps for each are detailed below.

(1) Watch Settings

• Open the Watch Settings on your iPhone (its a Watch icon)

• Select 'Sleep' from the list of apps

• Toggle off 'Track Sleep with Apple Watch'

• In Watch OS 7, make sure 'Turn On Automatically' is on. This will start the wind down

• In Watch OS 9, go into 'Manage Sleep Focus in Settings' then tap into Sleep Schedules. Here you can turn on Schedules and set the Wind Down period

• Remember for those with multiple Watches, to do this from the Watch you wear to bed. If you wear both Watches to bed, apply the same settings to both.

(2) Sleep Schedules Settings

• Open the the Health App on your iPhone (its a red heart icon)

• Select Browse from the bottom menu and then 'Sleep' from the list of categories

• Scroll all the way to the bottom and select 'Full Schedule & Options'

• Make sure 'Sleep Schedule' is on. This will start the Apple Wind Down functionality, putting your devices into 'do not disturb' and so on.

• We highly recommend turning off the option called 'Use Schedule for Sleep Focus'. If this is on Sleep Focus will turn on and off at the scheduled set times, so you might find it turns off Sleep Focus while you are still asleep if you slept past your wake schedule, resulting in missed/incorrect data. This especially catches out users on weekends. The easiest solution is to turn this off and just turn Sleep Focus on and off manually as needed.

• Toggle Off 'Track Time in Bed with iPhone'

Using Multiple Watches To Track Sleep?

This is fine and no changes are required with AutoSleep. With the Apple Sleep app any changes in the Watch Settings (the Watch icon app on your iPhone), remember to apply it to the other Watch if you use both for sleeping. If you do wear the same Watch every time for sleeping, then Apple have setup a 'Don't use this Watch for Sleep' option in Settings.

Can I Turn Off The Apple Sleep Watch Face at Night?

By default, with Sleep Focus mode enabled, you need to hold in the digital crown to remove the sleep watch face. This is a pain if you like to track your sleep during the night when you wake up as you can glance at the AutoSleep complication on your Watch. Luckily there is an option in the Sleep Focus settings, under options called 'Sleep Screen'. Steps:

• Go into Settings on your iPhone and open Focus

• Tap into Sleep

• Scroll down to Options in customise screens (note their are multiple 'Options' button on this page)

• Turn off the Sleep Screen switch

There are also some settings on the Watch. In your Apple Watch, go into the general Settings (the grey cog). Scroll down and tap on Sleep. You will some switches to turn on/off the Sleep Screen and also Show Time. See below:

How Do I Turn Off Apples Sleep App and Just Use AutoSleep

You can easily turn off the Apple Sleep app. It is similar to the steps above in the Watch Settings and Health Settings but we are going to disable all the options instead of just the select few. Follow these steps:

• Open the Watch Settings App on your iPhone (its the app with an image Watch icon)

• Select 'Sleep' from the list of apps

• Toggle OFF all the options 'Track Sleep with Apple Watch' and 'Charging Reminders'

• Go to the Health app on your iPhone

• Go into the Browse tab and Sleep and into Full Schedules and Toggle OFF the 'Sleep Schedule' option

You have now disabled the Apple Sleep app. Remember for those with multiple Watches, to do this from the Watch you wear to bed. If you wear both Watches to bed, apply the same settings to both.

My iPhone & Watch Automatically Apply a 'Do Not Disturb', How Do I Turn Off?

This happens if you are using the Apple Sleep app wind down feature, but you can disable it. Similar to the section above we need to disable the Apple Sleep app functions that relate to the wind down feature. Follow these steps:

• Go to the Health app on your iPhone

• Go into the Browse tab and Sleep and into Full Schedules and Toggle OFF the 'Sleep Schedule' option

• Remember for those with multiple Watches, to do this from the Watch you wear to bed. If you wear both Watches to bed, apply the same settings to both

I Stopped Getting Notifications After Turning on the Apple Sleep app?

Exact same scenario as the above question, the Apple Sleep app will apply the wind down feature which turns on Do Not Disturb automatically so you get no notifications around your bed time depending on the sleep schedule you setup. But you can allow notifications from AutoSleep. Follow these steps:

• Open the the Settings app on your iPhone

• Select 'Focus' from the list

• Go into the Sleep Focus item that is setup

• In the Apps section, tap and allow notifications from AutoSleep

Can I Use The Apple Sleep Watch Face at Night and Use AutoSleep

Short answer is Yes.

If you turn on Sleep Focus Mode manually via the Watch controls or it automatically turns on via a sleep schedule, this will lock your Watch, display the Sleep Mode screen and put into do not disturb. So if you wanted to look at AutoSleep metrics or live tracking on your Watch, you would need to unlock the Watch by holding in the digital crown each time (or spinning depending on your Watch OS version). Not ideal but its workable if you have AutoSleep on the front complication as it will show once you unlock the Watch. The good thing is that leaving in sleep mode and just unlocking will automatically apply the lock again once you view the AutoSleep complication, so you can safely get back to sleep!

Can I Use The Apple Sleep Watch Face With Apples Sleep Schedule Turned Off

Yes. The only difference here is that you will need to manually turn on the Sleep Focus Mode function from the Watch controls (see the bed icon below). Once tapped, it will automatically put the Watch into sleep mode with 'do not disturb' turned on. You will need to hold/spin the crown to unlock.

Focus Sleep Settings

With WatchOS 8 and above Apple introduced Focus which lets you customise different 'do not disturb' activities like working or sleeping. Note that the Focus app is different to the Sleep Schedules above. The Sleep Mode in Focus is worth exploring to see the different customisations available. To open Focus:

• Go into Settings on your iPhone

• Tap into Focus

• Tap into Sleep

You then have different options such as starting sleep mode from your iPhone and allowing notifications for specific apps during sleep mode.

Not Seeing Sleep Focus Icon?

Provided you have iOS 15 or higher and WatchOS 8 and above installed, you may need to go and setup the Sleep Mode in the new Focus app. This is found by going into your iPhone Settings, then into Focus. If you cannot see a Sleep option you have to select the + (add) icon and add in the default sleep mode. Here is the official Apple link for more details, as this is all controlled by the Focus app:

https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT212608

Setting up Shortcuts in Sleep Mode

If using both AutoSleep and Apple Sleep, shortcuts can help with making AutoSleep available on the lock screen or showing your sleep stats at wake time. We have an entire section in the Shortcuts page explaining how to do this, along with getting started with shortcuts if you haven't used them before. So when the Apple sleep mode locks my iPhone, I can still use 'Lights Off' to trigger AutoSleep from the locked screen, or when I wake up I can easily access 'Sleep Rings' to see how I slept.