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My Alarm Did Not Go Off
My Alarm Did Not Go Off

Pillow did not wake me up, the alarm did not ring

Updated over a year ago

For Pillow to wake you up with an alarm, you must first start a sleep session either from the iPhone, iPad, or the Apple Watch. Alarms are not available when Pillow tracks sleep automatically.


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Pillow can wake you up using a combination of the following:

  1. Audio alarms from the iPhone or iPad speaker or an external audio device connected to the iPhone

  2. Vibrations from the iPhone

  3. Haptic feedback on the Apple Watch

Here's a list of potential reasons why the alarm might not go off:

The preset you have used did not have alarms enabled.

On the iPhone or iPad:

  1. Open Pillow on your iPhone.

  2. Tap on the alarm clock tab at the bottom.

  3. Swipe to the preset you want to use.

  4. Tap on the options button in the top right corner.

  5. Ensure that the switch for "Alarm" is turned on.

One the Apple Watch:

  1. Open Pillow on the Apple Watch.

  2. Swipe horizontally to view your alarm presets.

  3. Tap on the options button (button with three dots) to edit the options for a preset.

  4. Make sure the switch for "Alarms" is turned ON.

Check Pillow's background refresh permissions.

  1. Open the "Watch" app on the iPhone.

  2. Go to "General" > "Background App Refresh".

  3. If the switch corresponding to Pillow is OFF, turn it to ON. If it's already ON, turn it OFF and then back ON again.

Pillow doesn't have microphone access.

Applicable only if you want audio alarms or vibrations from the iPhone.

Pillow uses the microphone to perform auxiliary sleep analysis and ensure the app stays running during the night. This is required even if you don't use the "Audio recordings" feature.

If Pillow doesn't have permission to access the microphone, iOS might disable Pillow during the night, and the alarm will not go off.

To enable microphone access:

  1. Open the "Settings" app.

  2. Scroll down to locate and tap on Pillow.

  3. Make sure the switch for "Microphone" is enabled.

Make sure your iPhone or iPad is on the charger.

Applicable only if you track with your iPhone or iPad.

Pillow performs processor-intensive tasks that can consume battery. That is why we recommend that you keep your device on the charger during the night. If you don't, iOS might disable apps that run in the background, like Pillow, to preserve battery.

Make sure your Apple Watch has enough battery.

If the Apple Watch doesn't have enough battery, it might fall into "Power Reserve" mode. This will disable some functionalities or apps.

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