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Pillow Does Not Detect Sleep in Automatic Mode

Updated over 3 weeks ago

If Pillow does not detect and analyze sleep sessions unless you launch it manually please check the following:

Ensure "Background App Refresh" is enabled for Pillow:

  1. Open the "Settings" app on your iPhone.

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

  3. Scroll down to find Pillow and ensure the switch for Pillow is turned ON.

Ensure that your iPhone is not in low battery mode

"Background App Refresh" which is used by Pillow (see above) is controlled by iOS, your iPhone’s operating system. If your iPhone doesn’t have enough battery, iOS may choose not to run any apps that have requested to run in the background to save as much battery as possible. Additionally, if you are using an Apple Watch for sleep tracking, ensure it is adequately charged before the night, as a low watch battery can also interrupt sleep tracking.

Readjust "Background App Refresh"

Pillow uses "Background App Refresh" in order to run in the background to detect and analyze your sleep. However, this process is controlled by iOS and it tries to be as efficient as possible by only allowing the apps that you are most likely to use at any given time during the day to run in the background. Sometimes this process needs to be readjusted. Our recommendation is to launch Pillow around the same time for 5-7 consecutive days to let iOS “learn” that behavior and readjust so that it runs Pillow in the background at the right time.

Manual vs. Automatic Tracking Modes

  1. Open the Pillow app on your iPhone.

  2. Before going to sleep, press the Start button to enable manual sleep tracking.

Configuring Automatic Detection Settings

  1. Open the Pillow app on your iPhone.

  2. Tap the Settings icon in the top-right corner.

  3. Navigate to the Automatic detection section.

  4. Under Sleep Stage Data, ensure you have selected either:

    • Pillow’s algorithm (default option).

    • Apple’s algorithm, if preferred.

Ensuring Proper Apple Watch Usage

  • Verify that your Apple Watch is worn securely and comfortably throughout the night.

  • Check that Pillow has the necessary permissions to access health and motion data.

  • Confirm that your Apple Watch has sufficient battery life for the entire night.

Additional Suggestions

  • Ensure you have the latest version of the Pillow app installed and that your iPhone and Apple Watch are updated to the latest software version.

  • If problems persist, consider restarting your devices and consulting further troubleshooting resources available within the Pillow app.

If the issue persists, please contact our support team to help you.

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