You might have noticed in iOS 14 that you can set your iPhone to be more attentive to when you go to sleep and when you wake, and let it try to help you stay consistent by setting a regular alarm for you. These improvements in the Health app’s Sleep section build on previous sleep tracking and wake-up alarms, but add more nuance. This replaces the previous Bedtime feature.
The best place to start now is in the Health app. Tap the Sleep section in Summary (or use Browse to find Sleep settings), tap Sleep Schedule, and then tap the switch. Now you can set parameters, though iOS may suggest them. You can tap Edit Schedule to choose a custom sleep/wake schedule by day or tap Add Schedule for Other Days to create one for days not covered by your existing schedules.
Previously, if you let iOS 14 set a Wake Up alarm for you automatically, it monitored your normal pattern, made a suggestion, and set that. For instance, my phone noticed in pandemic times that I’m typically in bed around 11:30 p.m. and up by 8 a.m., though that varies a bit either direction. In iOS 13, my Wake Up alarm was 8:00 a.m. every weekday. If I turned it off, then it wouldn’t go off on the next weekday or following.
IDGYou can opt in iOS 14 to change your Wake Up alarm for just the following day.
In iOS 14, Apple added a “next day” option that you can reach in two different places:
- In Sleep, tap Edit under the Next section.
- In the Clock app’s Alarm section, tap Change next to the item under Sleep|Wake Up.
The appearance and settings are slightly different in Health and Clock, but both locations let you set a one-day schedule and alarm.
These slight changes make a big difference on any day that you want to have an alarm at other than the normal time, as well as aid you in setting up varying schedules if your weekdays or weekend days don’t all require consciousness at the same times.
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Author: Glenn Fleishman, Senior Contributor
Glenn Fleishman’s most recent books include Take Control of iOS and iPadOS Privacy and Security, Take Control of Calendar and Reminders, and Take Control of Securing Your Mac. In his spare time, he writes about printing and type history. He’s a senior contributor to Macworld, where he writes Mac 911.