Your Apple Watch could soon get a big sleep-tracking upgrade thanks to watchOS 11

It works even when you nap

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

Appledidn’t have enough time at itsWWDC 2024event to talk about every new feature inwatchOS 11. That means that some upgrades are only being spotted now, like the sleep-tracking bonus that one an eagle-eyed user has just discoverd.

According to userjahshua06 on Reddit, watchOS 11 could contain a form of automatic sleep tracking. This feature has apparently appeared in the first developer beta of watchOS 11, which was released on June 10 – the same day asWWDC2024.

The Reddit user explained that “I took a nap yesterday and it looks like that sleep data was recorded.” And it doesn’t appear to be a one-off, as user ruijor chimed in below: “Yes iOS 18 automatically tracks sleep without sleep mode. Finally!”

Prior to the latest software updates, you would need to manually create a sleep schedule on your iPhone orApple Watchfor it to be able to take accurate measurements.

That can be a pain if you drift off to sleep unexpectedly or fall asleep outside your normal defined sleep hours, as often happens when you take a short nap. Now, those concerns could become a thing of the past.

A hidden feature

This new feature is surprising because Apple seems to have made no mention of it during or since WWDC. The company’swatchOS 11 preview pageonly says that thenew Vitals app“establishes a typical range for each of your health metrics collected as you sleep,” while theofficial watchOS 11 press releaseomits any claim of automatic sleep tracking.

That itself is not particularly unusual, as Apple’s software updates are usually so packed with new features that there is neither time nor space for Apple to cover them all. Each year, inquisitive users discover hidden features and find out how they work without any mention from Apple.

Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.

Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.

Right now, watchOS 11 is only available as a developer beta. The public beta is set to be released in July, with the full version launching at some point in the fall.

While it might seem tempting todownload Apple’s software betasto give their new features a try, we recommend you only do so on a secondary device – and never your main device – in case anything goes wrong. It’s also possible that Apple will change or remove this feature before the final release. If it doesn’t, though, it will be great news for the Apple Watch’s sleep tracking abilities.

You might also like

Alex Blake has been fooling around with computers since the early 1990s, and since that time he’s learned a thing or two about tech. No more than two things, though. That’s all his brain can hold. As well as TechRadar, Alex writes for iMore, Digital Trends and Creative Bloq, among others. He was previously commissioning editor at MacFormat magazine. That means he mostly covers the world of Apple and its latest products, but also Windows, computer peripherals, mobile apps, and much more beyond. When not writing, you can find him hiking the English countryside and gaming on his PC.

Your next smartwatch could be battery-free – and powered by your skin

I’m a Garmin expert: here are the 3 Garmin watches I think will get big discounts on Black Friday

NYT Strands today — hints, answers and spangram for Sunday, November 10 (game #252)