Apple Watch gets new Sleep Score feature for better sleep tracking

Apple has added a new Sleep Score feature that gives you a unique number to summarize how well you slept.

It pulls data from your Apple Watch and turns it into a simple note you can check first thing in the morning. This makes it much easier to understand your sleep without sorting through graphs.

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System Requirements for Apple Watch Sleep Score

You need an Apple Watch running watchOS 26 or later paired with an iPhone running iOS 26 or later. This feature was tested on an iPhone 15 Pro Max and Apple Watch Series 11. If you are running older software, update your devices before starting.

iPhone: Settings > General > Software update > Install iOS26

Apple Watch: Watch the app > General >SSoftware update > Install watchOS 26

Apple CEO Tim Cook holds up the new Apple Watch Series 11 during a launch event at Apple Park in Cupertino, California on September 9, 2025. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg)

How to set up sleep tracking on your Apple Watch

It only takes a minute for your Apple Watch and iPhone to work together to monitor your nighttime sleep patterns. Here is how to do it:

• Open the Health app on your iPhone.
• Press the Search icon at the bottom right of the screen, then choose Sleep.
• Faucet To startthen touch Following if you haven’t set it up before. Otherwise, click Sleep Again.
• Scroll to Your schedule and click Add to define your Sleep goal by pressing where it is written BEDTIME And WAKE UP
• Choose the days you want this schedule to be active, then tap Add.
• You can always revise it by clicking To modify.

Once your Apple Watch sleep tracking is set up in the Health app, the sleep score appears on both your watch and your iPhone. You can view your history and see how your habits are changing over time.

How to Check Your Sleep Score on Apple Watch

You can see your sleep score directly on your Apple Watch as soon as you wake up. The score usually appears after around fifteen minutes and gives you a quick overview of how well you slept. Here are the steps:

• Press the Digital Crown to open your applications
• Open it Sleep app
• Tap the i in the circle next to your Sleep score once it appears. Then press the x.
• Use the crown to scroll down to view your Sleep stages, sleep time, And Last 14 days.
• Open it Health app on your iPhone for full charts and history (see below for steps).

This keeps everything quick and easy on your wrist while your iPhone shows the deepest breakdown.

ADAPTIVE POWER IN IOS 26 INCREASES IPHONE BATTERY LIFE

How to Check Your Apple Watch Sleep Score on iPhone

Follow these steps to see your score every morning:

• Open it Health app
• Press the search icon in the lower right corner
• Select Sleep
• Faucet Sleep score
• Faucet Sleep score again to see more details
• Choose Show in charts to track your score over time
• Take W for weeks, Mr. for months, or 6M for six months of history
• Watch below Levels to see how many nights fell in each score range
• Select Elements to check your average duration, bedtime, And interruptions
• Press the information icon to find out what each Sleep Score level means

Apple’s new Sleep Score feature gives users a score each morning to show how well they slept and met their nightly goals. (iStock)

How Your Sleep Score Works

Your Sleep Score is a number out of 100. Apple uses three main factors to determine your final score. Sleep duration provides up to 50 points. Bedtime consistency offers up to 30 points. Interruptions and wake-ups make up the last 20 points. These things combine to show how close you are to your nighttime sleep goals.

When Apple calculates your score, it places you in one of five tiers. These levels help you understand the quality of your rest. They don’t always match how you feel in the morning, but they allow you to track trends over time.

Excellent Your body and mind have likely received the rest needed for the day. With consistency, this level can also support long-term health.

High You may not have slept perfectly, but you got the sleep you needed. Your night was probably restorative and may still benefit your health over time.

ALL RIGHT An OK score often means your body and mind haven’t gotten the rest they need.

Weak A low score means you didn’t have enough time to rest and restore.

Very weak A very low score suggests that your body hasn’t gotten the sleep it needs. If you see this level often, it can affect your mental and physical health.

APPLE LAUNCHES IOS 26.1 WITH MAJOR SECURITY IMPROVEMENTS AND NEW FEATURES FOR IPHONE USERS

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An Apple Watch running watchOS 26 pairs with an iPhone running iOS 26 or later to track nighttime sleep patterns. (Apple)

Kurt’s Key Takeaways

The new Sleep Score makes Apple Watch sleep tracking easier to read and more useful in everyday life. You get a clear number that shows how your routines guide your rest. If you want to quickly check your pulse every morning, this tool makes things simple.

What part of your nighttime routine affects your score the most? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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