Support
Wristwake · last updated 20 October 2026
Contact
Email wristwake.help@icloud.com. Please mention your iPhone and Apple Watch models and what happened.
What you need
- An iPhone 11 or later, or iPhone SE (2nd generation) or later, with iOS 26 or later.
- To be woken as you stir: Apple Watch Series 6 or later, SE (2nd generation) or later, or any Ultra, with watchOS 26 or later, paired with that iPhone, with Wristwake on it, worn to sleep.
- Without a Watch, Wristwake is a plain, reliable iPhone alarm.
Wristwake is made for iPhone and Apple Watch. It isn't designed for iPad or Mac, and waking you early needs an Apple Watch paired with an iPhone.
How the early wake works
- Set your alarm time and turn on "Wake me a little earlier if I'm stirring". Choose how early you may be woken: up to 15 or 30 minutes before (in the Settings tab, or behind the gear on your Watch).
- In those last minutes, your Watch senses wrist movement, and heart rate when it has a reading. When you start to stir, it taps your wrist. Your iPhone stays quiet unless you turn on "Also ring my iPhone at the early tap" (in the Settings tab, or behind the gear on your Watch).
- Not stirring? Your iPhone rings at the time you chose. Wristwake can only wake you earlier, never later.
- Slept through it? Your iPhone repeats 2 and 5 minutes later. This needs notifications on.
- Stop on either device stops the alarm everywhere.
Every night
- Set the alarm on your iPhone or your Watch.
- Then open Wristwake on your Watch once before you sleep. The Watch can only prepare its wake session while the app is on screen. Until then, your iPhone says "Open Wristwake on your Watch" and simply rings at your time.
- An optional bedtime reminder in Settings helps you remember.
Keep your Watch on and charged
- Wear your Watch to bed with enough charge for the night.
- If its battery gets critically low, the Watch stops sensing to save power. Your iPhone still rings at your time.
- If the Watch is off, off your wrist or out of range, your iPhone alarm is already set and still rings.
Free for 7 days, then one payment
- The first time you set an alarm on your iPhone, tap "Try free for 7 days". Until then, your Watch can't set alarms. This is a free App Store item. It never charges you and ends by itself after 7 days.
- In the last two days of the free week, the Alarm and History screens on your iPhone show when it ends and what happens next.
- After the free week, alarms you have already set still ring, but they don't repeat. Setting new alarms needs "Unlock forever": one payment (the App Store shows the price in your country). No subscription.
- Your list of past mornings stays free.
Restore a purchase
Open the Settings tab and tap Restore Purchases (it is also on the unlock screen). Use the same Apple Account you bought with. This also restores the days left in your free week. Reinstalling the app does not restart the free week.
Refunds are handled by Apple at reportaproblem.apple.com.
Something isn't working
- The Watch doesn't show your alarm: on your iPhone, open Settings in Wristwake and tap "Send alarm to Watch again".
- The alarm can't ring: alarms may be turned off for Wristwake. Turn them on in Settings › Apps › Wristwake.
- No repeats after a missed alarm: turn on notifications for Wristwake in the same place.
- Waking early says "Needs an Apple Watch": pair a Watch and install Wristwake on it. Until then, your iPhone rings at your time.
Good to know
Wristwake is an alarm clock. It does not diagnose, treat or monitor any medical condition. Your data stays on your iPhone and Watch: see the Privacy Policy.