How to Set up and Use Apple Watch Nightstand Mode

Use your watch as an alarm clock

By
Jennifer Allen
Jennifer Allen
Jennifer Allen
Writer
  • Swansea University, Staffordshire University
Jennifer Allen has been writing about technology since 2010. Her work has appeared in Mashable, TechRadar, and many more publications.
lifewire's editorial guidelines
Updated on November 19, 2022

What to Know

  • Set up Nightstand in the Watch app by selecting General > turning on Bedside Mode (Nightstand Mode).
  • Set alarms in the Alarms app on the watch by selecting Add Alarm > turning the digital crown to adjust time > Set.
  • Or to create an alarm on iPhone, open the Watch app > scroll to Clock > turn on Push Alerts From iPhone.

This article explains how to use your Apple Watch at night with Nightstand mode, which turns your watch into a bedside clock.

How to Set up Apple Watch Nightstand Mode

By default, the Apple Watch Nightstand mode should be enabled. Sometimes though, for whatever reason, it has been switched off. Here's how to enable it. 

  1. On your iPhone, open the Watch app.

  2. Scroll down and select General.

  3. Scroll down to Bedside Mode and toggle it on so that the button is green.

    Later versions of watchOS call this option "Nightstand Mode."

    The General heading and Bedside Mode option

While charging, your Apple Watch will always stay in Nightstand mode unless you press the Digital Crown or side button. For all watches before the Apple Watch Series 5, the display will be off until you touch the watch (tapping your nightstand also wakes up the display).

How to Set the Alarm on Apple Watch

In a few simple steps, you can easily set an alarm on your Apple Watch turning it into a nightstand alarm clock. Here's what you need to know.

  1. Open the Alarms app on your Apple Watch.

  2. Select Add Alarm.

  3. Turn the Digital Crown to adjust the time for the alarm.

    If your clock is set to 12-hour, remember to choose AM or PM when setting the time.

  4. Select Set once complete. 

    Adding an alarm on the Apple Watch

    The screen of your Apple Watch slowly gets brighter the nearer it gets to the alarm time.

  5. To set it to repeat on the same day every week, tap on the set alarm, and you can edit how often it goes off via the Repeat button. 

    Repeat options for an Apple Watch alarm

How to Set the Apple Watch Alarm Using Your iPhone

If you'd prefer to set your Apple Watch alarm via your iPhone, the steps are just as simple. Here's how to set an alarm and push it through to your Apple Watch.

  1. Open the Clock app on your iPhone.

  2. Set an alarm by toggling the green switch.

    Alternatively, you can create a new alarm by tapping the plus sign.

  3. Open the Watch app. 

  4. Scroll down to Clock and toggle Push Alerts From iPhone so that it's green.

    Turning on Apple Watch alarms from an iPhone

Tips and Tricks for Apple Watch Nightstand Mode

  • To switch the alarm off from Nightstand mode, press the side button.
  • To snooze the alarm, press the Digital Crown to snooze it for 9 minutes.
  • When the alarm is playing, the numbers on the screen turn yellow to indicate visually that it's time to get up.
FAQ
  • How Do I Turn Off Nightstand Mode?

    On your watch, go to Settings > General > Nightstand Mode and set the switch to the Off position.

  • What Is the Apple Watch Nightstand Mode?

    Nightstand mode (Bedside mode in some earlier models) turns your Apple Watch into a bedside clock. Your Watch goes into Nightstand mode once it's connected to a charger—solely highlighting the time, date, and any alarms you have set. It then goes to sleep waiting for you to tap it whenever you need to see what time it is.

Was this page helpful?