Sleep tracking app missing on Apple Watch SE3 without paired iPhone

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Level 1

4 points

Sleep tracking app missing on Apple Watch SE3 without paired iPhone

I just set up a watch SE3 for my daughter via family watches, and she does not have a iPhone herself. I found the watch did not have the sleep track app as it did with mine. After research, I was told that she has to have her own phone to be able to do that, which is ridiculous to me. Anyone else notice it?

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: Apple watch set up as minor via family watches does not have sleep app to track sleep

Apple Watch SE 3

Posted on Oct 5, 2025 10:51 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Ingo2711

Level 10

80,091 points

Oct 6, 2025 1:03 AM in response to qian258

Sleep tracking is not supported if you set up the watch for a family member:

...

The following features and apps are not available: Medications, respiratory rate, irregular heart rhythm notifications, ECG, AFib History, Cycle Tracking, Sleep, Wrist Temperature, Blood Oxygen, Walking Steadiness, Audiobooks, News, Shortcuts, the double tap gesture, and international roaming.

...

copied from: Set up Apple Watch for a family member - Apple Support

You should let Apple know directly about your wishes for future watchOS features by using the Feedback link, as this is the only way to reach them.

The more users do that, the more likely those wishes will be noticed by Apple Techs and maybe added in an upcoming update.

Feedback - Apple Watch - Apple

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Answer 2

Xjxjnm

Level 1

110 points

Oct 5, 2025 11:03 AM in response to qian258

Yep, it’s ridiculous. If they want to wear it to bed they can’t have the sleep working properly. A problem with this is that they can’t set up their sleep focus and can’t have a sleep screen for in bed, causing lots of brightness. The workaround I found was to create a Modular Compact watch face with no complications, so it doesn’t wake anyone up with the brightness.

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