Frequently Asked Questions

Common Issues with the App

HRV and Health

Common Issues with the App

Not Receiving Stress Alerts on Your Watch

Due to inherent delays within the watchOS, it's normal to experience occasional notification delays or to see notifications relegated to the red dot indicator.

If your watch and phone are both displaying stress data accurately and can refresh this data automatically, but you're not receiving notifications about stress data updates on your watch, try the following solutions:

Firstly, ensure both your phone and watch have the StressWatch app installed, and both can display accurate stress data.

If your phone and watch display health data correctly but you still aren't receiving notifications, it could be due to one of the following five reasons, which we'll troubleshoot one by one:

1. Check if notifications are enabled on your phone

Go to iOS Settings - StressWatch and check if notifications are turned on.

2. Check if notifications are enabled on your watch

Open the StressWatch app on your watch, tap the settings icon in the lower left corner, and ensure all notifications are enabled.

3. Check if Background App Refresh is enabled on your phoneGo to iOS Settings - StressWatch - Background App Refresh - Turn it on

  • Note: If this toggle is greyed out, meaning you can't turn it off or on, it's not properly enabled. In this case, go to iOS Settings - General - Background App Refresh, allow overall refresh, and ensure StressWatch is also turned on here.
  • That is, ensure both "iOS Settings - StressWatch - Background App Refresh" and "iOS Settings - General - Background App Refresh / StressWatch" are turned on.
  • StressWatch's background refresh is only used when syncing HRV heart rate variability data and uses minimal battery, so it's safe to keep it enabled.

4. Check if Background App Refresh is enabled on your Apple Watch

On your Apple Watch, go to Settings - General - Background App Refresh. This needs to be enabled overall, and specifically for StressWatch too.

5. Ensure neither your phone nor watch is in any special mode

This includes, but is not limited to, Low Power, Sleep, Focus, Work, Theater, or Do Not Disturb modes, as these can prevent notifications from being delivered properly.

Lastly, try reinstalling StressWatch and restarting your Apple Watch

If the issue persists, consider reinstalling the app or restarting your watch. This is particularly relevant for watchOS 10 users, due to numerous official bugs with watchOS 10. If all settings are correct, a restart generally resolves the issue.

Note

  • After trying all the above solutions, including reinstalling the app and restarting your devices, if you still don't receive stress notifications, please send the following information to badideas100@hotmail.com: Screenshots of the iOS Settings - StressWatch page, the StressWatch home page showing today's stress trend, and your phone and watch models and OS versions (e.g., iPhone 15 + iOS 17.1 + S9 + watchOS 10.1). We will document the issue and address it in subsequent product updates.

Trouble adding a new watch face or widget

When adding new watch faces to your Apple Watch, there are two essential requirements that must be met:

  1. The StressWatch app must be installed on your watch.
  2. Your watch's operating system must be either watchOS 9 or watchOS 10.

If these conditions are not met, please install the StressWatch app via the Watch app on your iPhone and upgrade your watchOS to version 9 or 10.

If you've met the above criteria, please continue reading. Due to compatibility issues with official watchOS versions, you may encounter the following problems on certain system versions:

  • The error message "Complications Unavailable" appears, preventing the addition of new watch faces.
  • After adding a watch face, some faces do not display.
  • Issues occur while modifying watch faces within the iPhone's Watch app.

To address this, we recommend manually adding complications directly on your Apple Watch (rather than using your iPhone) to ensure the watch components function correctly: Long press on the watch face that allows complications – Tap "Edit" – Swipe left to the "Complications" section – Tap the slot where you wish to add/replace a complication – Select the corresponding StressWatch complication. If the watch face still doesn't appear, try restarting your Apple Watch to resolve the issue.

After attempting all suggested solutions, including reinstalling the app and restarting your device, if the watch face still displays incorrectly, please provide the following information to badideas100@hotmail.com:

Screenshots or photos of the StressWatch face selection screen on your watch + Screenshots or photos of the StressWatch face on your watch + Model and system version numbers for both your phone and watch (e.g., iPhone 15 + iOS 17.1 + S9 + watchOS 10.1). We will document the issue and address it in subsequent product updates.

Watch Faces Don't Automatically Update

Due to system limitations on the Apple Watch, all watch faces experience some delay, with a 15-minute lag considered normal. If you've received a notification alert and the watch face hasn't refreshed for several hours, or if it only refreshes when you open the watch app, please check the following to ensure everything is working correctly:

  1. Can your phone and watch app access HRV (Heart Rate Variability) data? If not, check these settings:

    • On your iPhone, grant StressWatch access: Go to iOS Settings > Privacy & Security > Health > StressWatch and enable access to all data.
    • On your Apple Watch, grant StressWatch access: Go to Settings > Health > Data Sources & Access > Apps & Services > StressWatch and turn on access to all data.

  2. Is your watch receiving stress alert notifications? If not, this video tutorial can help solve the issue: StressWatch Notification Fix Tutorial (long-press to open the link or copy it to your browser).

  3. Ensure Background App Refresh is enabled on your Apple Watch: Go to Apple Watch > Settings > General > Background App Refresh, and make sure it's turned on for StressWatch. Although Apple states this doesn't affect automatic watch face updates, tests show it might.

  4. If all the above are in order and your watch face still won't refresh automatically, try restarting your watch. This is a common issue with watchOS 10 due to its instability.

If you've tried all the above methods, including reinstalling the app and restarting your devices, and the watch face still doesn't update, please send the following information to badideas100@hotmail.com:

  • Screenshots of the iOS Settings for StressWatch.
  • Screenshot of Background App Refresh settings on your Apple Watch.
  • Model and OS versions of your phone and watch (e.g., iPhone 15 + iOS 17.1 + S9 + watchOS 10.1).

We'll document the issue and address it in future product updates.

Can the HRV Monitoring Frequency on the Watch Be Adjusted?

Under normal conditions while wearing an Apple Watch, the device automatically measures your HRV (Heart Rate Variability) approximately every 2 to 5 hours. However, automatic HRV measurements won't occur if your watch is in low power mode or if you're using the Workout app to record an exercise session. Therefore, actual data collection can vary daily based on your specific activities and watch status.

Currently, the frequency of HRV monitoring on the Apple Watch is determined by the watch itself, and developers do not have the ability to adjust this monitoring frequency.

However, for users in most countries (except mainland China), you can force your Apple Watch to check your HRV every 15 minutes to increase the monitoring frequency by:

  1. Turning on the AFib (Atrial Fibrillation) history feature in the Apple Health app under Heart.
  2. Then enabling AFib History in the Watch app under Heart section.

Be aware that this method will consume more battery than usual, cannot be enabled in mainland China, and is currently the only way to increase the HRV monitoring frequency of the Apple Watch.

Can the HRV Monitoring Frequency on the Watch Be Adjusted?

Under normal circumstances, the Apple Watch automatically measures your HRV (Heart Rate Variability) every 2-5 hours. However, if your watch is in low power mode or if you've started a workout record, it won't measure HRV during these times. Thus, the actual data collection can vary daily based on specific circumstances.

Currently, the frequency at which the Apple Watch measures HRV is determined by the watch itself. Developers do not have the ability to adjust this monitoring frequency.

However, if you are outside mainland China, you can force the Apple Watch to measure HRV every 15 minutes by:

  1. Turning on the AFib (Atrial Fibrillation) History feature in the Apple Health app under Heart.
  2. Enabling AFib History in the Watch app under Heart.

Be aware that this method consumes more battery than usual. It cannot be enabled in mainland China and is the only way to increase the HRV measurement frequency on the Apple Watch.

The Watch Won't Automatically Collect HRV Stress Data

The Apple Watch typically measures HRV approximately every 2-5 hours. If your Apple Watch hasn't automatically recorded HRV for several days, it might be due to the following reasons:

  1. The watch should be running watchOS 8 or higher.
  2. The watch should be paired with an iPhone 6s or newer.
  3. The iPhone should be running iOS 13 or higher.
  4. You cannot be in workout recording mode all the time; HRV data cannot be recorded in this mode.
  5. If you've upgraded to watchOS 9, your Apple Watch might have Low Power Mode enabled. Low Power Mode turns off all background heart rate measurements, including HRV. Please turn off Low Power Mode to ensure automatic HRV measurement.

If you've checked all the above and still can't automatically record HRV, look for recent data in Health > Heart > Heart Rate and HRV. If there's no recent data despite wearing the Apple Watch for an extended period, ensure your Apple Watch is properly paired with your iPhone. If pairing is correct and there's still no heart rate or HRV data collected in the Health app over a long period, consider contacting Apple Support for assistance.

Inconsistencies Between Watch and Phone Interpretations of the Same Value

Normally, the watch and phone automatically sync their stress interpretation standards. However, due to connectivity limitations with the Apple Watch, manual synchronization might sometimes be necessary. If you notice inconsistencies in stress interpretations between your watch and phone for the same value, it's likely due to a temporary lack of synchronization.

To resolve this, update the app to the latest version. On the watch app's home screen, tap the "i" icon in the top left corner, scroll down, and tap "Sync" for stress standards. Follow the instructions to open the phone app and click update.

“Sync Failed” or ”Sync Timeout” on StressWatch watch app

To ensure consistent interpretation of the same HRV (Heart Rate Variability) value on both your watch and phone, it's essential to sync the stress standards. The phone serves as the accurate standard, and the watch will synchronize with the phone to maintain consistency.

Here are some problems that may lead to "sync failure" and their solutions:

Problem 1: You've just started wearing the watch or have worn it for only a few days without sufficient historical data, or you haven't worn the watch at all in the past 30 days.

Solution: Wear the watch for an extended period over several days. Once you see HRV data updates in the StressWatch app and the "Average HRV over the last 30 days" appears on the homepage, try updating again.

Problem 2: The watch and phone are not properly connected.

Solution: Ensure that your phone and watch are connected via Bluetooth.

Problem 3: The phone and watch fail to read health information correctly.

Solution: Make sure the app on your phone has completed the onboarding process and you can view data on the homepage normally. If data cannot be accessed, check:

  • On the phone: Go to iOS Settings > Privacy & Security > Health > StressWatch to ensure all data categories are enabled.
  • On the watch: Go to Apple Watch > Settings > Health > Data Sources & Access > Apps & Services > StressWatch to ensure all data categories are enabled.

Problem 4: The phone and watch are in any special modes, including low power, sleep, Do Not Disturb, theater, or focus modes.

Solution: Turn off all special modes.

Problem 5: The StressWatch app's background refresh is not enabled on both the phone and watch.

Solution: Verify and enable all the following settings:

  • In iOS Settings > General > Background App Refresh, check if this feature is enabled and specifically for StressWatch.
  • In iOS Settings > StressWatch, ensure Background App Refresh is enabled. Both settings must be enabled.
  • In Apple Watch Settings > General > Background App Refresh, ensure this feature is enabled for StressWatch.

Problem 6: The StressWatch app is not open on your phone during the update.

Solution: When syncing on your watch, ensure the StressWatch app is actively open on your phone's homepage and not in sleep mode. The app must be fully onboarded and granted health data access.

Problem 7: After checking problems 1-6, if syncing still fails, it may be due to cache issues.

Solution: Restart the StressWatch app on your Apple Watch (For watchOS 8, 9, press the side button below the Digital Crown. For watchOS 10, double-click the Digital Crown, swipe up to close the app in the background) or restart your Apple Watch and try again.

If after trying all the above methods (including reinstalling the app and restarting devices), you still experience failure in updating the stress standard, or if you've been wearing the watch for a long time and the homepage still doesn't show "Average HRV over the last 30 days," please provide the following information to badideas100@hotmail.com:

A screenshot of the StressWatch app homepage on your phone, plus the model and system versions of both your phone and watch (e.g., iPhone 15 + iOS 17.1 + S9 + watchOS 10.1). We'll log the issue and address it in subsequent product updates.

Persistent Health Permission Prompts in Watch or Phone App

To ensure the StressWatch app functions correctly, both your phone and watch must grant access to all required data:

  • On your iPhone, grant StressWatch access: Go to iOS Settings > Privacy & Security > Health > StressWatch and turn on all data access (If StressWatch isn't listed, it's an issue with the iOS system. Try reinstalling the app or restarting your phone).
  • On your Apple Watch, grant StressWatch access: Check Settings > Health > Data Sources & Access > Apps & Services > StressWatch and enable all data access.
  • In the Apple Health app, go to the second tab > Sharing > Apps & Services and confirm whether there's one or multiple entries for StressWatch. Ensure all data permissions are enabled for each.

If you're still getting prompts to enable health permissions, try restarting the app or reinstalling StressWatch, and then restart both your phone and watch.

If the issue persists, please send the following information to badideas100@hotmail.com:

  • A screenshot of the StressWatch app homepage.
  • The model and OS versions of your phone and watch (e.g., iPhone 15 + iOS 17.1 + S9 + watchOS 10.1). We'll document the issue and address it in future product updates.

Unable to Install StressWatch on the Watch

First, ensure your watch is running watchOS 8, 9, or 10, as versions below 8 are incompatible.

If the watchOS is compatible, try to find and install StressWatch through the Watch app on your iPhone.

  • Note: Due to some Apple official bugs, you might not find StressWatch. If so, restart your phone and watch, or update the system to the latest version.

If the installation fails, try installing another app that requires an Apple Watch. If that also fails, check for:

  • Wi-Fi or mobile data connection issues (settings might restrict downloads to Wi-Fi only).
  • Bluetooth connectivity problems between your phone and watch.
  • Special modes enabled (like Low Power, Do Not Disturb, Sleep, or Theater Mode) — disable them.
  • The watch screen isn't unlocked.

Given delays between the iPhone and Apple Watch, if installation doesn't work immediately, we recommend checking the above issues and trying again later.

If all other apps can be installed except for StressWatch, and you've tried waiting, restarting both devices, and ensuring no other issues are present, please send the model and OS versions of your phone and watch (e.g., iPhone 15 + iOS 17.1 + S9 + watchOS 10.1) to badideas100@hotmail.com for further assistance.

Trouble Accessing Articles in the App

Articles in the StressWatch app require an internet connection. Please ensure StressWatch is allowed network access in iOS Settings > StressWatch. If access issues persist, try switching your network. If your network is the problem, send your signal type, carrier, and location (e.g., "Mobile 5G + Carrier + Beijing") to badideas100@hotmail.com. We'll work on network optimizations for your carrier and region.

Why Is My Apple Watch Sometimes Missing Resting Heart Rate Data?

The absence of resting heart rate data after wearing your Apple Watch all night is quite normal, as resting heart rate is not the same as your heart rate during sleep. The resting heart rate represents your heart rate when you're awake but calm and not active. Good sleep often results in heart rates that are lower than the resting heart rate.

Under normal wearing conditions, and provided you spend a significant part of the day in a calm state, your current resting heart rate is typically calculated around noon or in the afternoon.

HRV and Heart Health

Some values are too high/low and seem to affect the average level, Can I delete them?

You can find the data point and delete it in Apple Health - Heart Rate Variability.

Does StressWatch collect my health data?

First of all, StressWatch does not write any data to Apple Health. We only read the data and analyze the data insights that may be helpful to you, and generate reminders for healthy habits. None of your health data will be uploaded or saved in any form, we do not transmit or save any of your health data in the cloud, and all analysis takes place locally on your phone.