7 Ways to Fix Period Cycle Tracking Not Working on Apple Watch

Do you forget your period dates every month? Your monthly visitor comes unannounced? Well, Apple’s period tracking feature has solved this issue. However, what if the period cycle tracking feature stops functioning? No more precise period date tracking or finding dates you’re PMSing. If the Cycle Tracking app on your Apple Watch isn’t working, this guide is for you.

Period Cycle Tracking Not Working on Apple Watch

Right from basic tricks such as unpairing and establishing a fresh connection with your Apple Watch to disabling low power mode on your Apple Watch, we have provided many solutions. But before that, let’s discover why your smartwatch fails to track your cycle.

Why Is Menstrual Cycle Tracking Not Working on Apple Watch

From dirty rear sensors to improper pairing between your iPhone and Apple Watch, several factors could hinder efficient tracking of your period cycle. Further, a duly updated Apple Watch is essential to remove bugs. So, if your device isn’t updated to the latest version of watchOS, this might be why your period cycle tracking is not working.

Further, even inaccurate menstrual data entered on the period cycle tracking app could cause inefficient tracking. Whatever the issue, knowing your period dates can help you plan the month. So, read on to fix issues with Apple Watch period tracking.

How to Fix Period Cycle Tracking Not Working on Apple Watch

Period cycle tracking is indispensable for some women. If the tracking feature isn’t working, here’s how to fix the issue.

1. Clean the Rear Sensors

The Apple Watch has an automatic wear detection feature that uses the sensors on the rear to detect if you’re wearing the watch. If the sensors are dirty, the watch may not detect your skin. In turn, the Apple Watch may assume you’re not wearing the watch.

Otherwise, the dirt may stop your watch from picking up your body temperature. This is especially important for those using Apple Watch 8 and above, heavily dependent on wrist temperature data for menstrual cycle tracking.

So, if the rear sensors aren’t clean, clean them. Take a soft microfibre cloth. You can add some rubbing alcohol to it. Then, gently wipe off the dirt from the rear sensors. This should hopefully fix period cycle tracking not working on Apple’s watch.

2. Wear Apple Watch on the Correct Wrist

Apple’s Health app requires you to specify on which wrist you would wear the watch. If you wear the Apple Watch on the incorrect wrist, your watch may assume you’re not wearing it.

Alternatively, the watch may not pick up pertinent data accurately. Fret not, as you can view and change the wrist on which you wear your watch using the below steps.

Step 1: Open the Watch App. Then, head to the General section > Watch Orientation.

Step 2: Select the correct wrist orientation.

Select wrist

Also Read: How to change orientation on Apple Watch

Further, check whether you’re wearing the Apple Watch firmly. Apple recommends that you tie your Apple Watch at an index finger’s distance from your wrist joint. Since contact with your skin is crucial in period cycle tracking, an improper fit of the watch could be a troublemaker.

3. Unpair and Re-Pair With iPhone

Sometimes, an improper pairing may cause inefficient tracking of period details on your Apple Watch. Importantly, Apple’s Cycle Tracking app is ultimately synced to the Health app on your iPhone. So, it is advisable to unpair the Watch from your iPhone and pair it back. Here’s how to do so.

Step 1: Open the Watch App on your iPhone. Then, tap on All Watches in the top-left corner.

Step 2: Tap on the i icon next to your Watch’s details.

Step 3: Now, select Unpair Apple Watch. You can then choose the ‘Unpair X’s Apple Watch’ option to complete the unpairing process.

After unpairing your Apple Watch, pair it back to see if your Watch has started emitting sounds.

4. Enter Details of Menstrual Cycle Accurately

The Cycle Tracking app requires you to log data of your period dates, symptoms, body temperature, etc. If you provide this data inaccurately or don’t provide the data to the app, your period tracker will not function as required.

Therefore, ensure you log the data accurately to fix period cycle tracker-related issues. Here’s how to log the data on your Apple Watch.

Step 1: Open the Cycle Tracking app on your Apple Watch. Tap Log.

Step 2: Then, log details pertaining to your period, sexual activity, symptoms, basal body temperature, spotting, etc.

5. Update watchOS

Updating effectively clears out bugs and improves the usability of any device. So, if your Apple Watch faces an issue with its speaker, we suggest updating it to the latest watchOS version. Here’s how:

Step 1: Open the Watch app on your iPhone. Then, head to the General section.

Step 2: Now, tap on Software Update to check for new updates.

Step 3: Under this section, check for any new software updates. If there is one, download the update.

Tip: You can turn on the Automatic Updates toggle to ensure your device is up-to-date.

6. Disable Low Power Mode

The low power mode feature conserves the battery on your Apple Watch when running low on power. This may hinder the functioning of certain features on your Apple Watch. So, your period cycle tracking is probably dysfunctional due to the low power mode. To strike out if this issue is causing the period cycle tracking issue, disable Low Power mode on your Apple Watch.

Step 1: Press the side button of your Apple Watch to open the Control Center.

Step 2: Now, tap on the battery percentage icon to check if the Low Power Mode is on. If triggered, select ‘Low Power Mode On’ to disable the Low Power mode.

7. Switch to Third-Party App

If nothing resolves the Cycle Tracking app malfunctioning, your best bet is to switch to a third-party application. One of the top-rated applications for menstrual cycle tracking is Flo Period & Pregnancy Tracker. You can tap the button below to download the application on your iPhone. Once done, it will automatically reflect on your Apple Watch.

Otherwise, you can directly download the Flo app from your Apple Watch’s App Store.

No Bloody Mess

The Apple Watch’s Cycle Tracking app literally and figuratively saves you from a bloody mess. If period cycle tracking is not working on your Apple Watch, use the fixes above to resolve the issue. Happy period!

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Last updated on 09 February, 2024

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