Apple Watch sleep score: What your number really means

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Apple added a new Sleep Score feature that gives you a single number to sum up how you slept.

It pulls data from your Apple Watch and turns it into an easy rating you can check first thing in the morning. This makes it much easier to understand your sleep without sorting through charts.

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You need an Apple Watch running watchOS 26 or later paired with an iPhone running iOS 26 or later. This feature was tested on an iPhone 15 Pro Max and an Apple Watch Series 11. If you run older software, update your devices before you begin.

iPhone: Settings > General > Software Update > Install iOS 26

Apple Watch: Watch app > General > Software Update > Install watchOS 26

Apple CEO Tim Cook holds up the new Apple Watch Series 11 during a launch event at Apple Park in Cupertino, California, on Sept. 9, 2025. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg)

It only takes a minute to get your Apple Watch and iPhone working together to monitor your nightly sleep habits. Here's how to do it:

Once your Apple Watch sleep tracking is set up in the Health app, the Sleep Score appears in both your watch and iPhone. You can view your history and see how your habits change over time.