Google Pixel Watch not tracking sleep or showing a sleep score? Steps to fix it

Sleep score and tracking on Google Pixel Watch

Sleep tracking is one of the health features that a lot of people want detailed data on from their smartwatches, including Google’s Pixel Watch. 

After each night or session of sleep, your Pixel Watch should provide you with a detailed sleep report, showing how much time you spend awake, restless, and asleep, and break down your sleep into light, deep, and REM sleep stages.

Your Pixel Watch should automatically detect your sleep when you wear it to bed, and your body rests for at least a full hour. Unfortunately, for many Pixel Watch users, that just isn’t the case.

Their Pixel Watches aren’t tracking their sleep even after wearing the watch to bed over multiple nights.

If that’s your experience, take a look at our troubleshooting tips that should get your Pixel Watch consistently tracking your sleep. 

Related reading

How to track sleep on your Google Pixel Watch Fit app sleep tracking with Google Pixel Watch

First off, the Pixel Watch offers features from a combination of both Google’s Wear OS and Fitbit (now owned by Google).

For sleep tracking, the Pixel Watch uses Fitbit’s sleep technology. So, you must have the Fitbit app on your paired phone AND connect your Fitbit account to the Google Pixel Watch app (or create a new Fitbit account and then log in).

Your Pixel Watch collects your sleep data, and then the Fitbit app analyzes it to determine your sleep stages, score, and time asleep, awake, or restless. Ideally, your watch is connected via Bluetooth or WiFi throughout the night to maintain this connection to the Fitbit app.

However, even if your watch isn’t connected to the Fitbit app (like you enabled Airplane mode), it should still collect your sleep data. Once your watch reconnects via Bluetooth or WiFi to your phone and the Fitbit app, it should push that sleep data to the app.

While many added their Fitbit account (or created a new one) when setting up the Pixel Watch, some might have skipped that step, and that could be the reason sleep isn’t getting tracked.

Connect your Fitbit account to the Google Pixel Watch

If your phone doesn’t have the Fitbit app installed, do that first and either log in to an existing account or create a new one. To reiterate, your Pixel Watch won’t track sleep without the Fitbit app!

Once your phone has the Fitbit app, you must link the Google Watch app to your Fitbit account. 

  1. On your Google Pixel Watch, open the Fitbit Today app. Google Pixel Watch Fitbit Today app
    1. Tap Login. It should redirect you to your phone to complete the next steps. Google Pixel Watch log in to Fitbit app on watch
  2. For existing Fitbit accounts: Add the Google Pixel Watch to your Fitbit profile by going to your account profile in the top left of the Fitbit app home screen and choosing Set up a Device. Fitbit app set up Google Pixel Watch
  3. For new Fitbit accounts: Choose the Google Pixel Watch on the list of supported watches and then follow the steps to set up the watch and your account.
  4. Establish Fitbit app permissions. In particular, make sure you grant permission for Fitbit to access physical activity, sensors, and location.
    1. To update Fitbit permissions, on your phone, open Settings > Apps > Fitbit > Permissions and review what’s allowed and not allowed. Tap an item to make changes. Fitbit app permissions Android phone Settings app

Verify the Fitbit and the Watch app run in the background 

After setting up the Fitbit app and linking it to the Google Watch, you also want to check that these apps run in the background and aren’t restricted.

  1. Open the Settings app on your phone.
  2. Choose Apps.
  3. Select the Fitbit app or the Google Pixel Watch app.
  4. Choose Mobile data & Wi-Fi.
  5. Toggle on Background data and Unrestricted data usage. Background unrestricted access for Google Pixel Watch app
  6. Go back and tap Battery.
  7. Choose Unrestricted. Google Pixel Watch app unrestricted battery use
  8. Repeat for the other app, so both the Fitbit app and the Google Pixel Watch app have the same settings.

You want both the Google Pixel Watch app and the Fitbit app to always run without restrictions in the background to keep features like automatic data syncing active.

When these apps DON’T run in the background, you see issues with things like missing sleep data, sleep stages, and sleep scores. 

Update apps regularly Update Pixel watch app and Fitbit app

Don’t forget to update your apps–particularly the Fitbit and Google Watch apps. Sleep tracking usually improves with each app update.

Now try a sleep test

After setting up and linking your Google Pixel Watch to Fitbit, updating the app’s settings as well, and checking if the apps themselves have any updates, run a test and sleep with your watch (sleep for at least 1 hour, preferably at least 3 hours.)

  • In the morning, open the Fitbit Today app on your watch.
  • Scroll down and tap Sleep. If it shows data, you’re on the right track! Google Pixel Watch Fitbit app for Sleep info
  • You can swipe on your sleep data to see more information, including sleep score, stages, and recent sleep history. Google Pixel Watch Fitbit Today app Sleep Information and stages plus sleep score

Now, if Sleep shows No data yet even after wearing the watch to bed and you slept for more than 1 hour, follow the troubleshooting steps listed in the section below. Google Pixel Watch not showing any sleep data in Fitbit app

Is sleep tracking not working on Pixel Watch?

If you reviewed all the setup steps and your Pixel Watch still isn’t tracking sleep or shows you slept for 0 minutes, follow these troubleshooting steps.

Update the Fitbit app on your watch

If you’ve never updated the Fitbit app on your watch, it’s likely that the sleep tracking feature has not been updated. So, before you do anything, check if there is an update to the Fitbit app on your watch.

  1. Open the Play Store app on your watch. Google Pixel Watch Play Store app
  2. Scroll all the way down and tap Manage apps. Google Pixel Watch manage apps in Play Store app
  3. If an app update is available, it’s the first thing you see. Google Pixel Watch Play Store app updates
  4. Tap to update all apps or just the Fitbit app. Fitbit app update in Play Store on Google Pixel Watch

Manually sync your watch to the Fitbit app Today view in Fitbit app

Now, if the Fitbit app shows no sleep data, says you slept for zero minutes, says “wear your Fitbit to bed,” is missing or blank, then it’s likely that your watch hasn’t yet pushed your sleep data to the Fitbit app. Google Pixel Watch sleep data blank and missing

You can manually sync your watch with the Fitbit app in two ways

  1. Inside the Fitbit app. Go to the Today tab. Then, press and hold on a blank part of the top Today graph. Swipe down and then release. You should see a message just above the Today section that your that app is syncing with your Pixel Watch. Sync Google Pixel Watch with Fitbit app
  2. On your watch, open the Fitbit Today app. Scroll all the way down and tap the Sync buttonSync button in Fitbit app on Google Pixel Watch

Check your Pixel Watch’s sensor permissions

If your Google Pixel Watch isn’t showing any sleep data, it might be that the Fitbit app doesn’t have access to your watch’s sensors.

  1. Open the Settings app on your watch.
  2. Scroll down and tap Apps & notifications. apps and notification settings in Google Pixel Watch Settings app
  3. Swipe down and select App permissions. App permission settings on Google Pixel Watch
  4. Scroll down under the Permission manager and tap Sensors. Google Pixel Watch permission manager for sensors
  5. Make sure your allowed Fitbit access to your sensor data. Google Pixel Watch allow Fitbit app access to sensors
    1. If it’s listed under Denied, tap it and choose Allow. Allow app access to Google Pixel Watch sensors
  6. Return to the Permission manager and choose Physical Activity. Allow apps permission to access physical activity data from Google Pixel Watch
  7. Verify that Fitbit also has access to your physical activity data. Google Pixel Watch allow Fitbit app access to physical activity data
  8. Return again to the Permission manager and repeat for both Location and Phone. Make sure both are set to Allow access.

Change your Pixel’s sleep sensitivity 

Fitbit offers two sleep sensitivity modes (normal and sensitive,) so if your Pixel Watch isn’t recording your sleep data, see if a different sensitivity changes that.

  • Normal sleep sensitivity counts movements like rolling over and tossing and turning as the time you spent awake.
  • In sensitive sleep mode, nearly all movements during sleep hours count as time spent restless or awake. 

For Google Pixel watches, you can change their sleep sensitivity via the Fitbit app or Fitbit’s online account. You cannot update this feature in the Google Watch app.

Change sleep sensitivity in the Fitbit app

  1. Open the Fitbit app on your paired phone.
  2. Tap your account picture or icon at the top.
  3. Scroll down to the Settings section.
  4. Select App Settings. Fitbit app change sleep sensitivity settings Android Pixel phone
  5. Tap Sleep Sensitivity and select Normal or Sensitive.

Change sleep sensitivity online

  1. Go to your Fitbit online account dashboard and log in using your Fitbit app credentials.
  2. In the upper-right corner, select the Settings gear and tap Settings that’s underneath your Google Pixel Watch.Fitbit online dashboard for Google Pixel Watch
  3. Locate Sleep Tracking on the right and tap on it to update its sensitivity setting. Use Fitbit online account to change Google Pixel Watch settings

Don’t tap Begin Sleep Now in the Fitbit app Manually log sleep in Fitbit app

It seems counterintuitive, but you don’t want to tell the Fitbit app that you are going to bed or when you wake up.

If you do this, Fitbit assumes you are manually tracking your sleep instead of allowing it to automatically track sleep. This means you only see basic sleep data for awake, asleep, and restless periods, but no sleep stages

To get your full, detailed sleep data with sleep stages, wear your watch to bed but don’t tap on any prompts or notifications from the Fitbit app, or open the Fitbit app and tap Begin Sleep Now.

Charge your Pixel Watch before sleep and manage battery drain while sleeping

Make sure your Pixel Watch has at least 30% battery remaining before you hit the sack. 

The easiest way to check your watch’s charge status is by swiping down from the watch’s face and looking at the battery percentage in the Quick Settings menu. 

Or you can also add a battery complication to one of the available slots on your watch face.

If your watch’s total charge is less than 30%, place it on its charger for half an hour, and you should be good to go for the night.

Another battery-saving tip is to stop using Always On Display and Tilt-to-wake, which tends to drain the battery very quickly. Instead, use Touch-to-wake, which wakes the screen with a tap on it.

Turn on Bedtime mode before you go to bed Bedtime mode on Google Pixel Watch

Bedtime mode turns off your watch’s screen and disables tilt-to-wake and screen touch so you can sleep soundly without the watch interfering or accidentally waking you up.

Bedtime mode also reduces any interruptions overnight when you wear the watch for sleep tracking by temporarily turning off all notifications on your watch except alarms and any priority contacts or repeat callers.

By turning most notifications off, your watch consumes less battery overnight. 

The main downside of Bedtime mode on the watch is that (for now) it’s a manual process, so you must turn it on when you’re ready for bed and turn it off when you’re awake.

Setting a sleep schedule in the Fitbit app doesn’t seem to automatically turn on Bedtime mode on the Pixel Watch (at least not yet.)

Also, using Bedtime mode on your paired phone does not sync to your Pixel Watch–they are completely separate, including Pixel phones. So if you use Bedtime mode on your phone (or schedule it), you need to also turn it on for your watch.

How to turn your Pixel Watch’s Bedtime mode on and off 

  • To turn on Bedtime mode, swipe down from the watch face, and in the Quick Settings menu, tap the crescent moon icon once, then tap Ok to turn on Bedtime mode. Turn on bedtime mode Google Pixel Watch
  • To turn Bedtime mode off, press the Digital Crown to get to your watch face. Then swipe down to Quick Settings and tap the highlighted crescent moon icon once to turn Bedtime mode off. Google Pixel Watch shows bedtime mode is on

Wear your watch differently

Another strategy to get solid sleep data from your Pixel Watch is to wear your watch a little differently than you do during your awake hours.

Try wearing it a little snugger and further up your arm, so it’s away from the wrist bone.

Another strategy is to wear the watch on the inside of your wrist or arm. This is especially useful if you have tattoos or have a lot of arm hair (you could also shave your hair but wearing it on the inside is a lot easier!)

Getting inaccurate sleep results from your watch? It gets better with time

If your watch is tracking your sleep, but it’s not very accurate, the watch does improve over time as the algorithm learns your sleep patterns.

Google Pixel Watch not showing a sleep score? Sleep on Pixel watch

Some folks find that their Pixel Watch tracks their sleep quality but never get a Sleep Score or any sleep stage data.

Now, if your watch is tracking your sleep but not showing you a sleep score, there are a couple of things to check.

To get a sleep score, your watch must track sleep stages (REM, Light, Deep, and Awake.) If you only see basic sleep information of asleep, restless, and awake, the Fitbit app cannot calculate a sleep score.

  1. Double-check that Fitbit has permission to use your heart rate sensor. 
  2. Make sure the watch’s battery has at least 30% charge remaining.
  3. Put your Pixel Watch into Bedtime mode via Quick Settings and tap the Moon and stars icon.
  4. Allow the watch to automatically track your sleep. Do not press Begin Sleep Now in the Fitbit app or respond to a Bedtime notification.
  5. After waking up, open Fitbit Today on your watch. Scroll all the way down and press the Sync button and wait for the watch and app to complete a sync. 
  6. You must also sleep for more than 3 hours for the app to calculate a reliable sleep score.

If you did all that, try the following:

  1. Open the Fitbit app on your phone and manually log your sleep.
    1. Go to the Today tab and choose the sleep tile.
    2. Tap the Plus sign (+) at the top. Manually add sleep to Fitbit app
    3. Select Add Sleep Log. Fitbit app on Android Begin Sleep Now
    4. Enter when you went to sleep, and the time you woke up, then tap Save. Fitbit app add sleep and awake times manually
  2. Sync your watch to the Fitbit app. Sync Google Pixel Watch with fitbit app
  3. Delete that sleep log and enter your sleep again.
    1. To delete, swipe left on the sleep log you want to erase and tap Delete. Fitbit app delete sleep log
  4. Now, check if you see your sleep stages and sleep score in the Fitbit app.

FAQ FAQ frequently asked questions

Can I track naps with my Google Pixel Watch?

Some good news here. Yes, you can track naps with your watch as long as that nap is at least one hour. 

Your watch cannot track naps for less than an hour.

Can the Google Pixel Watch detect snoring and noise during sleep?

No, at this time, the snore detection and noise feature (part of Fitbit Premium) are not available on the Pixel Watch. So you won’t get a snore report.

But we expect this feature to release later. 

Can you schedule Bedtime mode on the Pixel Watch?

Sorry, nope. At this time, you must manually turn bedtime mode on and off using the Quick Settings on your watch. And bedtime mode doesn’t appear to sync between your phone and your watch–even if both are Google Pixels!

To manually turn Bedtime mode on and off, swipe down from the watch face and tap the Crescent moon and stars icon.

Do I need to set up a sleep schedule, bedtime reminder, or use bedtime mode to track sleep with my Pixel Watch?

No, you do not need to establish a sleep schedule, bedtime reminder, or turn on bedtime mode for your Google Pixel Watch to automatically track your sleep.

  • Bedtime reminders are there to help you maintain a consistent sleep schedule each day.
  • Sleep schedules are tools to help you maintain a routine sleep pattern and meet your target sleep hours goal for each night.
  • Bedtime mode is a feature that limits distractions and interruptions from the watch’s screen–turning things like most notifications and alerts off and turning off the screen, so its bright light doesn’t wake you up.

My Pixel Watch shows sleep data but not the Fitbit app

If your watch captured sleep information, but the Fitbit app doesn’t, it’s likely a syncing issue. In that case, manually sync the Watch with the Fitbit app.

  1. On your watch, open the Fitbit Today app.
  2. Scroll all the way down and tap the Sync button.
  3. Wait for the app to complete its syncing with the phone’s Fitbit app. 
  4. When complete, you see the time under Last synced.
  5. Now open the Fitbit app on your phone and see if your sleep data is updated.

Do I need Fitbit Premium to track my sleep with the Pixel Watch?

Now some good news! With the free Fitbit plan, you can track your sleep, including sleep stages, and you get a sleep score using the Fitbit app and the Pixel Watch. The free Fitbit plan also includes seeing your estimated oxygen variation (blood oxygen saturation fluctuation) throughout the night.

With a Fitbit Premium subscription, you get a more detailed sleep report that includes your sleeping heart rate and a restless score. You also get personalized sleep insights, a breakdown of your sleep score, a monthly sleep profile, and a wellness report based on all your Fitbit stats, including sleep.

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A. Beth Whittenberger
I started my love affair with computers way back in elementary school with the Apple II. Since then, I've worked with technology in my career as a media educator and videomaker. I have an MFA in media making from Temple University, where I also taught undergrads as an adjunct faculty member. Additionally, I was a writer, content producer, and editor on the popular tech blog AppleToolBox. So I know a thing or two about teaching others and creating how-to guides! After a cancer diagnosis, I turned to mobile technology like my Apple Watch to help me monitor my health throughout my chemotherapy treatment and later, to regain my wellness once in remission. I love sharing how to understand and use mobile tech, like smartwatches and phones, as a tool for empowerment to live our best and healthiest lives! Connect with me on LinkedIn!

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