Wake-Up Tracking

What you'll set up: An automation that captures a timestamp when you stop your morning alarm, and immediately starts a Live Activity so you can see how long you've been awake right on your Lock Screen.

What You'll Need

iPhone with iOS 16 or later
Time Memos app installed
Apple's Shortcuts app (pre-installed on iOS)

Step-by-Step Setup

Open the Shortcuts app

Find and open Apple's Shortcuts app on your iPhone.

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Shortcuts app icon on home screen

Go to the Automation tab

Tap Automation at the bottom of the screen.

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Shortcuts app with Automation tab highlighted

Create a new automation

Tap the + button in the top-right corner to create a new automation.

Select "Alarm" as the trigger

Scroll down and tap Alarm. Then configure: - Select Is Stopped (triggers when you dismiss your alarm) - Choose Any alarm, or select specific alarms

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Alarm trigger options with "Is Stopped" selected

Add the Time Memos action

Tap New Blank Automation, then tap Add Action. Search for "Time Memos" and select "Capture Time Memo".

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Search results showing "Capture Time Memo" action

Configure the action

Tap on the action to expand its options and set: - Emoji: ☀️ or 🌅 (or your preferred wake-up emoji) - Label: "Woke up" (or leave blank) - Track as Live Activity: Toggle ON

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manual/shortcuts-capture-time-memo-configured.png

Capture Time Memo action with all options configured

Set to run immediately

At the bottom of the screen, configure these options: - Select "Run Immediately" (not "Run After Confirmation") - Toggle off "Notify When Run" if you don't want a notification

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Run Immediately option selected in automation settings

Save your automation

Tap Done in the top-right corner. Your automation is now active!

Pro tip With "Track as Live Activity" enabled, you'll see a timer on your Lock Screen showing how long since you woke up - great for staying on track during your morning routine!

What happens now

Every morning when you stop your alarm, Time Memos will automatically capture a timestamp with your wake-up emoji. A Live Activity will appear on your Lock Screen showing elapsed time since you woke up, helping you stay aware of time during your morning routine.

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lock-screen-wake-up-live-activity.png

Lock Screen showing Live Activity with wake-up time elapsed

Troubleshooting

Automation not triggering: Make sure you selected "Is Stopped" not "Is Snoozed"
No Live Activity appearing: Ensure "Track as Live Activity" is enabled in the action settings
Getting confirmation prompts: Change from "Run After Confirmation" to "Run Immediately"

Ready to try it?

Time Memos will be available on the App Store soon.

Coming Soon