Live Activities
Track time on your Lock Screen
Live Activities let you pin a time memo to your Lock Screen and Dynamic Island, showing a real-time timer of how long since that memo was created. Perfect for tracking ongoing activities without opening the app.
What Are Live Activities?
Live Activities are a feature introduced in iOS 16 that lets apps show real-time information on your Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island (on iPhone 14 Pro and later). Time Memos uses this to display:
- The emoji and label of your tracked memo
- A live timer showing elapsed time
- Quick access by tapping to open the memo
Starting a Live Activity
Method 1: From a New Memo
Long-press the create button
Press and hold the + button at the bottom of the memo list.
Select "Live Activity"
If your settings are configured for Live Activity on long-press, a new memo will be created and immediately pinned as a Live Activity.
Method 2: Swipe from List
Swipe left on any memo in your list and tap the pin icon to instantly start tracking it as a Live Activity.
Method 3: From Memo Details
Open the memo
Tap on any memo in your list to open its details.
Tap the pin icon
Tap the pin icon to start tracking this memo as a Live Activity.
Method 4: Via Shortcuts
Use the "Capture Time Memo" action in the Shortcuts app with the "Track as Live Activity" option enabled.
Dynamic Island Display
On iPhone 14 Pro and later, Live Activities also appear in the Dynamic Island:
Compact View
Shows the emoji and a condensed timer when other apps are using the Dynamic Island.
Expanded View
Long-press the Dynamic Island to see the full memo label and elapsed time.
Minimal View
Shows just the timer when space is limited.
Stopping a Live Activity
There are several ways to end a Live Activity:
- From the app: Tap the pinned memo and tap the pin icon again
- From Lock Screen: Swipe left on the Live Activity and tap "End"
- Automatic: Live Activities end automatically after 8 hours (iOS limit)
Use Cases
Morning Routine
Start when you wake up to stay aware of time during your morning routine.
Workouts
Track your exercise duration without wearing a fitness tracker.
Study Sessions
See how long you've been studying to manage breaks effectively.
Baby Naps
Monitor how long baby has been sleeping at a glance.
Cooking
Track cooking or baking time without setting a separate timer.
Parking
Know how long you've been parked to avoid meter expiration.
Settings
Configure Live Activity behavior in Time Memos settings:
- Long Press Action: Choose whether long-pressing the create button starts a Live Activity or opens the edit sheet
Tips
One at a time
You can only have one Time Memos Live Activity running at a time. Starting a new one will end the previous one.
Combine with automations
Set up automations to automatically start Live Activities when you wake up, arrive at the gym, or connect to CarPlay.
Tap to open
Tap the Live Activity on your Lock Screen or Dynamic Island to jump directly to that memo in the app.
Ready to try it?
Time Memos will be available on the App Store soon.