Widgets or Complications Not Updating

If your Athlytic widgets or Apple Watch complications are not updating in real-time, it’s important to understand the update limitations imposed by iOS and watchOS for battery efficiency.

Understanding Why Widgets Do Not Update Instantly

Apple limits background refresh rates for widgets and complications to preserve battery life. This means:

• Apple Watch Complications can update only 4 times per hour (about every 10-25 minutes). Updates may be less frequent at night.

• iPhone widgets update every 20-30 minutes and require manual wake-ups if your phone has been locked.

• Tapping a complication or widget forces it to update immediately, but regular background updates are controlled by iOS/watchOS.

Apple’s documentation states:

“For a widget the user frequently views, a daily budget typically includes from 40 to 70 refreshes. This rate roughly translates to widget reloads every 15 to 60 minutes, but it’s common for these intervals to vary due to the many factors involved.”

This means if your widget is on your main screen (visible right when you unlock your phone), iOS prioritizes its refresh rate. However, if it’s on a secondary screen, it may update less frequently.

If your Athlytic widget is not updating at all, follow these steps:

Step1: Ensure Background App Refresh is Enabled

Background App Refresh allows widgets to request updates.

On iPhone:

Open Apple Settings.
Go to General → Background App Refresh.
Confirm that Background App Refresh is turned on for both the system and Athlytic.

Apple Watch:

Open the Watch app on iPhone (black watch icon).
Go to General → Background App Refresh.
Confirm that Background App Refresh is turned on for both the system and Athlytic.

Step 2: Check Low Power Mode

If Low Power Mode is enabled, Background App Refresh is automatically disabled, preventing widgets from updating.

On iPhone:

Open Settings.
Go to Battery.
Ensure Low Power Mode is OFF.

On Apple Watch:

Swipe up from the bottom of the watch face.
If you see a yellow battery icon, Low Power Mode is ON.
Tap the battery icon and disable Low Power Mode.

Step 3: Remove and Re-add the Widget

If widgets or complications are stuck, try removing and re-adding them.

On iPhone:

Press and hold the widget.
Tap Remove Widget, then confirm.
Restart your device.
Press and hold the home screen, tap the + button, search for Athlytic, and re-add the widget.

On Apple Watch:

Press and hold the watch face.
Tap Edit, and swipe to complications.
Tap the complication area.
Scroll to Remove or simply add a different complication.
Restart your device.
Re-add the complication.

If all else fails, reinstalling can resolve persistent issues.

Reinstall the App (If the Issue Persists)

Delete Athlytic from your iPhone.
Restart your device.
Reinstall Athlytic from the App Store.
Reopen the app and set up your widget again.

Additional Notes on iOS & watchOS Limitations

• Widgets on iPhone require wake-ups: If your phone is locked, widgets will not update in the background. Tapping the widget forces an update.

• Widgets on your main screen update more frequently than those on secondary pages.

• Complication updates are controlled by watchOS and typically refresh every 10-25 minutes, sometimes less at night.

• Tapping a complication forces it to update, and this does not count against Apple’s daily update budget.

Apple determines how often complications and widgets update for battery optimization. More details can be found in Apple’s official documentation:

🔗 Keeping a Widget Up to Date – Apple Developer

If none of these troubleshooting steps resolve the issue, consider reaching out to Athlytic support for further assistance.