Getting Started
Do I need an account?
No. Interval Timer has no login, no signup, no account of any kind. Open the app, set your intervals, press start. Your settings stay on your device.
Is the app free?
Yes. The current version is free with no ads. We are working on an optional one-time pack that unlocks advanced timer modes (AMRAP, EMOM, For Time, Pyramid), Coach, and additional exercise packs. Standard interval mode and heart-rate display stay free for everyone.
Why does the app require iOS 26?
We use iOS 26-only APIs to keep the timer reliable in the background (HKWorkoutSession on iPhone) and to render the Liquid Glass interface. Older iOS versions cannot run these features and we do not ship a fallback build.
Audio & Haptics
Will the timer interrupt my music?
No. The app briefly lowers the volume of your music for the 3-second countdown and the transition beep, then your music returns to full volume. It never stops or replaces your music. Works with Apple Music, Spotify, podcasts, and any audio app that supports ducking.
Can I turn off the voice prompts?
Yes. Open Settings inside the app. Toggle off "Announce rounds" (off by default) and "Announce exercise names" (on by default). Beeps and haptics stay on independently.
Do I get a haptic if my phone is in Silent Mode?
Yes. Haptics fire regardless of the Silent switch. Audio is suppressed by Silent Mode - that is iOS-level behaviour we cannot override - but haptics continue at every transition.
Live Activities & Widgets
The Lock Screen or Dynamic Island countdown doesn't appear. Why?
Live Activities are a permission. Open iOS Settings -> Interval Timer -> turn on "Live Activities." iOS also limits how many Live Activities can run at once across all apps; if too many are active, the system can refuse new ones. When that happens the app shows a one-time info toast.
How do I add the Home Screen widget?
Long-press your Home Screen, tap the +, search for "Interval Timer," and choose the widget size. The widget shows your last workout settings; tapping it opens the app to the Setup screen.
Can I start the timer from Control Center?
Yes. Open Control Center, tap the + in the top-left to edit, find "Interval Timer," and add the control. Tapping it launches the app with your last-used settings.
Apple Watch
Does the Watch app work standalone?
Yes. Install the Watch app and you can run a timer entirely on the Watch - no iPhone required. Watch-recorded workouts save to HealthKit directly from the Watch.
Why don't my iPhone settings appear on my Watch?
Settings sync from iPhone to Watch via Apple's WatchConnectivity. Sync is one-way (iPhone -> Watch) and latest-wins - only the most recent settings carry over. If the Watch is unreachable, the next sync delivers when it wakes. If your Watch is on a different Apple ID or the Watch app is not installed, sync will not run.
Does my heart rate show during a workout?
Yes, from one of two sources: AirPods Pro 3 (preferred when both are available) or your Apple Watch. Live heart rate appears in the Pro layout on iPhone and on the Watch face. If neither is connected, the heart-rate readout is hidden.
Workout History & Apple Health
Where are my past workouts stored?
In the Apple Health app, under Workouts. Interval Timer reads from Apple Health for the in-app History view - Health is the system of record. We do not keep a separate local history database.
I declined Health access. Can I still use the timer?
Yes, but workouts will not be saved to Health, heart-rate readings cannot be shown, and the timer falls back to keeping the screen awake instead of running in the background. To enable later: iOS Settings -> Health -> Data Access & Devices -> Interval Timer.
My workout finished but isn't in the Apple Health app. Why?
Workouts are saved when you press Finish. Cancelling discards them. If the app crashes mid-workout, that workout is not saved either - we deliberately do not resume mid-interval after a crash; we clean up and return you to a fresh Setup screen. HealthKit typically indexes new workouts within seconds, but on rare occasions can take up to a minute.
Privacy & Data
What data does Interval Timer collect?
Anonymous app events (which screens you visit, which features you use) and crash reports, via Firebase. We never collect your name, email, Apple ID, advertising identifier (IDFA), or any data from Apple Health. The full list is in the Privacy Policy.
Do you sell my data?
No. We do not sell, share, or monetize your data. The app is free and has no ads. The only third party that sees anything is Firebase (Google), and only for anonymous analytics and crash reports - no user identifier is attached.
Can I see what gets sent?
The Firebase SDK is configured to disable ad personalization, ad user data, ad storage, and the IDFA. No user identifier is ever set. Event parameters come from a fixed allowlist of enum values - no free-form text, no workout content, no HealthKit data.
Troubleshooting
Timer stops or skips when I lock my screen
Most likely Health access is denied - without HealthKit, the app cannot use a workout session and falls back to keeping the screen awake (foreground only). Fix: iOS Settings -> Health -> Data Access & Devices -> Interval Timer -> enable Workouts (write).
No beeps during the workout
Most likely iPhone is in Silent Mode, or audio is routed to a disconnected Bluetooth device. Fix: flip the Silent switch off, or reconnect your headphones. Haptics fire regardless.
No haptics during the workout
Most likely System Haptics is off, or the haptic engine failed to start. Fix: iOS Settings -> Sounds & Haptics -> turn on "System Haptics." If that does not help, force-quit and relaunch the app.
Watch shows different settings than iPhone
Sync may have lagged because the Watch was unreachable. Fix: open the iPhone app, change any setting and change it back - this re-triggers the latest-wins sync. If sync still does not apply, restart both apps.
My music gets cut off instead of ducked
Some audio apps use non-mixable sessions (a few podcast apps do this) and will be interrupted rather than ducked. Fix: use Apple Music, Spotify, or any major streaming app - these support ducking. We never stop your audio on purpose; we only duck.
The Live Activity never appears on the Lock Screen
Most likely the permission is off, or iOS is throttling because too many Live Activities are active across all your apps. Fix: iOS Settings -> Interval Timer -> turn on Live Activities. If already on, restart the iPhone - the Live Activity budget resets.
The Home Screen widget shows old numbers
iOS refreshes widgets opportunistically, not on demand. Fix: open the app once and the widget reads the latest values from the shared App Group store.
The app reopened on the home screen mid-workout
The app crashed or iOS terminated it under memory pressure. By design, we do not resume mid-interval after a crash - we clean up any stuck Live Activity or workout session and return you to a fresh Setup screen. Your workout up to that point is not saved (HealthKit only saves on completion). Short intervals make a clean restart less painful than a half-broken resume.