Steps
StepsThe alarm that makes you walk before it stops
A walking alarm keeps ringing until you have walked a set number of steps. The WakeOps Steps mission counts them with the iPhone's own motion hardware, from the moment the mission starts: 20, 40 or 60 steps (40 by default), or any number from 10 to 2,000. It is the one mission that works in a pitch-dark room with the phone in your hand or pocket.
How it works
- 1
Choose Steps as the alarm's mission and set a goal. The first time, iOS asks for Motion & Fitness access.
- 2
When the alarm rings, tap Start mission. The screen says “Counting from here. Start walking.” Steps you took overnight don't count.
- 3
Walk, with the phone in your hand or pocket. The screen counts down (“12 steps to go”), and the count never goes backwards, even if the step counter stutters.
- 4
Reach the goal and the alarm stops. Leave the phone on the nightstand and nothing counts, because the steps come from the phone.
What you can set
- Goal: 20, 40 or 60 steps, or a custom number from 10 to 2,000
- Motion & Fitness access, asked once. If it is off, the mission offers Math straight away.
- Ring during missions (per alarm, on by default): the alarm keeps sounding until the last step
- Still-awake check (per alarm: off, 5, 10 or 15 minutes): a “Still up?” alarm after the win, stopped by one round of easy sums
How many steps should you set?
Pick a goal that ends somewhere useful. Walk from bed to the kitchen or bathroom once with Try it now, see what the counter says, and set the goal a little past it. A goal you finish beside the bed is a lap, not a wake-up.
Steps or a puzzle?
A puzzle can be solved in bed, and the bed is still there afterwards. Walking puts distance between you and it. Puzzle alarm vs photo alarm compares thinking missions with moving ones, and Photo and Item search make you walk too, with a destination at the end.
Free to download for iPhone (iOS 17.6 or later). Setting alarms needs WakeOps Premium, an in-app subscription. Every mission can be tried for free.
Common questions
Does it use Apple Health?
No. WakeOps doesn't read from or write to Apple Health. It reads the motion sensor only while a Steps mission is running, to count that mission's steps.
Can it count steps from an Apple Watch?
No. It counts with the iPhone's motion hardware, and WakeOps has no Apple Watch app, so the iPhone has to come with you.
Does it work in the dark?
Yes. It needs no camera and no light, which makes it the mission for a pitch-dark room or a winter morning.
What if Motion & Fitness access is off?
The mission can't count, so it offers Math at once, with a link to iOS Settings to turn access back on for next time.
