Screen shot of bnClock with date and weather

bnClock Help

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)


Why is my weather forecast for some place other than my actual location?

How do I install bnClock on a device with iOS older than iOS12?

Why are iOS 9 and 10 no longer supported with new versions of bnClock?

Why are the current temperature and weather forecast only updated twice per day?

Why does bnClock seem to run down my battery?

Why does bnClock complain that my iPhone/iPad/iPod touch is not plugged in?

Why doesn't bnClock have a way to play sounds/music while I go to sleep?

Can I have multiple alarms in bnClock?

Can multiple alarms go off at the same time?

Why won't swipe right or left close settings, About, etc.?

Why isn't my crop setting working?

 

FAQ Answers

Why is my weather forecast for some place other than my actual location?

When bnClock uses the US National Weather Service (NWS) for forecast and current weather conditions, there are some limitations.

How do I install bnClock on a device with iOS older than iOS12?

You can install bnClock on older devices using the following technique:

  1. Using the Apple App store, install bnClock on a newer device (one running iOS 12 or later)
  2. On your pre-iOS 12 device, go to the Apple App store using the same Apple ID that you used in step 1
  3. Search for bnClock
  4. The listing for bnClock should have a down arrow ICON or a cloud with down arrow ICON. Tap this ICON
  5. When asked "Do you want to download the last compatible version?", tap the "Download" button
  6. You should now be able to open bnClock on your device

Why are iOS 9 and 10 no longer supported with new versions of bnClock?

Apple changed the requirements for how apps must be built to submit to the App Store. As a result of these changes, it is no longer possible to build and submit apps that support iOS 9 or 10.

Unfortunately, there is no way around this new restriction. bnClock 5.1.4 should remain in the App Store to support older devices.

Why are the current temperature and weather forecast only updated twice per day?

bnClock may use OpenWeatherMap to get forecast and current conditions weather data. OpenWeatherMap is used when the weather location is outside of the United States. OpenWeatherMap imposes limits on how often the weather can be queried.

The OpenWeatherMap limits are imposed on each API key provided by OpenWeatherMap. Every copy of bnClock in use shares single API key. This means that the aggregate users of bnClock would exceed the limits imposed by OpenWeatherMap unless bnClock restricts its update rate.

If you would like the weather to update every 10 minutes, you can get your own OpenWeatherMap API key and enter it into bnClock. See the instructions for doing this.

Why does bnClock seem to run down my battery?

Normally your iPhone or iPad will dim or turn off the display in 20 seconds or so to limit battery drain. To be an effective clock, bnClock doesn't allow your iPhone or iPad to go to sleep. Because of this, bnClock will run down your battery.

It is strongly suggested that if you use bnClock for extended periods that your iPhone or iPad is connected to a charger.

Why does bnClock complain that my iPhone/iPad/iPod touch is not plugged in?

To be an effective clock, bnClock doesn't allow your iPhone or iPad to go to sleep so that you can continue to see the clock display. As a result, bnClock will run down your battery.

Some quick tests show that

You may see better or worse performance with your device.

You can turn off the reminder in the Appearance Settings

Why doesn't bnClock have a way to play sounds/music while I go to sleep?

It's a feature we've thought about, but to date, not many users have asked for it. If we receive enough requests, we will consider it.

Meanwhile, there are quite a few free apps (but most have in-app purchases) that provide this capability. A search for "sleep sound" in the Apple App Store will give you quite a few choices.

Can I have multiple alarms in bnClock?

Yes! As of version 4.0 of bnClock you can create multiple alarms. Each alarm can have a wakeup sound and a snooze time. See the Alarm Settings help for details.

Can multiple alarms go off at the same time?

Multiple alarms can go off at the same time. A snooze timing out and an alarm can go off at the same time. The sounds associated with each alarm will play simultaneously.

Note that snooze and alarm off gestures apply to all alarms going off.

Why won't swipe right or left close settings, About, etc.?

This gesture should work on iPhones running any version of iOS. However, on iPads running iPadOS 13.0 or later, swiping right or left will not work. Instead try swiping down.

Why isn't my crop setting working?

If you are using a crop setting for a slide show, the crop will only work on photographs which are essentially the same size as the one used to create the crop settings. When the crop cannot be used, the full photograph is shown, but at a size that will not fill the screen.