Huzaifa Dhapai

NOOP setup guide: the free WHOOP companion app

Version covered: NOOP v12.0.0 (released 4 Oct 2026). Always download from the link below so you get the newest build.

Download page (all phones and Mac): https://github.com/ryanbr/noop/releases/latest

Before you start

  • You need a WHOOP strap. NOOP is a companion app. It talks to your strap over Bluetooth, so without a strap there is nothing to read.
  • WHOOP 4.0 works best. It is the fully supported strap: live heart rate, recovery, strain and sleep.
  • WHOOP 5.0 / MG is limited. Live heart rate works. Sleep, recovery and history are not reliable yet, because the strap refuses the full pairing. Expect an incomplete experience.
  • No account, no cloud. Your data stays on your phone. There is nothing to sign up for.
  • It is not on the Play Store or App Store. You install it from GitHub. The steps below are simple, but they are a bit different from a normal app install.
  • Unofficial. NOOP is not made by WHOOP and is not a medical device. Treat the numbers as estimates.

Android (easiest)

  1. On your phone, open the download page above.
  2. Under the newest release, scroll to Assets and tap the file that starts with NOOP-android and ends in .apk.
  3. When the download finishes, tap the file to open it.
  4. If your phone says it can’t install apps from this source, tap Settings and switch on Allow from this source for your browser (or file manager). Then go back and open the file again.
  5. If a Play Protect warning appears, tap More details, then Install anyway. This shows up because the app isn’t on the Play Store, not because the file is damaged.
  6. Tap Install, then Open.

Needs Android 8 or newer. If Play Protect still blocks it, the project’s own notes cover extra options here: https://github.com/ryanbr/noop

iPhone

Apple doesn’t allow apps outside the App Store unless you “sideload” them. The easiest way is an app called AltStore.

  1. Install AltStore on your iPhone. You will need a Mac or Windows computer for this one-time step. Follow the steps on altstore.io.

  2. In AltStore, open Browse, then Sources, and add this source link:

    https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ryanbr/noop/main/altstore-source.json

  3. Find NOOP in the list and tap Install. You will be asked to sign in with your own Apple ID (a free one is fine).

  4. If the iPhone asks you to trust the app, go to Settings > General > VPN & Device Management, tap your Apple ID and tap Trust.

  5. Open NOOP.

Important: apps installed this way expire after 7 days

AltStore can refresh NOOP automatically while it is running and your phone is near your computer’s Wi-Fi. If it expires, just refresh it in AltStore.

Alternative: download the file ending in .ipa from the download page and install it using Sideloadly. The iPhone version is newer and less tested than Android and Mac, so live Bluetooth may be a bit less smooth.

Mac

  1. On the download page, download the file that starts with NOOP-macos and ends in .zip.
  2. Double-click the zip to unzip it, then drag NOOP into your Applications folder.
  3. Right-click NOOP and choose Open, then Open again.
  4. If your Mac still blocks it, go to System Settings > Privacy & Security, scroll to the bottom and click Open Anyway next to NOOP.

This happens once. Your Mac warns you because the app isn’t signed by Apple, not because it is broken. If you see a message saying the app is “damaged”, the project’s page has a one-line fix: https://github.com/ryanbr/noop

First-time setup (all devices)

  1. Close the official WHOOP app completely. A strap can only be connected to one app at a time, so if WHOOP is holding it, NOOP can’t connect.
  2. Open NOOP and allow Bluetooth when it asks.
  3. Follow the first-run walkthrough and connect your strap. Keep it close to your phone.
  4. You should see your live heart rate within moments. That means it is working.

Already have WHOOP history? In NOOP, go to Data Sources and import your WHOOP data export. Your past days fill in within about a minute.

What to expect in the first few days

  • Live heart rate: instantly.
  • Strain and sleep: after you’ve worn the strap and it has synced (the last ~14 days of strap data load over the first few minutes).
  • Recovery: needs a few nights while the app learns your personal baseline. It gets better each night.

Troubleshooting

  • Heart rate shows but sleep, alarm or history don’t work: the strap is probably still linked to another app or device. Close the WHOOP app, turn off Bluetooth on any other phone that used the strap, and reconnect.
  • WHOOP 5.0 / MG won’t fully pair: this is a known limit of the project right now, not something you did wrong.
  • Need help? The community is active on Reddit (r/NoopBand) and Discord. Links are on the project page: https://github.com/ryanbr/noop

NOOP is an independent, open-source project and is free for personal, non-commercial use.