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Loop Remote Control

🚧 Documentation Under Construction 🚧

Remote Control of the Loop App

This option is available for remote control of a Loop phone using LoopFollow 3.2 and newer.

  • Loop Remote Control
    • Remote control with LoopFollow includes adding remote carbs, enacting remote bolus, and starting and canceling Overrides
    • Available with all versions of Loop 3
    • Requires LoopFollow 3.2 or newer

Quick Access

The bullets below take you to the indicated topics. The configuration step is listed first but only needs to be done once, so is located at the end of this page:

Use LoopFollow Loop Remote Control

Once the LoopFollow phone is configured, and while the Loop phone is handy, test sending Remote Commands. It is good to also have a browser open with the Nightscout URL displayed.

loopfollow loop remote control choices

Remote Sequence Steps

Wait for the Result

The remote control sequence requires several steps:

  1. LoopFollow device to Apple Push Notifications
    • LoopFollow provides an immediate success or failure message
  2. Apple Push Notifications to Loop phone where the message could be:
    • handled promptly
    • discarded, ignored by Apple or the phone
    • significantly slowed down due to network connectivity
  3. The Loop app processes the remote command and either enacts it or rejects it
  4. The Loop app uploads to Nightscout with result shown on LoopFollow main screen in a few minutes
    • If the remote request was enacted, the result is visible on the LoopFollow main plot
    • If the remote request was rejected, a gray dot is visible on the LoopFollow main plot - touch it to see the reason why the request was rejected

If no result shows up at LoopFollow (no gray dot, no response to remote request), then it is most likely step 2 that failed. We have limited control over that.

Remote Meal

More info coming soon!

remote carb entries

Remote Bolus

More info coming soon!

Recent Rec Bolus Last Loop > 12 minutes
remote bolus current remote bolus older than 12 minutes

!

Make sure Loop information is up to date

The insulin amount is filled out with the last recommended bolus that LoopFollow downloaded from the Nightscout site, which in turn was uploaded from the Loop phone.

Read the warning in the Remote Bolus screen and make sure the Insulin Amount value is recent.

If the last update was more than 12 minutes ago, that line is not prefilled.

Overrides

More info coming soon!

remote overrides

FAQs for Remote Commands

  1. If I follow more than one person with LoopFollow, do I need multiple APNs Keys?
    Answer: No. If you support multiple people, you only need one APNS key.

    • You can follow someone who is using the Trio app and another person who is using the Loop app.
    • You enter the same APNS credentials for each instance of LoopFollow that you are using for your multiple loopers.

  2. How can I tell if it worked?
    Answer: You will get an immediate response on LoopFollow whether it successfully sent an APNS command.

    • It is still possible that the command won't go through to the loop phone - so wait until you see the remote entry on the LoopFollow display
    • If the command was sent but there was an error, you will see a gray dot on the LoopFollow plot instead of the desired remote entry. If you tap on the gray dot, the error message will be displayed.

    apns command failed to complete

FAQs on Remote Overrides

Don't forget to read Loopdocs: Overrides.

For remote overrides in particular:

  1. Can I set a different override in LoopFollow than I have programmed into Loop app?
    Answer: No. You will only be able to enact override presets already programmed into the Loop app.

  2. If I didn't start the override in LoopFollow (it was started in Loop itself), can I still use LoopFollow to cancel it?
    Answer: Yes. You can cancel an override set in Loop with LoopFollow.

  3. Can I replace an override set in Loop with an override set in LoopFollow?
    Answer: Yes.

  4. Can I see on LoopFollow when a temporary override has been set using the looper’s phone?
    Answer: Yes.

    • There will be a green bar on the LoopFollow display within a few minutes.
    • Once you see the bar, you can tap on Remote, Overrides to view the active override
      • If it is a named preset (override), the name is listed at the top of the screen in the Active Override row
      • If you want to see the details, you may need to scroll down to find that override in the list
      • A custom override (not named) shows up as "Custom Override" in the Active Override row - the details can be observed in the Information Table on the main LoopFollow screen
    • The values set for the override may take up to 5 minutes to appear in the Information Table Display, at which time the %insulin needs and target are shown.

  5. Can a looper cancel a remote override?
    Answer: Yes. They can tap the heart icon in Loop so that it is no longer highlighted. This turns off the override, regardless of where it was initiated.

  6. I set a remote override in LoopFollow but the Looper tapped the heart symbol in the Loop app, so the override turned off. Will the override get reinstated the next time Loop completes with internet access?
    Answer: No. The APN is only sent once. You can set the remote override again if need be.

  7. Can I schedule a remote override ahead of time using Nightscout?
    Answer: No. When you set a remote override in LoopFollow, it starts immediately and lasts for the duration programmed for that override in the Loop app. You can only set an override in advance using the Loop app.

Warnings on Remote Commands

Duplicate Delivery Risk

We want to highlight a very important risk before you get started.

For safety, always assume a previous remote carbs/bolus was delivered. For motivation think of the following example:

  • You send a 5-unit remote bolus.
  • The bolus is delivered to the Looper.
  • Nightscout is having a temporary technical issue and doesn't show the bolus was received.
  • The LoopFollow display echoes what is shown in the Nightscout so you don’t see a delivery and you assume it failed.
  • You send another remote 5-unit bolus.
  • The second 5-unit bolus is delivered to the Looper (10 Units total).

You can see the danger of sending duplicate bolus/carbs so be careful. If a remote bolus/carb entry doesn’t show in Nightscout or LoopFollow, use your own judgment on whether enough time has passed to try again.

Remote Bolus, Then Remote Carb

If sending both, choose Bolus then Carbs

If you plan to send a carb command remotely and later decide to issue a bolus command - STOP and consider.

There are 2 scenarios of concern that could lead to too much insulin:

  • Dosing Strategy is Temp Basal Only (temporary basal)
    • Loop will initiate a max Temp Basal when it receives the carbs remote command
    • Your bolus is accepted next and takes place in addition to the high temporary basal
  • Dosing Strategy is Automatic Bolus
    • Loop will initiate a percentage of the recommended dose when it receives the carbs remote command
    • Your bolus will be accepted and take place in addition to an automatic boluses or be rejected because a bolus is already in progress

Typically, sending a remote carb entry alone is sufficient for Loop to know about the carbs and begin to dose for them.

If you really want to both bolus for carbs and enter carbs, then do it in that order.

  1. The bolus, when accepted, may start a zero Temp Basal (temporary basal) (which is "safer")
  2. The carbs, when accepted, will cause the app to respond to the carbs
  3. In this case, the prediction includes both carbs and bolus

❗️ Remember - you must wait pause at least 30 seconds between remote commands or the One-Time-Password (OTP) will be rejected as having already been used.

❗️ Apple can decide to limit the number of APNS commands it services. Make your remote requests count.

Configure LoopFollow for Remote Control

LoopFollow Remote Setting Type

The Remote Settings row in the LoopFollow Settings screen is used to select the type of remote access you wish to use.

LoopFollow remote settings type

The Loop Remote Control option is not available

The Loop Remote Control option is only available in LoopFollow if you have already entered a Nightscout URL with a default profile recognized as a Loop profile.

Guardrails

The maximum allowed entries for Bolus and Carbs are configured in the guardrails section. The default values are shown in the graphic below. Adjust this to what is appropriate for the individual.

default guardrails

These guardrails are for sending remote commands with LoopFollow. There are separate guardrails in the Loop app itself. Be sure the LoopFollow guardrails are at least as conservative as the Loop guardrails.

Do not exceed Loop Guardrails

Example:

  • LoopFollow guardrail is 10 U bolus
  • Loop guardrail is 8 U bolus
  • Send remote bolus amount of 10 U from LoopFollow
    • LoopFollow shows a success message, meaning the APNS request was successfully sent to the Loop phone
    • The Loop phone rejects the request because it exceeds the guardrail
    • A gray dot shows up on the LoopFollow screen, tapping it shows the message "Exceeds Maximum allowed bolus in settings"

Credentials to Enable Loop Remote Control

When you select Loop Remote Control as the Remote Type in the LoopFollow app, you must fill in the (1) Developer Team ID, (2) APNS Key ID and (3) APNS Key.

remote lrc settings

Developer Team ID

This is the Apple Developer ID for whoever created the APNS Key. The developer must be the same as the developer who built the Loop app.

Note that the Nightscout app and the LoopFollow app do not need to be built by this developer. It is only the Loop app that has this requirement.

APNS Key ID

If you previously configured remote control with the Loop app, you already have an Apple Push Notification System (APNS) Key ID and Key. These were added to the config vars in your Nightscout site. See Existing APNS. The value of the LOOP_APNS_KEY_ID goes here.

If you have never created an APNS (or have lost the credentials), follow the directions in New APNS and copy the APNS Key ID into LoopFollow and save the value in your Secrets Reference file.

The APNS Key ID and APNS Key only need to be added to LoopFollow to enable Loop Remote Control. They do not need to be added to the Nightscout site if they are not already there. However, if you plan to use Nightscout Careportal or LoopCaregiver, then the APNS config vars must be added to Nightscout.

When creating the APNS, you must be logged in as a developer. The developer ID for the APNS must be the same as the one used for creating your Loop app or remote control will not work.

APNS Key

If you previously configured remote control with the Loop app, you already have an Apple Push Notification System (APNS) Key ID and Key. These were added to the config vars in your Nightscout site. See Existing APNS. The value of the LOOP_APNS_KEY goes here.

If you have never created an APNS (or have lost the credentials), follow the directions in New APNS and copy the APNS Key into LoopFollow and save the value in your Secrets Reference file.

QR Code URL

This provides the One-Time Password needed for the Loop app to accept the APNS input as valid.

On the Loop phone, Nightscout must be included under the Loop -> Settings -> Services section. Navigate to Services and select Nightscout. Tap on the One-Time Password row to view the QR code.

When you need to configure your authentication method, you can either use a saved QR screenshot or scan the QR on the Loop phone.

Options:

  • Have your Looper (or at least their phone) available
  • Save a screenshot of their QR code
    • Keep this secure
    • Do not share the QR screenshot when asking for help

example screen for nightscout and qr code

While you are on the Loop Settings -> Services -> NightScout screen, notice that the 6-digit number on the One-Time Password row updates every 30 seconds.

Environment Production

If the Loop app was built with Browser Build, you must enable this row.

If the Loop app was built using Xcode on a Mac, you must disable this row.

Debug / Info

This section indicates if Loop has uploaded required information to Nightscout.

The graphic below shows a properly configured LoopFollow when the Loop app was built using the Browser Build method.

shows credentials entered into loopfollow are correct

Troubleshooting

This section is a placeholder for troubleshooting issues.