Your puppy has just left their mum and littermates, and tonight they sleep alone in a room that smells of nobody they know. Crying is common. PetMD points out that early-night crying is usually loneliness or stress, while crying in the middle of the night more often means "I need the toilet". That one idea makes the night much easier to read.
The planner below turns your bedtime and your puppy's age into a simple evening and night plan. Sources do not agree on every detail, so it shows ranges, and you adjust to your puppy.
Wood Green and PetMD both say to put the crate or pen in your bedroom, right next to your bed, for at least the first few nights. RSPCA Queensland agrees on keeping the puppy indoors and close. Pick a space just big enough to stand, turn round and lie down, with a little room for water. Make it cosy with a soft bed, a blanket, and a worn T-shirt that smells of you. Some puppies prefer a firmer surface, so watch what yours chooses.
Never use the crate as punishment. The crate is meant to be a safe, happy place, so it should only ever hold good things: chews, meals, a favourite toy.
This is the one place where good sources split. Wood Green says not to ignore crying: go calmly, take the puppy out for a toilet chance with no chatting and no play, then straight back to bed. If they don't need the toilet, a hand near the crate or a gentle stroke can reassure them. RSPCA Queensland says to wait out the crying, reward quiet moments, and set an alarm to let the puppy out when they are quiet rather than when they are howling.
A kind middle path that fits both: young puppies genuinely need the toilet at night, so use your alarm checks, and between them stay calm and boring. Never shout, tell off or scare a crying puppy. That only adds fear to loneliness.
Once your puppy settles with you in the room, Wood Green suggests moving the crate a foot or two further away each night. If they struggle, stay at that distance a few more nights. It can take a few weeks. Most puppies sleep through the night by around 16 weeks, though it varies by breed and size.
Night crying early on is usually loneliness; crying in the small hours usually means "toilet". Check quietly, keep it boring, and go back to bed.
Ask your vet if your puppy cries for hours on end every night, refuses food, has diarrhoea or vomiting, or strains to pee. Ask them too about vaccinations before any outdoor trips, as puppies should not walk where unvaccinated dogs have been.