Background: Self‐care enables patients in improving quality of life and reducing hospital admissions. Research explored the experiences of patients about breathlessness, sleep problems and complication management in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, the self‐care experiences and the role of the family in self‐care are underexplored. Objectives: This study aimed to understand the self‐care experiences of patients with COPD and explore the role of the family in self‐care.