Microsoft Band Tip: Turning Off Smartphone Notifications During Workouts

For those can’t-stop-working individuals, having notifications stream through to the Band screen during a workout is fine. But, for the rest of us, who would rather concentrate on the actual workout, abrupt notifications can be annoying and distracting. There’s nothing worse than trying to peer around your wrist to read a notification while the bar is hovering above your head during a bench press.

If you’re a Window Mobile user, the answer is a simple one. On your Windows Mobile smartphone, either turn-on “Quiet Mode” during workouts, or put your workouts on your calendar so it blocks out the time and automatically turns on “Quiet Mode.”

Android and iOS users have similar options (some through 3^rd party apps), but I’m not completely familiar with those – but, bottom line is that turning off notifications give you more freedom to concentrate on the workout and take away from the stresses of work for a little while. And, we all need that.

It would be nice if the Band could actually reach across and tell your smartphone when you’re busy with a workout and to leave you alone – but that’s for another time, another update.

Additionally, if your specific smartphone doesn't offer a notification silence option, you can go to the Band's settings and turn "Do Not Disturb" on.

Any other Band tips like this one? Let me know.