We’ve been using the Honor Band 5 for quite some time, and investigated it with a fine-tooth comb. So if you have bought the Honor Band 5 (or thinking of getting one), here are some of the best tips and tricks associated with this band.
1. Be on the Move
Our sedentary lifestyle means we move less than we used to. And well, we all know the ill effects of physical inactivity. If you forget to go for a walk, it’s time you welcome the Activity Reminder feature of the Honor Band 5. As suggestive of its name, it’ll alert you when you remain idle for more than an hour. The only downside is you can’t customize the timing. To enable it, tap on the band icon at the top right corner of the Huawei Health app’s home page, and toggle the switch for Activity Reminder.
2. Notifications at Your Fingertips
Today, fitness bands track more than just your fitness levels. Along with tracking the number of calories and steps, they also perform the basic duty of notifying you about incoming messages and phone calls. But as we all know, enabling notifications for all the apps on your phone could be counterproductive. The trick here is to strike the right balance. To enable and disable notifications, go to Settings, and select Notifications. Now, all you have to do is toggle the switch for the apps as per your convenience.
3. Change the Watch Faces
The Honor Band 5 sports rich and vivid colors, thanks to the full-color AMOLED display. And the 240 x 120 resolution means that the colors blend in beautifully and you won’t see the individual pixels unless you watch it closely. Hence, it only makes sense to make full use of digital watch faces. Yep, you read that right. From somber to funky watch faces, it has them all. To change the watch faces, wake up the band and head to the More option. Scroll down and tap on Faces. Now, you can browse through the faces by swiping up. Once you have picked one, simply tap on it. Then say hello to the new watch face. Alternatively, you can long-tap on the home screen and switch to the Faces screen.
4. Use Low Brightness at Night
You might already know that the Honor Band 5 lets you adjust the screen’s brightness. But did you also know that you can also permanently lower the screen brightness during the night? If not, simply swipe your way to More > Brightness, and toggle the switch for Lower Brightness at Night.
5. Schedule DND
Want some off time? Simple. Schedule a DND time. This feature comes in handy when you do not want to receive notifications. The latter is helpful if you are light sleeper like me, and the slightest ting of the phone wakes you up. To schedule a DND time, go to the Settings, tap on the Do not disturb card and toggle the switch for Schedule. Enter the Start Time and the End Time, and that’s it. The good thing about this feature is that you can skip the ‘Raise wrist’ feature if you want.
6. Find Your Phone
Misplaced the phone? Why not let the fitness tracker find your phone. When enabled, the paired phone rings with an adorable “I am here” ringtone. To activate it, navigate to More and then swipe up until you see Find phone. Tap on it, and your phone will ring almost instantly. The only thing you need to consider is that the phone needs to be in the proximity of the band.
7. Set up Smart Alarms
Is a gentle buzz on your wrist your idea of a good alarm? If yes, you’ll fall in love with the Smart Alarm of the Honor Band 5. This band detects your sleep pattern and wakes you up when your sleep is the lightest within the stipulated time interval. For instance, you have set the Smart alarm for 7 AM, with a Smart wakeup time of 10 minutes, the watch will wake you when your sleep is the lightest between 6:50 AM and 7 AM. And well, you can set it to repeat during weekdays or during specific weekdays. The settings for Smart Alarms are under the Band settings. Select Alarm > Smart Alarm, and pick the time. However, if you’d rather wake up on fixed time, the option is hidden in the Event Alarms.
8. Enable Sleep Tracking
Similar to the Honor Band 4, the Honor Band 5 packs Huawei’s TruSleep feature. As suggestive of its name, it helps track and improve your sleeping habits. And on top of that, it dims the band’s screen to help you sleep better. And as you’d have guessed, it’s not enabled by default. Thankfully, you can enable it easily via the Band setting at the top. All you have to do is toggle the switch for Huawei | Tru Sleep.
9. Customize the Screens
By default, the Honor Band 5 comes with functions like Daily Tracking, Heart Rate, Workout, AliPay, etc. While I am sure, functions like Daily Tracking and Workout are essential to fitness trackers, you can do without dedicated functions for AliPay or Message Center, especially if you plan to use the band strictly as a fitness tracker. To customize the functions, head over to the Honor Band settings, and select Function Customization. Now, tap on the little cross icon next to the ones you want to remove. At the same time, you can also hold and drag the important functions to the top. Once done, tap on the Save icon at the top-right corner.
Get the Most out of the Honor Band 5
Aside from the above, the Honor Band 5 also lets you link to fitness apps like Google Fit. And well, when it comes to the workout modes, the options are plentiful. Furthermore, with the Honor Band 5, it’s effortless to rest or switch off the band. Just go to the System screen and you’ll find the options there. What I usually do is place the More screen at the end, so that when I need it, I can simply swipe down from the home screen. Next up: Looking for more running accessories? Check out the post below to enhance your workout sessions.
