Tech Reference

How to change the activity goals on your Apple Watch or turn off the activity notifications

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The Apple Watch's fitness and activity tracking features are one of its main selling points. Since its release, it's become a go-to accessory for hikers, swimmers, joggers, and more.

When you first set up your Apple Watch, it'll ask for some basic vital information, and then lets you set your "activity goals." The Watch will track these goals for you every day, and let you know when you reach them.

But if you set your activity goals and then later find that they don't fit, you can change any of them. Here's how.

How to change your Apple Watch's activity goals

To change your activity goals, you need to use the Activity app on your Watch.

1. Open the Activity app on your Apple Watch — its icon looks like a red, green, and blue ring.

2. On the first page, scroll down and tap Change Goals.

The Activity app on an Apple Watch. The Change Goals option is highlighted.
Select the "Change Goals" option.  William Antonelli/Insider

3. Change and confirm your new Move, Exercise, and Stand goals. You can use the plus and minus icons to raise or lower your goals.

The menu that lets you change your Exercise Goal on an Apple Watch.
You'll change all three of your goals separately.  William Antonelli/Insider

How to change your Apple Watch's activity notifications

Your Apple Watch tracks your activity goals and will send you notifications when you reach them. It also gives you suggestions on how to reach your goals, notes when you've hit a record, and more.

These notifications can be helpful, but if you want to turn them off, you can do so through the Watch app on your iPhone.

1. Open the Watch app on your iPhone and tap Notifications.

2. In the list of apps, tap Activity.

3. Use the options to choose which notifications you want, and which you want to mute. You can also tap Notifications Off to mute everything at once.

The Activity notifications options page in the iPhone Watch app.
Flip switches to the left to turn them off.  Apple; William Antonelli/Insider

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Abigail Abesamis Demarest is a contributing writer for Insider based in New York. She loves a good glazed donut and nerdy deep dives into the science of food and how it's made. 
ExperienceWilliam joined Business Insider in 2019 to help found Tech Reference, a vertical dedicated to answering the internet’s most common questions about the gadgets they buy. In that role, he helped grow the vertical into a powerhouse that attracted over 20 million pageviews a month. He also wrote and edited one of Business Insider’s most successful stories: How to take a screenshot on Windows.William later became one of Business Insider's lead consumer tech reporters, writing roundups and reviews about gadgets ranging from smartphones to gaming PCs. He also established key industry contacts at brands like Apple, Google, Nintendo, and more. He’s also cited on the Wikipedia page for Among Us, an honor above all others.William’s work for Business Insider has included reviewing the best gaming laptops, publishing previews of new Nintendo games and consoles, and comparing Apple’s latest releases so readers know what’s worth their money. Across all assignments, he’s been praised for his depth of knowledge and research skills.In addition to his work at Business Insider, William’s writing has appeared in outlets like The Guardian, Polygon, Thomson Reuters’ Context, and more. He's also a regular guest on TV stations like CBS and NBC, where he provides expert analysis on AI, consumer tech, and Silicon Valley moguls.Why you can trust WilliamWilliam believes the goal of journalism should be to tell the truth, not sell products. In his reviews, William never hesitates to call out a product’s flaws, but he also has no issue complimenting features that genuinely add value.When reviewing a product, William doesn’t test it in a vacuum. He tries to incorporate each product into his daily routine to get a better sense of how it’ll work for the everyday user. And when writing, he focuses on reader comprehension. He’s talented at explaining complicated concepts in ways that all readers can understand, without losing depth or nuance — or his distinctively engaging voice.Expertise
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI)
  • Consumer Technology (Laptops, PCs, video games and gaming consoles, smartphones, more)
  • Social Media (TikTok, X, Meta, more)
  • Internet Culture (Memes, influencers, viral trends)
  • Disinformation
EducationWilliam graduated from the State University of New York at Geneseo in 2018. There, he studied English, communications, and adolescent education, alongside reporting news for the university’s radio and TV stations.Outside workWhen he’s not reporting, you can usually find William biking through Central Park, playing video games, or at home listening to music and writing fanfiction. He’s also a co-manager of the New York Mandolin Ensemble, one of NYC’s premier string orchestras.You can contact him at w.antonelli322@gmail.com, visit his official website at williamantonelli.com, or follow him on Twitter @DubsRewatcher and BlueSky @wantonelli.bsky.social.