Use the red key to turn off your phone

Wait, wait; hang on. We put a lot of effort into our CrackBerry Tips, and we've specifically crafted them to appeal to users of all levels. Even though the subject may be simple, we try to delve just a little bit deeper to find some nugget of wisdom that many people can find useful and helpful.

Today, we look at that red phone key. I'll get the really basic stuff out of the way first. To turn "off" your phone, hold the Red phone key. I say, "off" because a modern wireless phone is never "off" unless you pull the battery. Carrier updates and some other functions still work when the phone is off. But why would you ever want turn off your BlackBerry?

The answer: to get some piece and quiet. Your BlackBerry is an always-on, always-connected device; messages and other communiqués arrive at all hours of the day, mere instants after they were sent. When you're trying to get some sleep, those message notifications can get pretty darn annoying. Sure you can turn notifications off, and I've even got a special sound profile to keep things quiet while charging. Sometimes, though, I forget to change those profiles and get woken in the middle of the night.

There is another way. In Today's CrackBerry Tip, we look at setting your phone to automatically power off and then back on at whatever time you desire.

Auto On/Off Features of BlackBerry OS6 & OS5

Your BlackBerry comes equipped with an auto-on/auto-off function. Again, the strain of the always-on, always-connected device can become great. While the BlackBerry is an excellent communications device, its curse is that people know they can always call or send a message to your BlackBerry. Sometimes, its good to take yourself off the grid. You don't work 24 hours each day, why should your BlackBerry?

If you've ever turned off your BlackBerry by holding down the Red Phone Key, you may have noticed something. If you're like me, you have your BlackBerry set to alarm when it's time to wake up. Unless you have Auto On/Off enabled, your smartphone will automatically power on when its time for the alarm to sound. You'll get a message telling you when the phone will automatically turn on.

You can also set your phone to automatically power down for the night and then wake at a certain time. You even have the option of setting different times for the weekend, Saturday and Sunday.

OS6: Open Options -> Device -> Auto On/Off
OS5: Open Options -> Auto On/Off

Here, you simply check the box or select Enabled from the drop-down list to activate that setting. Remember that the Weekday setting is for Monday-Friday, while the weekend settings are for Saturday and Sunday. Get yourself a nice peaceful night's sleep with the Auto On/Off settings of your BlackBerry.

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