Why your Garmin might call people in the shower
Garmin smartwatches, including the Venu 4, are designed to stay on your wrist in all kinds of conditions. The downside? Water and moisture, plus wet fingers, can trick the touchscreen into registering taps or swipes you didn’t intend. If you’ve found that a shower, pool, or sauna session leads to unexpected calls, you’re not alone. The fix is usually simple: tighten the watch’s screen protection against moisture, adjust gesture settings, and limit how calls are initiated from the watch.
Step 1: Enable Water Lock or screen lock when needed
Most Garmin watches offer a Water Lock feature to prevent accidental touches during water activities. While Water Lock is aimed at avoiding unintended taps underwater, enabling it before a shower can also stop gusty movements from triggering a call. To enable Water Lock on most Garmin models:
- Open the settings menu on your Garmin watch.
- Find the “Water Lock” option and turn it on.
- To unlock, press and hold the appropriate button as indicated on-screen when you’re done showering.
Tip: If your model doesn’t have explicit Water Lock, use a screen lock or passcode (if available) while showering to prevent accidental inputs.
Step 2: Review and adjust call-related settings
Unwanted calls are often a result of the watch reacting to touch gestures or misinterpreting taps as an answer or dial action. Check these settings on your Garmin and in the connected phone app:
- Disable quick-dial or tap-to-call gestures in the watch’s communication or phone app settings.
- Turn off “Answer” or “Reject” by tapping on the notification when a call comes in from the watch, if your model offers this customization.
- Limit what the watch can do with notifications when paired with your phone—consider toggling off “Phone” or “Calls” under Smart Notifications in the Garmin Connect app.
Step 3: Use Do Not Disturb or sleep mode during showers
Do Not Disturb (DND) is a simple safeguard for times when you don’t want the watch to interact with calls or apps. Enabling DND before a shower can prevent the watch from initiating calls if fingers slip on the glass or the screen is touched by water droplets.
How to enable DND on most Garmin watches:
- Open Settings > Do Not Disturb or Sleep mode.
- Schedule DND or turn it on manually before your shower, gym session, or swim.
Step 4: Keep the watch updated and reset if needed
Software glitches can also cause quirky behavior. Ensure your Garmin Venu 4 is on the latest software. If errant calls persist after standard fixes, a soft reset (restarting the watch) or a factory reset (as a last resort) may resolve the issue. Before a reset, sync data with Garmin Connect and back up settings when possible.
Step 5: Combine with practical habits for splash-proof use
Beyond settings, adopt habits that reduce accidental calls:
– Wear the watch on the same wrist and keep the screen toward your forearm when showering.
– Consider a protective screen protector that reduces erroneous taps from moisture on the display.
– If you frequently swim or shower with the watch, put it in a dry pocket or use a waterproof pouch when you’re not exercising and need to avoid the accidental dialing temptation.
Bottom line
For most Garmin Venu 4 users, the culprit behind accidental shower calls is moisture-related input or overly sensitive call gestures. By enabling Water Lock, reviewing call-related settings, using Do Not Disturb during water activities, and keeping the watch updated, you can enjoy workouts and showers without unexpected outcalls. With these tweaks, your watch stays a helpful fitness companion rather than a phone-side prankster.
