Critical alarm, follow-up alarm, persistent reminders: which Medifix setting does what?
The critical alarm rings even on silent, and you set it per medication. The follow-up alarm speaks up again if you do not react. Persistent reminders return if you swipe a reminder away. You can combine them.
Critical alarm: for medication you cannot afford to miss
A normal notification obeys your silent switch. A critical alarm does not: it rings like an alarm clock, even when the phone is muted. That makes sense for medication with a narrow time window. For vitamins it would be too much, because it would then go off in the middle of a film.
- Add a medication or open an existing one to edit it.
- Switch on Critical alarm. The app tells you: "This alarm rings even when your phone is silent."
- If asked, confirm the permission your phone requires for this.
Critical alarms are free for all medications in Medifix. The quiet hours you set under Settings > Notifications do not interrupt them either. Why Apple and Android allow this at all is explained in Medication reminder that rings on silent.
Follow-up alarm: when you do not react
You are busy and the reminder passes unnoticed. The follow-up alarm speaks up once more after a while. Find it under Settings > Notifications > Follow-up alarm and switch it on. It helps if you often see reminders late.
Persistent reminders: when you swipe
Swiping away is quick, and the tablet is easily forgotten afterwards. With "Persistent reminders" the reminder returns if you swipe it away, and it warns you before a dose counts as skipped. You choose the interval yourself.
And when it does not fit right now?
Postpone the dose instead of skipping it: Medifix reminds you again in 10 minutes. Why that is better is in Postpone, do not skip.
Which combination suits me?
| Situation | Setting |
|---|---|
| Tablet with a narrow time window, phone often on silent | Critical alarm |
| You often see reminders too late | Follow-up alarm |
| You swipe reminders away out of habit | Persistent reminders |
| Vitamins, flexible times | A normal reminder is enough |
This weighting is our suggestion, not medical advice. How strict a time must be is something your doctor or pharmacist can tell you.
More guides
- Set up the app lock in Medifix: fingerprint, face or PIN
- Medication reminder arrives late? Battery settings for Xiaomi, Samsung, Huawei and OnePlus
- Medication reminders for an elderly parent
A full feature overview lives on the Medifix app page, more articles in the Medifix guides, and answers to technical questions in the support section.