Garmin School
Garmin tips, tricks, and tutorials — from beginner to expert.
Day 1401The Top 5 Halloween Watchfaces for Your Garmin
Your Garmin doesn't know it's spooky season yet. Five watchfaces — from Garmin's own Spooky Cat to a monster that actually haunts you for being lazy — to get it in the mood for Halloween.
Day 139369Yes, You Can Connect Your Garmin to Claude — Here's the Missing MCP
Someone built a free, hosted MCP server that links your Garmin account to Claude in about a minute, no terminal required. Once it's connected you can ask it almost anything about your training and health data.
Day 13856Never Miss a Prayer Time Again — Straight From Your Garmin
The free Time To Pray app works for Islamic, Jewish, Christian, Hindu and Bahá'í prayer schedules, with a qibla finder and alerts built in. Three watchfaces can even show your next prayer time directly on the dial.
Day 1378610 Garmin Settings That Are Quietly Eating Your Battery
From gesture wake to always-on display, ten default settings quietly cost you battery for very little in return. Turn them off and get real battery life back.
Day 136751Claude Checks My Garmin Every Morning and Tells Me If I'm Getting Sick
Four metrics shift before you feel anything — HRV, resting heart rate, respiration and blood oxygen. Here's the connector setup and the exact scheduled prompt that turns them into a daily illness score.
Day 135212I Built a Garmin Finder That Picks Your Watch in Three Questions
There are over 40 Garmin watches on sale and most people buy the wrong one. Three questions — what you do, what you'll spend, what you care about — is enough to land on one.
EXTRA14The Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 Just Launched — Still Can't Beat Garmin on These Three Things
Series 12 and Ultra 4 just launched, and I got excited for about five minutes. Then I remembered why I still wear a Garmin: battery, buttons, and a watch band that fights you every single morning.
Day 13421Coros Matches Garmin on Almost Everything — Except These Two Things
Battery, training metrics, GPS accuracy: Coros is genuinely competitive. But there is no streaming music and no app store, and both are things you'd notice every single day.
Day 13314The Marathon World Record Was Set on Garmin's Cheapest Watch
Sabastian Sawe ran 1:59:30 in London — the first legal sub-two-hour marathon in history. On his wrist was not a fēnix 8 or a Forerunner 970, but a five-year-old entry-level Forerunner 55.
Day 13236Every Garmin Watch Still Coming in 2026
The fēnix 9 landed, but Garmin isn't finished. The Enduro 4, fēnix E2 and MARQ Gen 3 have all cleared certification — and one of them is a very good reason not to buy an Enduro 3 today.
Day 13135My Garmin Replaced My Entire Wallet — Not Just the Bank Card
Garmin Pay handles paying, and Curve covers you if your bank isn't supported. But the rest of a wallet is loyalty cards — and those go on your wrist too, as barcodes you can scan straight off the screen.
Day 13039Overrated vs Underrated Running Watches
This one is going to upset some people. The fēnix 9, the Apple Watch Ultra, the Coros Vertix 2S and Whoop are all overrated right now — and the watch nobody talks about is the one I'd actually recommend.
Day 129181Analyse Your Garmin Data With AI — Without Setting Up MCP
The MCP route gives Claude live access to your Garmin account, but it takes a terminal and a bit of patience. Here's the simpler way — export your data once, point Claude at the folder, and run one of two ready-made prompts: a 90+ sleep score protocol, or a VO2max plateau diagnosis.
Day 128313How to Track a Hyrox Properly on Your Garmin
Eight runs and eight stations is sixteen legs — but you don't build a sixteen-step workout. You build two activities and let them loop, and you get a clean split for every run and every station.
Day 12735Put Your parkrun Barcode on Your Garmin and Never Forget It Again
No barcode, no time — that's the parkrun rule. If you hate running with your phone, you can store the barcode on your watch instead, and the same trick works for gym and loyalty cards.
Day 12665Lactate Threshold on Garmin: The Number That Fixes Your Training Zones
Lactate threshold is the line between an effort you can hold and one that's burning you down. Your Garmin reports it three ways — and knowing it turns generic heart rate zones into zones that are actually yours.
Day 1252Garmin Made a Heart Rate Monitor for Horses — Meet Blaze
Garmin's first equine product doesn't go on a wrist. A sensor in a neoprene wrap sits under the horse's tail, tracking heart rate, gait and recovery — and streams it live to the Garmin watch you're already wearing.
EXTRA98Most fēnix 9 Features Are Coming to Older Garmins — I Didn't See That Coming
Stamina zones, the rucking suite, the indoor rowing overhaul and running power curves are all heading to the fēnix 8, Enduro 3 and Forerunner 970. Garmin has never done this before, and it makes the cheaper watches far more interesting.
EXTRA219Garmin Released the fēnix 9 — And I'm Underwhelmed
Three new lines, an all-titanium Pro, and no new sensor at all. I put the fēnix 9 next to the fēnix 8 in my own compare data: the base model has literally the same battery, and the outgoing fēnix 8 is currently the better buy.
Day 12412Your Apple Watch Battery Is Dying — And It's Costing You Your Sleep Data
Apple rates its watch batteries at 80% capacity after 1,000 charge cycles — roughly two to three years of daily charging. A one-day watch becomes a half-day watch, and the first thing you lose is sleep tracking.
EXTRA31Garmin Is Launching the fēnix 9 — Here's the Livestream
Garmin's "Play Harder" livestream airs Tuesday 25 August. The fēnix 9 has already leaked in 18 retailer listings, it's going to be expensive, and the upgrade looks incremental — but that's not the part that matters.
Day 12320Stop Paying for Route Planning — Garmin Connect Already Does It Free
Komoot now costs about €60 a year, and since 2025 new users have to subscribe just to send a route to their watch. Garmin Connect builds the same community-based routes for nothing — and you don't need a watch with maps.
Day 12245Cheap Garmin vs Expensive Garmin: What Does $550 More Actually Buy?
A $299 Forerunner 170 and an $849 fēnix 8 run the identical training suite — Training Readiness included. Here's exactly what the extra $550 buys, and the four metrics you genuinely do give up.
Day 12184Four Signs Your Garmin Knows You're Overtrained Before You Do
Overtraining doesn't announce itself with tiredness — it shows up in your data days earlier. These are the four signals to watch, why one alone means nothing, and the unglamorous fix.
Day 12021You Can Change Garmin Settings Mid-Run Without Losing Any Data
That heart rate alert buzzing at you from last week's run doesn't have to ruin today's. You can open the activity settings while the timer is still running — here's how, on both Forerunner and Venu.
Day 11915Don't Buy a fēnix 8 Today — the fēnix 9 Is Nearly Here
The fēnix 9 turned up in Garmin's own app code in June and cleared the FCC in August. Whether or not you want the new watch, that timing is exactly why you shouldn't buy a fēnix 8 this week.
Day 11814Should You Trust Garmin's Training Readiness Score?
Training Readiness is a 1–100 score built from six different inputs. Here's what each one contributes, what the score genuinely can't see, and the one rule that makes it useful instead of stressful.
Day 11720Garmin's Whoop Killer Is Here — But Who Actually Needs the Cirqa?
The Cirqa is Garmin's screenless tracker, and unlike Whoop it comes with no subscription. Here's my honest verdict on who should buy it, who should save $100 on a Fitbit Air, and who should install a free watchface instead.
Day 11618The One Running Data Field Almost Nobody Adds: Cadence
Most runners only look at pace, distance, time, and heart rate. Cadence — your steps per minute — is one of the best signals for why a run feels harder than it should.
Day 11559Got a Garmin Feature Idea? I Might Build It for You
Every watchface and app I've shipped — including Goals Pro — started as a request on the public idea board. Drop your idea, vote on others, and you might see it on your wrist next.
Day 114516Turn Claude Into a Daily Coach That Re-Evaluates Your Garmin Data Automatically
Building one training plan is easy. The useful part is having it re-check your Garmin data every morning and tell you whether to push, hold, or back off — automatically, with Claude Cowork's scheduled tasks.
Day 11324Alcohol Doesn't Just Cost You Tonight's Sleep — It Costs You Training Days
A night of drinking can suppress HRV, spike resting heart rate, and drain Body Battery — and if you're mid training block, that recovery hit can cost you more than just tomorrow.
Day 112143The Top 5 Garmin Apps to Install First
Music without your phone, hydration tracking, an arcade break, live rain radar, and a fully customisable watchface — these are the five Garmin apps to install first.
Day 11175Set a Heart Rate Alert So Your Garmin Watches Your Zone 2 Run For You
Most runners stare at their screen the whole run trying to stay in Zone 2. Set a heart rate alert instead and your Garmin buzzes the moment you drift out.
Day 11041Garmin Gear Tracking: The Complete Guide to Tracking Shoes, Bikes and More
Garmin counts the distance, hours and days on every pair of shoes, bike and board you own, and warns you before worn-out kit turns into an injury. The full setup guide, including the 2026 update that brought gear tracking onto the watch.
EXTRA35Garmin Cirqa vs Whoop vs Fitbit Air — And Why You Probably Don't Need One
Garmin's first screenless tracker costs $199.99 with no subscription. Here's how it really compares to the Whoop 5.0 and the Fitbit Air — and why, if you already own a recent Garmin watch, a free watchface gets you the same screen-free experience today.
Day 109785I Use This Garmin + Claude Setup Every Day — Here's an Example
Once Claude can read your Garmin data through MCP, you can ask it anything — not just a one-off analysis. Here's the exact prompt I use to turn two weeks of training data into a real plan.
Day 1083Garmin Not Charging? Clean the Connector First
If your Garmin looks like it charged overnight but didn't move at all, the pins on the charging cable are probably dirty — not broken. Here's the fix.
Day 107234Build a Single Garmin Workout With Claude, Then Upload It in One Click
Describing a workout in Garmin Connect's builder is tedious. Describe it to Claude instead, download the JSON it creates, and upload it straight to your Garmin calendar with the Garmin School workout tool.
Day 10640Why Is the Garmin Logo a Triangle? (It's Not What You Think)
The obvious guess is GPS triangulation. That's wrong on two counts — the triangle is newer than you'd think, and GPS doesn't even use triangulation.
Day 1051040Don't Use the Strava MCP for Garmin Data — Use This Instead
Strava's official MCP connector only covers activities and training trends. The Garmin MCP server also exposes your sleep, HRV, stress, and Body Battery — the full recovery picture Strava doesn't have.
Day 10494Seasons Premium: The Watchface That Changes With the Calendar, Now With More Style
Seasons is one of my most popular Garmin watchfaces, redesigned. Seasons Premium adds style and font options, an optional goal gauge ring, analog hands, and still switches its look automatically with the seasons.
Day 10314Why Is It Called 'Garmin'? The Story Behind the Name
Garmin wasn't always Garmin. Before a 1991 trademark dispute forced a rename, the company that would build some of the world's best-known GPS watches was called ProNav.
Day 1021969Connect Your Garmin to Claude in 3 Steps (No Coding Required)
A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server lets Claude read your Garmin Connect data directly — no data export, no copy-pasting. Install it as a Claude Desktop extension in three steps, then ask Claude anything about your training, sleep, or recovery.
Day 101107Goals Pro: The Upgrade to the Most Popular Garmin Watchface
Goals is the most popular watchface on Garmin, and I made it. Goals Pro takes that same ring design and adds full customisation — more fonts, analog hands, shortcuts, and a background that follows your colours.
Day 100971Is Your VO2max Stuck? Analyse Your Garmin Data With Claude AI
Training multiple times a week but your VO2max won't budge? Export your Garmin data and let Claude AI dig through your training, sleep, and recovery to pinpoint exactly what's holding it back.
Day 9938How to Set Up Voice Pace Alerts on Your Garmin
Stop glancing at your wrist mid-run. Set up Garmin audio prompts so your watch tells you in your ears when you're running too fast or too slow.
Day 98232Garmin VO2max Explained — and How to Actually Improve It
What your Garmin's VO2max number really means, how the watch estimates it, and a practical cheat sheet of training, recovery, and lifestyle changes that move it up.
Day 97153Which Garmin Should You Buy? The Lineup Explained
Forerunner, fēnix, Venu, vívoactive, Lily, or Instinct? A plain-English guide to what each Garmin family is built for, so you buy the right watch the first time.
Day 9684How to Create a Running or Cycling Course in Garmin Connect
Use Garmin Connect's Course Creator and Trendline Popularity Routing to plan a new route, then send it to a compatible watch or Edge.
Day 9537How to Set Drink Alerts on a Garmin Watch
Create a recurring time- or distance-based Drink alert inside an activity profile so your Garmin reminds you to hydrate during longer sessions.
Day 9483How to See Live Sports Scores on Your Garmin Watch
Add the Sport Scores glance to follow live scores, schedules, and standings for up to 15 leagues from your wrist — here's how to set it up and which Garmin watches support it.
Day 9384Garmin Forerunner 70 vs 170 vs 570 vs 970
The Forerunner 70, 170, 570, and 970 target very different runners. Compare their navigation, sensors, training tools, and daily features before paying for the wrong tier.
Day 9219Why Alcohol Can Lower Your Garmin HRV
Alcohol can raise overnight heart rate and suppress HRV, so the effect may show up in Garmin recovery metrics before you fully feel it the next morning.
Day 9130Garmin Active vs Resting Calories Explained
Active calories cover movement beyond rest, while resting calories estimate the energy your body uses throughout the day. Together they form Garmin's total calories.
Day 9052Track Hydration on Your Garmin Watchface With Hydration PRO
Garmin can remind you to drink, but Hydration PRO can also share your daily progress with compatible watchfaces such as Goals 8.
Day 891161Analyse Your Garmin Sleep Data With Claude
Export your Garmin history and let Claude compare sleep, HRV, stress, and activity trends to find personal patterns instead of giving generic sleep advice.
Day 8844Put Your Own Photos on a Garmin With Photo Pro
Photo Pro turns your own image into a configurable Garmin watchface, with a free basic tier and support for up to seven saved photos in Max.
Day 8766Find the Right Garmin Watch With the Compare Tool
Garmin's catalogue is crowded. Describe your activities, required features, and budget to get a focused shortlist, then compare the watches side by side.
Day 8616How to Import a GPX File Into Garmin Connect
Start with 10 useful websites for free and paid GPX routes, then import the file into Garmin Connect and send the course to a compatible watch or Edge.
Day 8583Can the Garmin Rain App Really Warn You Before Rain Starts?
The Rain app shows upcoming precipitation on your Garmin. Here's how to use it, what a 30-minute rain warning means, and why it is useful for walks, runs, and rides.
Day 84334Import Your Own Training Plan Into Garmin With Intervals.icu
If you already have a training schedule, you can turn it into calendar workouts for Garmin by using Intervals.icu and the Garmin School schedule uploader.
Day 8329What a Sudden HRV Drop on Garmin Can Tell You
HRV is not a number to compare with friends. It is a trend against your own baseline, and a sudden drop can warn you that stress, illness, or recovery debt is building.
Day 8238Garmin Load Focus Explained: Blue, Orange, and Purple
Garmin Training Load Focus splits your recent workouts into low aerobic, high aerobic, and anaerobic work. Here's what the colors mean and why balanced training matters.
Day 8190The 5 Best Garmin Watch Band Types to Try
A Garmin watch band changes comfort more than most people expect. Here are five band styles worth trying, from breathable nylon to steel mesh and the default silicone strap.
Day 8016How to Show Garmin Watch Heart Rate on an Edge Bike Computer
You can use many Garmin watches as a heart rate sensor for your Edge bike computer. Here's how to broadcast wrist heart rate, pair it to the Edge, and ride with your heart rate on the handlebar screen.
Day 79175The Top 5 Garmin Watchfaces of 2026 (So Far)
From a Pokémon face to the Laziest Watchface Ever Created — these are the five Garmin watchfaces that have dominated wrists in 2026 so far.
Day 7894How a Near-Bike-Crash Led Me to Build the Rain App
The Rain app is celebrating its 10th birthday. It started with dark clouds, a distracted cyclist, and almost hitting a tree — here's the full story.
Day 77150How to Track Your Glucose Levels on Your Garmin Watch
If you have diabetes and a Garmin, the CGM Connect app lets you see your glucose readings right on your wrist — including trend arrows, a graph, and watchface integration.
Day 7636Your Garmin Knows the Way Home, Even When You Don't
The best runs are the unplanned ones — but at some point you need to get back. Here's how to use Garmin's Back to Start feature to find your way home.
Day 758Pebble vs Garmin: Can the Classic Underdog Really Win?
The Pebble founder claims the new Pebble beats every smartwatch on the market including Garmin. After spending time with one, here's the honest verdict.
Day 7458Your Garmin Can Predict Illness Days Before You Feel It
HRV often drops before symptoms appear. Your body is already fighting something — your watch can see it. Here's how to read the signs and what to do when you spot them.
Day 7369Garmin Connect+: What You Actually Get and Whether It's Worth $6.99/Month
Connect+ isn't taking away free features — it's adding AI-powered coaching, nutrition tracking, and deeper insights on top. Here's what you actually get, what I use, and what's still missing.
Day 7264Every Garmin Has a Flashlight — Even Without Hardware LEDs
Most Garmin owners don't know their watch has a built-in flashlight mode, even on models without a dedicated LED. Here's how to enable it — plus the best tips for running safely in the dark.
Day 711301Claude AI Can Build Your Training Schedule From Your Actual Garmin Data
Export your Garmin data, describe your goal, and let Claude analyse YOUR numbers to create a personalised training plan — not a generic template. Here's the exact 3-step process.
Day 7028Apple Watch vs Garmin: Which One Actually Tracks Sleep Better?
Scientific studies compared both against polysomnography — the gold-standard sleep lab test. Here's what the research says, and why Garmin still wins in the real world.
Day 6952Forerunner 165 vs 170: Is the $100 Difference Actually Worth It?
The Forerunner 165 and 170 run on the same hardware. The differences are a handful of software features. At $100 less, the 165 might be the best affordable Garmin you can get right now.
Day 6876Race Yourself: Make Solo Runs Competitive Again
If running alone is getting boring, use Race Yourself to compete against one of your previous activities. Your Garmin shows whether you are ahead or behind your past self.
Day 67255Import Your Own Training Schedule to Garmin With Intervals.icu
Not convinced by Garmin Coach? You can create your own schedule with AI, convert it to upload-ready JSON, send it to Intervals.icu, and sync it back to Garmin Connect.
Day 6664Treadmill Runs: Why Your Garmin Distance Is Wrong and How to Fix It
If your Garmin shows a different pace or distance than the treadmill, do not panic. Use the treadmill activity and calibrate after the run so your watch learns your indoor stride better over time.
Day 65475 Apple Watch Features Garmin Still Cannot Match
Garmin is brilliant for sport, battery life, recovery and durability. But if you are moving from Apple Watch to Garmin, these are the five smartwatch features you should know you may lose.
Day 64117Training Target: Let Your Garmin Pace the Run for You
Want to finish 5K in 30 minutes, or hit any distance and time goal without doing math mid-run? Training Target gives your Garmin a simple goal and lets the watch tell you if you are on track.
Day 6375Silent Wake: Wake Up Without Disturbing Anyone
Sleeping next to someone with a different wake time? Your Garmin can wake you with vibration only — no sound. Here's how to enable silent alarms.
Day 623406Can You Hit a 90+ Sleep Score Every Night With Claude AI and Your Garmin?
Yes — and here's how. Export your Garmin data, run this prompt through Claude Code or Claude Cowork, and get a personalised 30-day plan to consistently hit 90+ sleep scores, built from your actual data.
Day 61655Which Garmin Should You Buy? Let the Compare Tool Decide
After five years of testing Garmin watches, I built a free tool that takes your preferences and budget and tells you exactly which Garmin fits — then lets you compare them spec by spec.
Day 6059The Turn Around Alert: Garmin's Best Hidden Run Feature
Out-and-back runs only work if you flip at exactly the right moment. The Turn Around alert on your Garmin tells you when to turn — so you finish exactly where you started.
Day 59181Time To Pray: Never Miss a Prayer Again
Time To Pray is a Garmin app that gives you accurate prayer times, a qibla finder, and watchface data fields with a countdown to the next prayer — works with any religion or tradition.
EXTRA28Forerunner 70 & 170: Garmin's New Entry-Level Running Watches
Garmin just refreshed the bottom of the Forerunner line with the 70 and 170. Here's what changed, what didn't, and why the 165 at $199 may be the smartest buy of all three.
Day 5841Garmin vs Coros: 3 Reasons I'd Choose Garmin Every Time
Coros makes solid sport watches that match Garmin's accuracy. But here are the 3 reasons I'd still choose Garmin — every single time.
Day 5746What Is Pulse Ox on Your Garmin — and What Does It Tell You?
Your Garmin tracks blood oxygen saturation. Here's what a normal reading looks like, what a low one means, and why you should have it on during sleep.
Day 56128Top 5 Garmin Features You Didn't Know Existed
Your Garmin is packed with features most people never find. Here are the 5 best ones — from smart alarms to incident detection — and how to turn them on.
Day 5547GPS Accuracy Modes Explained: Which One Should You Pick?
Your Garmin has multiple GPS modes and the difference matters. Here's exactly which one to use — and when — to balance accuracy and battery life.
Day 542143Can You Optimise Your VO2max in One Month With Claude AI and Your Garmin?
Yes — and here's how. Export your Garmin data, run this prompt through Claude Code or Claude Cowork, and get a personalised 4-week VO2max plan built from your actual numbers.
Day 53160Want a Garmin Feature That Doesn't Exist Yet? Here's How to Get It Built
There's now a public idea board where anyone can submit feature requests for my Garmin apps, see what others have asked for, and vote on what gets built next.
Day 5260How Garmin's Stress Tracking Actually Works — And Why It's More Accurate Than You Think
Garmin uses HRV to calculate stress all day long. Here's the science behind it, what the numbers mean, and how to actually use your stress score before a workout.
Day 5151Never Late: The Garmin Watchface That Fixes Chronically Late Friends (and You)
Never Late is a Garmin watchface available on the Connect IQ Store that shifts the displayed time by however many minutes you're always running behind — so you're actually on time for once.
Day 5014Garmin vs Apple Watch: Which Counts Your Steps More Accurately?
I wore a cheap Garmin and a cheap Apple Watch at the same time, manually counted 1,000 steps, and checked which was closer. Garmin was off by 5. Apple Watch by 20.
Day 4938Why Garmin Says You're Unproductive Right After Your Best Race Ever
Seeing "Unproductive" after a great race is confusing — until you understand what Garmin is actually measuring. It's not judging your effort, it's reading your body's ability to absorb more stress.
Day 4813Inside the Garmin Running Hub in Antwerp — And Every Garmin Race Worldwide in 2026
Garmin turned Café Recup into a running HQ for the Baloise Antwerp 10 Miles. Here's the full list of Garmin-partnered events in 2026 — find one near you and you could win a Forerunner 570.
Day 4729You Can Now Vote on What Gets Built Next
There's a public feature request board for all my Garmin apps. Browse what others have asked for, vote on the features you want, and submit your own ideas.
Day 461715 More Apps I Always Install on a New Garmin (Pt. 2)
Route discovery, a game for your bathroom break, geocaching, tides, and the most popular watchface on Garmin. Five more apps worth installing immediately.
Day 4564Resting Heart Rate: What It Is and How to Read It
Your Garmin measures your resting heart rate every night while you sleep. Here's what the number actually means, what's normal, and when to pay attention.
Day 44138Rain: The Fastest Precipitation Widget for Garmin
Rain skips the slow radar images and shows a clean precipitation graph instead — fast, worldwide, and precise. Here's what it does and why it's worth installing.
Day 434764Find Your Perfect Garmin: The Compare Tool
Not sure which Garmin to buy? The Garmin School compare tool lets you chat with an AI advisor, filter the full watch catalogue, and compare any watches spec by spec — all in one place.
Day 4260Top 20 Garmin Features Your Apple Watch Doesn't Have
Battery life is just the start. Here are 20 things your Garmin does that Apple Watch simply can't — from Body Battery to topographic maps to solar charging.
Day 4142What Is Garmin's Body Battery — And How Does It Work?
Body Battery is Garmin's estimate of how much energy you have left. Here's what it actually measures, how it goes up and down, and how to use it to train smarter.
Day 4046Build Your Own Interval Training on Garmin — Step by Step
Custom interval workouts on Garmin are easier than you think — and a bit hidden. Here's exactly how to build one on Garmin Connect and get it on your watch.
Day 3913Apple Watch vs Garmin: Which Heart Rate Is More Accurate?
I wore both during a walk to find out. The answer isn't what you'd expect — and the real difference isn't accuracy, it's frequency.
Day 382811Replace Your Personal Trainer With Claude AI — Using Your Garmin Data
I exported my Garmin data, fed it to Claude, and got a personalised marathon training plan based on MY actual numbers. Here's the exact step-by-step — including the prompt.
Day 3714Wind Down With Breathing: Garmin Breathwork vs Moonbird
Controlled breathing is one of the most effective tools for winding down before sleep. Here's a detailed breakdown of how to do it with your Garmin watch — and whether Moonbird is worth the extra $180.
Day 3633What Is HRV — And How Should You Use It?
HRV stands for Heart Rate Variability — the tiny changes in time between each heartbeat. Your Garmin tracks it every night. Here's what it means and why the trend matters more than the number.
Day 35151Top 20 Settings to Change on Every New Garmin
Every time I get a new Garmin, I work through this list. From software updates to GPS defaults to emergency features — 20 settings that actually make a difference from day one.
Day 3423I Got Soaked on My Run — Here's the App That Prevents It
I had the Rain app installed on my Garmin and still got completely soaked. Not because it failed — because I forgot to check it. Here's how to use it right.
Day 33124Titan: The Most Advanced Garmin Watchface I've Ever Built
8 data fields with 80+ options each, 3 goal gauges, 8 font choices, on-device colour management. Titan is the most configurable watchface in the Connect IQ Store.
Day 32262Top 5 Free Garmin Watchfaces Worth Installing
You don't have to spend a cent to have a great Garmin watchface. These 5 free watchfaces cover aesthetics, health tracking, and everything in between.
Day 3133The Garmin Move Bar: How It Works and Why You Should Use It
The Move Bar appears after 1 hour of inactivity and fills further every 15 minutes. It resets when you move. Here's why this simple feature is more powerful than it looks.
Day 307Apple Watch vs Garmin Battery Test: How Long Does Each Last?
I charged both to 100%, disabled always-on, and ran the same route. The results weren't even close — but the Apple Watch had one clever trick up its sleeve.
Day 2960My Top 5 Favourite Garmin Features
After years of daily Garmin use, these are the 5 features I genuinely couldn't go back to living without — ranked from good to irreplaceable.
Day 2833Your Garmin Has Hidden Shortcut Buttons — Here's How to Use Them
Long-press any button on your Garmin to assign a custom shortcut. Log a drink, start an activity, or open any app with one button. Most users never set these up.
Day 2725Forgot to Charge Your Garmin? Charge It With Your Phone
If you have a USB-C phone and your Garmin uses USB-C, you can charge your watch directly from your phone in an emergency. Here's how.
Day 26194Top 5 Apps I Always Install on a New Garmin
Every time I get a new Garmin, these 5 apps go on first. Music streaming, rain alerts, hourly steps, hydration tracking, and the best all-in-one watchface.
Day 2571Lactate Threshold: The Running Metric That Changes Everything
Your lactate threshold is the pace where your body can no longer clear lactic acid fast enough. Training around it is one of the most effective ways to get faster.
Day 2410I Caught a Charizard on My Garmin
There's an official Pokémon watchface in the Connect IQ Store with 48 Pokémon. It ties your body battery to your Pokémon's energy state. Here's how it works.
Day 2339WhatsApp Is Finally on Garmin — Here's How to Set It Up
After years of waiting, there's a WhatsApp app for Garmin in the Connect IQ Store. It works — with some limitations. Here's the setup and what to expect.
Day 2211I Helped an Oil Tanker Pass Through the Strait of Hormuz
A watchface where every completed daily goal helps a virtual oil tanker navigate a geopolitical hotspot. Absurd, funny, and completely free.
Day 2120Cheapest vs Most Expensive Garmin: GPS Accuracy Tested
Multi-band GPS on a Fenix vs single-band on a Vivoactive — the results are closer than you'd think, and the battery cost of multi-band is real.
Day 2015Core: Put Whatever You Want at the Center of Your Garmin
Should time really be the most important thing on your watchface? Core lets you center any stat — steps, heart rate, body battery, or anything else that matters most to you.
Day 1921Venu 4 vs Vivoactive 6: Which Should You Buy?
I tested both for months. The Venu 4 is better in almost every way — but at $549 vs $299, is the $250 difference worth it? An honest comparison.
Day 1840VO2 Max: What Your Garmin Number Actually Means
VO2 Max measures how efficiently your body uses oxygen during exercise. It's the single best predictor of endurance fitness — and your Garmin estimates it from every run.
Day 1721Why Your Garmin Shows a Heartbeat When You're Not Wearing It
Put your Garmin on a table and it still shows a heart rate. It's not broken — it's how the optical sensor works. Here's the actual physics behind it.
Day 1628Track Your Shoe Mileage Before Your Knees Pay the Price
Worn-out running shoes cause injuries. Garmin Connect's gear tracking sends an alert when your shoes hit their mileage limit — so you never run another kilometer on dead foam.
Day 1524The Garmin Tides App: Know the Ocean Before You Go
A free Connect IQ app shows you 7 days of tide data offline — essential for surfers, sailors, fishermen, and beach runners. No internet needed.
Day 1417Sunset Alerts: Your Garmin Can Help Keep You Safe at Night
Set a 'time until sunset' alert in Garmin and get a heads-up before it gets dark on your run. A small setting that makes a real safety difference.
Day 1329Intensity Minutes: What Is That Symbol on Your Garmin?
That lightning bolt icon tracks Intensity Minutes — a scientifically-backed health metric that matters more than step count. Here's what it means and how to hit your goal.
Day 12717 Settings to Get Extra Days of Garmin Battery Life
Without touching battery saver mode, these specific settings can squeeze 7+ extra days out of your Garmin. Display, GPS, connectivity — all covered.
Day 1143Heart Rate Alerts: Stop Staring at Your Watch Mid-Run
Set heart rate alerts on your Garmin and it buzzes when you go above or below your target zone — so you can run by feel, not by screen.
Day 1031Stride II: The Watchface That Might Save Your Life
The evolution of Stride — Stride II adds more data, smoother visuals, and the same hourly step motivation system that started this whole journey.
Day 918How Does Your Garmin Know You've Climbed a Floor?
It's not GPS. It's a barometric altimeter — your Garmin measures tiny changes in air pressure as you go up stairs. Here's exactly how it works.
Day 816MiP vs OLED: Which Garmin Screen is Better?
MiP (Memory In Pixel) screens shine in sunlight and last longer. OLED is vibrant and bright like a phone. Understanding the difference helps you pick the right Garmin.
Day 738Why Garmin Doesn't Default to 10,000 Steps
Garmin's step goal auto-adjusts to your actual fitness level instead of defaulting to 10,000. Here's the science behind it — and how to change it manually.
Day 676Can Your Garmin Predict You'll Be Sick?
HRV — Heart Rate Variability — drops before you feel sick. Your Garmin tracks this daily, giving you a 1–2 day early warning to rest instead of train.
Day 527The Laziest Garmin Watchface Ever Created
Every fitness watch tells you to move more. This one rewards you for doing absolutely nothing. Built with AI agents — and completely free.
Day 45Hearts: Never Forget Valentine's Day Again
I always forget Valentine's Day — so I built a reminder into my watchface. Hearts grows with your step goal and shows heart rate, battery, and a subtle nudge to buy flowers.
Day 327Goals: Apple Watch Rings — But for Garmin
Switched from Apple Watch and miss closing your rings? The Goals watchface brings that ring-closing satisfaction to Garmin with fully customizable metrics.
Day 221Daily Flowers: Fresh Design Every Single Day
Tired of your flowers dying? Daily Flowers gives your Garmin a new floral design every day — while still tracking your goals, steps, and heart rate.
Day 1114Stride: The Watchface My Doctor Inspired
A high blood pressure diagnosis led to building Stride — a Garmin watchface that motivates hourly movement through the day.