Garmin fenix 5 Plus and fenix 5s Plus FAQS

FAQS

Troubleshooting a Garmin Watch that will not Charge or Power On

It is recommended to charge the battery for an hour, even if the display does not show the device charging, before determining that the battery is no longer functioning as intended. For devices that are having power issues, such as not powering on/off or not taking a charge, a soft reset can be performed to return the watch to a normal state. A soft reset does not remove any information from the watch. This reset is most effective when the device is connected to a computer.

Performing a Soft Reset

•  Connect the device to a computer via charging clip
•  Press and hold POWER/LIGHT button for 25 seconds or until device powers off
•  Press POWER/LIGHT to power unit back on
•  Charge battery to 100%
•  Update the device’s software with Garmin Express. See related content for installation instructions.

The device will now turn on and charge properly.

Replacing the Battery in a Garmin Wearable

• These devices utilize a rechargeable, lithium ion battery that is not user replaceable.
• If a new battery is needed, it can be replaced by utilizing the Garmin RMA process.
• Often power issues are not related to a battery failure.
• If the device is not charging or is quickly losing power, try cleaning the charging contacts on the back of the device and on the charging equipment with rubbing alcohol and a cotton swab.
• This will remove any possible residue
• If a battery power issue is still present, it is possible the issue is software related, in which a software update is suggested.
• The software can be updated using Garmin Express.
• It is recommended to charge the battery for an hour, even if the display does not show the device charging, before determining that the battery is no longer functioning as intended.

How to Improve the Garmin fenix 5 Plus and fenix 5s Plus Battery Life
If you are charging your Garmin fenix more frequent than expected, it could be due to the amount of usage or settings being used. Below is a list of functions that could cause the battery to drain faster than anticipated, for instructions on enabling or disabling these, visit the “Customizing Your Device” section in the owner’s manual.

NOTE: It is important that before you address some of the functions that affected battery life, that you first make sure your watch is up to date: How to Install Software Updates to My fenix 5 Plus Series Watch

Some of the functions are redundant, for example; steps and activities are uploaded both through WiFi and the Bluetooth connection to the Garmin Connect Mobile application. If using the Garmin Connect Mobile app continuously, it may be a good idea to turn off the Auto Upload setting to help conserve battery power. The Storm Alert function of the Barometer when a smart phone updates local weather is another redundant battery drain.
If battery drain still continues after making some settings changes, try returning the watch to factory defaults and seeing how long the battery lasts on a full charge without pairing it to smartphone again. If the battery lasts like it used to, then the battery drain would be the result of the choice of customized settings on the watch, or Bluetooth connected features.

Features that Affect Battery Life on Outdoor Wearable
If an outdoor wearable device is needing more frequent charging, it could be due to amount of usage or settings that have been changed.

Functions that Use Additional Battery
Select an item to learn more.

Backlight GPS WiFi Bluetooth Vibration Widgets and Connect IQ Apps

For instructions on enabling or disabling these settings, visit the “Customizing Your Device” section in your owner’s manual.

•  fenix 3 or fenix 3 HR
•  fenix 5 Plus, fenix 5S Plus and fenix 5X Plus
•  tactix Bravo
•  D2 Bravo
•  epix
•  Descent Mk1

Some of the functions are redundant, for example; steps and activities are uploaded both through WiFi and the Bluetooth connection to the Garmin Connect Mobile application. If using the Garmin Connect Mobile app continuously then it may be a good idea to turn off the Auto Upload setting to help conserve battery power. The Storm Alert function of the Barometer when a smart phone updates local weather is another redundant battery drain. If battery drain still continues after making some settings changes, try returning the watch to factory defaults and seeing how long the battery lasts without pairing it to smartphone again. If the battery lasts like it used to, then the battery drain would be the result of the choice of customized settings on the watch, or Bluetooth connected features.

My Garmin Device Is Paired but Not Connecting to Sync Data to My Garmin Connect Account.

If data from your Garmin device has stopped syncing to your Garmin Connect account, There are some troubleshooting steps that you can take which should resolve your issue.

Troubleshooting Steps

NOTE: Make sure that your Garmin device is within Bluetooth range of your smartphone and that the Bluetooth setting on your device is not turned off. Either of these factors will result in your Garmin device not connecting to sync with the Garmin Connect App on your smartphone

Try each step followed by checking to see if the problem is resolved:

• Close the Garmin Connect App. Then reopen it.
  •  Apple instructions
  •  Android Instructions
•  Power the Garmin device off and then power it back on
  •  Rechargeable devices without a power button: Plug your device into a USB power source using the charging cable. This is the equivalent of a restart.
  •  vivofit devices: skip this step since you cannot power cycle your device
•  Power down the smartphone then power it back on
•  Remove then add the Garmin device from the Garmin Connect App
  • o Instructions to do this can be found here: Removing and Adding a Device in the Garmin Connect App

How can I tell when the issue is fixed?

• You can tell when your Garmin device is connected and syncing from the top of the My Day view of the app
• The device status ring will display a green dot. The sync arrows will spin during a sync

I am getting a “Pairing Failed” message when setting up my Garmin device through the Garmin Connect App

If you receive a “Pairing Failed” message went attempting to add your Garmin device to the Garmin Connect App, review the following common solutions that may solve your problem.

Example of error message

NOTE:

When prompted from the phone, make sure that you are entering the six-digit code or entering the wrong code will result in a “Pairing Failed” message

• Select the option to Retry the process. Sometimes attempting the process
• If the issue persists, reboot the Garmin device by powering it off and then
• For devices without a button, plugging them into external power with the
• Try rebooting the smartphone by powering it off and then powering back

Controlling What iPhone Smart  Notifications Display on a Garmin Device

In most instances by default, any notification displayed on an iPhone will display on a Garmin wearable that features Smart Notifications. To customize what notifications display on a Garmin device, settings on the iPhone need to be adjusted.

To manage what Smart Notifications display on the Garmin device:

• From the iPhone, touch Settings
• Select Notifications
• Under NOTIFICATION STYLE select the app you want to adjust
• Choose your phone iOS version

iOS

• iOS 12 or higher
  • Under ALERTS make sure that Notification Center is checked to receive smart notifications for the selected app. Unchecking will turn off notifications for that app.
• iOS 11 or lower
  • Under ALERTS make sure that Show in History is toggled on to receive smart notifications for the selected app. Toggling it off will turn off notifications for that app

References

• User Manual