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Guide: How to Broadcast Heart Rate from Your Garmin® Wearable to FITIV

Updated

Many Garmin® watches, and the Garmin CIRQA™ smart band, can broadcast heart rate like a Bluetooth sensor. That lets you start a workout in FITIV and use your Garmin® device for live heart rate, with FITIV’s metrics and analytics on every session.

How does my Garmin® device work with FITIV?

Your Garmin® device works with FITIV in two ways, and each one does a different job:

  • Garmin Connect™ sync: brings in the workouts you record on your device, plus your sleep, recovery and daily metrics, after your device syncs. This is the main connection for most Garmin® users.
  • Broadcast Heart Rate: sends live heart rate to FITIV during a workout you start in FITIV. This guide covers this option.

You can use both. Garmin Connect™ keeps your recovery and daily data up to date, and broadcasting adds live heart rate whenever you want to train with FITIV's in-workout metrics.

ℹ️ Pro Tip: To set up the Garmin Connect™ sync, follow Guide: How to Sync Your Garmin® Watch with FITIV Using Garmin Connect™.

Before you begin

  • Make sure your Garmin® device is charged. Wear a watch snugly on your wrist. Wear a CIRQA™ band snugly on your wrist or forearm.
  • If your device was connected to another app or device, disconnect it there first.
  • If you have a watch, check your device manual to confirm your model supports Broadcast Heart Rate. Not all Garmin® watches do.

Step 1: Enable Broadcast Heart Rate on the watch

The menu path depends on your watch model. Use the option that matches your watch, or check your Garmin® manual.

How you turn on broadcasting depends on your device. Garmin® watches do it from the watch itself. The Garmin CIRQA™ band has no screen, so you do it from the Garmin Connect™ app.

If you have a Garmin® watch

The menu path depends on your watch model. Use the option that matches your watch, or check your Garmin® manual.

Option 1

  1. Hold UP.
  2. Select Health & Wellness.
  3. Tap Wrist Heart Rate.
  4. Select Broadcast Heart Rate.

Option 2

  1. Hold LIGHT.
  2. Open the Controls menu.
  3. Select Broadcast Heart Rate.
  4. Press START.

If you have a Garmin CIRQA™ band

  1. Open the Garmin Connect™ app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap the menu icon and select Garmin Devices.
  3. Select your CIRQA™ smart band.
  4. Tap Health & Wellness and select Broadcast Heart Rate.
  5. Tap Status to turn heart rate broadcasting on.
  6. Tap Device Control to hold the button on your band for three seconds to turn broadcasting on or off (optional). When Device Control is on, hold the button until the LED flashes yellow to start broadcasting.
✅ Success Tip: The light on your CIRQA™ band flashes orange while it is broadcasting.

Step 2: Connect the watch in FITIV

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  1. Open FITIV on your iPhone.
  2. Go to the Workouts tab.
  3. Tap on the Device Picker.
  4. Tap Discover & Manage Devices.
  5. Select your Garmin® device from the list.
  6. Select your Garmin® device as your main tracking device.

Step 3: Start the workout

Start your workout in FITIV. FITIV records the session while receiving live heart rate from your Garmin® watch.

⚠️ Alert Tip: Do not pair your Garmin® watch through your iPhone Bluetooth settings for use inside FITIV. Connect it from the Device Picker instead.
📝 Related Content: Your Garmin® device can also broadcast to other devices, like an Edge® bike computer. FITIV can do the same in reverse and stream your heart rate to gym equipment. See Guide: How to Stream My Heart Rate to Any Machine with FITIV Heart Rate Sync

What if FITIV does not detect my Garmin® device?

  1. Confirm Broadcast Heart Rate is active. On a watch, broadcasting stops when you exit the mode. On a CIRQA™ band, check that Status is on in the Garmin Connect™ app and that the LED is flashing.
  2. Make sure your device is not broadcasting to another app or device, like a gym machine or bike computer.
  3. Turn off Bluetooth on nearby devices that previously paired with your device.
  4. Make sure your Garmin® device and the Garmin Connect™ app are up to date.
  5. Close apps you are not using in the background.
  6. Close FITIV, reopen it and repeat Step 2.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Q: Can I broadcast heart rate and use the Garmin Connect™ sync at the same time? 

A: Yes. Broadcasting gives you live heart rate in FITIV workouts, and Garmin Connect™ syncs your sleep, recovery and daily metrics. If you also record the same session as an activity on your device, it syncs through Garmin Connect™ too, so use the History tab duplicate filters to hide the repeat.

Q: Does broadcasting drain my Garmin® battery faster? 

A: Yes, broadcasting uses more battery than normal wear on both watches and the CIRQA™ band. Stop broadcasting when your workout ends.

Want more? Our Facebook and Reddit communities are where FITIV members trade tips, troubleshoot together, and share their progress. Join thousands of people who care about their fitness, just like you.

Join our communities on:

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 - The FITIV Support Team

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