Getting Started with the fēnix 8 Solar Edition Watch

If you are setting up a fēnix® 8 Solar Edition watch for the first time, the steps and video below will walk you through the process to set up and get the most out of your new watch. 

Setting up the fēnix 8 Solar Edition Watch

When powering on the watch for the first time, you will be prompted to configure your user setting and preferences. These settings can be changed at any time.

1. Power on the watch by holding LIGHT (upper left) button.

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   Learn About the Touchscreen and Buttons

   

   TOUCHSCREEN

   • Tap to choose an option in a menu.
   • Hold the watch face data to open the associated widget.
     NOTE: This feature is not available on all watch faces.
   • Swipe down on the watch face to view the notification center, or while on other screens, hold for 2 seconds before swiping down to view the notification center.
   • Swipe up on the watch face to scroll through the widget glance loop.
   • Swipe from left to right to return to the previous screen.
   • Cover the screen with your palm to return to the watch face and turn down the display brightness.

   LIGHT (Upper Left) Button

   • Press to turn on the watch.
   • Press to turn the backlight on and off.
   • Quickly press twice to turn on the flashlight.
   • Hold to view the controls menu.

   UP/MENU (Middle Left) Button

   • Press to view the notification center from the watch face.
   • Press to scroll through the widget loop and menus.
   • Hold to view the menu.

   DOWN (Lower Left) Button

   • Press to scroll through the widget loop and menus.
   • Hold to view the music controls from any screen.

   START/STOP (Upper Right) Button

   • Press to view the activity list and start or stop an activity.
   • Press to choose an option in a menu.
   • Hold to activate the Voice Command shortcut

   BACK/LAP (Lower Right) Button

   • Press to return to the previous screen.
   • Press to record a lap, rest, or transition during a multisport activity.
   • Hold to view recently used apps.

   
   

   Enabling and Disabling the Touchscreen

   • To temporarily enable or disable the touchscreen, hold DOWN (lower left) and START (upper right).
   • To enable or disable the touchscreen during general use, activities, or sleep, hold UP/MENU (middle left), select Watch Settings > Display & Brightness > Touch, and select an option.

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2. Choose your language by scrolling through the list using UP/MENU (middle left) and DOWN (lower left), press START to select the language.

3. Pair the watch to your smartphone with the Garmin Connect app™ (optional).
   NOTE: Pairing the watch with Garmin Connect app will also register the watch.

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   Learn More About Bluetooth Pairing

   • Why pair to a phone? Pairing to a phone lets you easily sync data to a Garmin Connect™ account, gives you access to connected features like on watch weather, smart notifications, and phone voice assistant integration, allows you access safety features like incident detection and assistance alerts, and more. 
   • Need more help pairing? See: Garmin Connect App Bluetooth Troubleshooting.

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4. Proceed through any onscreen prompts to select your preferences and user settings.

5. Set up the Activity Menu by selecting your favorites (optional).

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   Learn How to Set Your Favorite Activities

   1. Press START (upper right) to access the activity menu.

   2. Use UP/MENU (middle left) and DOWN (lower left) to scroll through the list of available activity types.

   3. Press START (upper right) to open the folder of a certain type of activity.

   4. Press START (upper right) to select each activity you wish to use.

   5. Select Done when finished.

   You can also pin your three most used activities to the top of your activity and apps menu. 

   1. From the watch face, press START (upper right) button.

   2. Select Activities.

   3. Scroll to the activity profile you want to pin.

   4. Hold UP/MENU (middle left) button.

   5. Select Pin Activity.

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After setting up the watch, tips may pop up on the screen for the first day, which will give you further information about getting the most out of your watch. If you want to learn more about the watch, you can check out the Welcome FAQ  or owner’s manual.