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Pairing Issues With Garmin ActiveCaptain® App
The following are a few examples of pairing issues with ActiveCaptain® and contain common troubleshooting for resolving issues with smart notifications, pairing/syncing and transferring data.
ActiveCaptain® App Isn't Receiving Smart Notifications
NOTE:
• ECHOMAP chartplotters connected via the Garmin Marine Network will only display smart notifications on the Bluetooth paired device
• ECHOMAP chartplotters connected wirelessly through Host / Client will share smart notifications
• Emojis, images, and such will not be displayed
If ActiveCaptain is not displaying some or any notifications on a compatible fishfinder or chartplotter:
Verify Compatibility
Verify the chartplotter or fishfinder is compatible with ActiveCaptain® Smart Notifications: ActiveCaptain® App Compatibility
Make Sure the Phone or Tablet is Charged
Most phones experience difficulty pairing when 20 percent or lower; while this can vary depending on phone model charging the smart device that is having difficulty pairing to rule out this as an issue is recommended.
Ensure the Smart Device is Connected to the Chartplotter or Fishfinder
Enable Smart Notifications on the Chartplotter or Fishfinder
Initial Wi-Fi pairing of smart device to chartplotter or fishfinder must be completed prior to selecting to pair for smart notifications
Enable Smart Notifications on the chartplotter or fishfinder
open ActiveCaptain® on the Chartplotter or Fishfinder
select Smart Notifcations
select Enable
Confirm the chartplotter or fishfinder shows Connected under the Smart Notifications
For help with pairing see: Garmin ActiveCaptain® Smart Notifications Setup
Ensure Smart Notifications Permissions are Enabled
For iOS devices, select the smart device Settings app and select Notifications to adjust which apps can send notifications to the chartplotter or fishfinder
With Android devices within the ActiveCaptain® app select Sync with Plotter and under Smart Notifications select Settings and select which applications can send notifications to your chartplotter or fishfinder
ActiveCaptain® is Connected but Message Shows "Connected but no Internet"
Newer phones have a "connected without internet" notification that pops up after connecting to the chartplotter or fishfinder Wi-Fi network. This is a normal connection message and the option to, "Stay Connected" needs to be selected, otherwise the cellphone after initial connection with unpair and disconnect. If "Stay Connected" was not selected the option to select this message will only reappear if:
The network is forgotten from the Wi-Fi connections and the password re-entered
The network name is changed on the chartplotter or fishfinder and the mobile device is re-paired
"No Mobile Device Connected" with Mobile Device Connected or "Mobile Device Connected" but Transferring and Validating is Paused
NOTE: Make certain to allow permissions for all of the requested functions during initial setup of the ActiveCaptain App
Turn Off any VPN connections
Within the smart device settings turn off any VPN connections
Turn off Auto Reconnect to any other Local Wi-Fi Networks
The chartplotter or fishfinder Wi-Fi is not a full Wi-Fi connection. The connection is used for data transferring from the smart device to the chartplotter or fishfinder. Some smart devices see that they do not have a full connection and bounce back to an open Wi-Fi or local Wi-Fi, such as a home network, unless auto join is disabled on other Wi-Fi connections.
Check for Updates to the ActiveCaptain® Mobile App
Using cellular data or a local Wi-Fi network check for updates to ActiveCaptain® app in either the Apple App Store or Android Play Store
open the Apple App Store or Android Play Store
type into the Search, ActiveCaptain and select to search
if the app says there is an update available, select to update
Power Cycle the Smart Device
Change the Name of the Chartplotter or Fishfinder Wi-Fi and Reconnect
open ActiveCaptain® on the chartplotter of fishfinder
select the ... / Options / Menu
select Wi-Fi Setup
select Wi-Fi Network
select Change Name
Make sure the name is unique and not the same as any local Wi-Fi network
connect the smart device to the new network
re-open the ActiveCaptain® app on the smart device
Reset the ActiveCaptain® App on Smart Device
Note:
• Do not reset the ActiveCaptain® app while paired to the chartplotter or fishfinder Wi-Fi network
• Make certain to allow permissions for all of the requested functions when logging in to the ActiveCaptain® Appopen ActiveCaptain® on the smart device
select Settings
scroll down and select Reset App
under "Are you sure" select Reset App
Resetting the app clears out user data, downloaded content and logs you out.Either export user data to backup prior to resetting the app or resync to a chartplotter or fishfinder that has the user data stored to place user data back onto the smart device after resetting
Chart content that is owned or with an Active subscription can be re-downloaded after logging back into the ActiveCaptain® app
close the app completely
open and log back into the ActiveCaptain® app with the email address your devices are registered under
make sure all permissions are accepted and enabled
Create a New ActiveCaptain® Card
Either set a new micro / SD card as the ActiveCaptain® card, format the current ActiveCaptain® microSD / SD card or delete the ActiveCaptainCard.dat file prior to reinserting the card into the chartplotter
Reset the Chartplotter or Fishfinder
remove any microSD cards
disconnect any Garmin Marine Network cables and NMEA 2000 cable from back of chartplotter(s)
Reset Default Settings
for steps to access from previous models of chartplotters refer to the Owner's Manual
from home select ... / Options > Settings /
> System Information > Reset Default Settings