Open the Garmin Connect app.
Select More (bottom right).
Select Garmin Devices.
Select the device name.
Select the appropriate option (this setting varies by watch model):
Activity Tracking
User Settings
Health & Wellness
Notifications & Alerts > Health & Wellness
Select Custom Stride Length.
Toggle Walking or Running switch to blue to enable.
NOTE: Running is only available on select devices that do not have a built-in GPS.Select Measured Distance and enter the known distance you traveled.
Select Total Steps and enter the number of steps it took to cover that distance.
Select
to save your changes.Sync your device.
Select your product to confirm this information applies to you
The Step Distance Recorded on My Garmin Watch Is Wrong
Some watches that track your daily steps will also estimate the mileage walked for those steps. Your height, under your user profile, is used to estimate stride length and thus will estimate the distance you have traveled. If you are experiencing an accuracy issue with the all-day step distance recorded on the watch or displayed in the Garmin Connect™ app, you can set a custom stride length in Garmin Connect.
NOTE: Setting a custom stride length will only impact your calculated step distance. Your custom stride length does not have any effect on the distance recorded for timed activities.
How Do I Set a Custom Stride Length?
Setting a custom stride length will require you to walk a known distance and keep track of the number of steps it took to complete that distance. The minimum recommended distance is 400 meters (approximately 1312 feet), but walking further will achieve a more accurate reading. It is recommended to walk on a track to minimize variation in stride length due to terrain, but your step distance throughout the day may still be affected by those factors, so your distance from all day walking will always be an estimate. After you have your number of steps, you need to enter that information into your Garmin Connect account.
Watches that use a built-in GPS to record a run will not have an option to set a custom stride length for run activities. The GPS feature is used to calibrate the step distance for those activities. To get a more accurate step distance for indoor activities you will need to perform several outdoor GPS enabled activities.
Using a foot pod or chest strap with Running Dynamics can improve distance and pace readings while recording a timed activity, but it will not have any impact on your step distance calculation. Daily step totals are only calculated by the internal 3-axis accelerometer of a Garmin watch that has an activity tracking feature.
Choose an option below to reveal instructions to set up your custom stride length.
Open the Garmin Connect app.
Select More (bottom right).
Select Settings.
Select User Settings.
Select Custom Stride Length.
Toggle Walking or Running switch to blue to enable.
NOTE: Running is only available on select devices that do not have a built-in GPS.
Select Measured Distance and enter the known distance you traveled.
Select Total Steps and enter the number of steps it took to cover that distance.
Select
to save your changes.Sync your device.
If your watch has Real Time Settings the below steps will not be available on the Garmin Connect web and must be completed on the Garmin Connect app.
From a web browser, sign into your Garmin Connect account.
Select the device icon
(upper right corner).Select your device from the list.
Select Activity Tracking or User Settings.
Beneath Custom Stride Length toggle Walking or Running on.
NOTE: Running is only available on select devices that do not have a built-in GPS.Enter the known distance from your run or walk.
Enter the number of steps for that distance.
Select Save Settings.
Sync your device with the Garmin Express™ program if using a computer, or with the Garmin Connect app if you have it paired to your smartphone.