WARNING: The data and information provided by Garmin wearables is intended to be a close estimation of your activity and metrics tracked, but may not be precisely accurate. Garmin wearables are not medical devices, and the data provided by them is not intended to be utilized for medical purposes and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Garmin recommends you consult your doctor before engaging in any exercise routine. For more information see: Activity Tracking and Fitness Metric Accuracy.
The following are top FAQs related to the Pulse Ox feature available on select Garmin® watches. Refer to your owner's manual to verify if Pulse Ox is a feature on your watch. Select the a topic from the following list to jump to an FAQ.
What Kind of Light Is Being Used to Trigger the Pulse Ox Feature?
Will Using the Pulse Ox Feature Affect the Battery Life of My Device?
Pulse oximetry (or Pulse Ox, for short) is a noninvasive method used to measure the saturation of oxygen in the bloodstream. Compatible watches use a combination of red and infrared lights with sensors on the back of the watch which can determine the percentage of oxygenated blood (SpO2%) available in your blood. This value should, in general, be 95% or higher in most settings but can be influenced by altitude, activity, and an individual’s health.
Our bodies distribute oxygenated blood to every part of our body through our respiratory system. Being aware of your SpO2 can help you understand how your body reacts to various situations and can serve as an indication of important changes in your health.
The Pulse Ox LEDs are emitting various wavelengths of red and infrared light. It is not a laser and poses no issues for skin contact or direct viewing.
If you turn on Pulse Ox tracking for sleep or all-day, battery life between charges will be reduced. Various factors contribute to battery life, including usage patterns, customization settings, activity level, fit on the wrist, and the user’s physical characteristics.
The continuous measurement during sleep or all-day will not initiate if the battery level is too low.
The recording frequency for Pulse Ox data will depend on the settings of your watch and can vary from model to model. There are a few modes to choose from.
Spot Check Mode enables when you scroll to the Pulse Ox widget and is used to take an SpO2 level reading at that moment. The watch will not take another reading until you navigate away from the widget and then back. If an individual Spot Check is performed, it will be logged in your Garmin Connect™ account after the watch syncs.
NOTE: If a Spot Check is performed multiple times within a 5 minute window, the average of those readings will be displayed in your Garmin Connect account instead of seeing individual readings.
When All-Day Mode is enabled, the watch will sample your SpO2 levels every 5-15 minutes, including when you sleep. If the watch detects a high level of movement (e.g. out for a run) it will read less often. When viewing Pulse Ox widget on the watch, you will see the average of readings for each hour. Turning on All-Day Mode will cause the watch battery to drain more rapidly. If the pulse oximeter data is erratic or does not appear, you can try these tips.
Remain motionless while the watch reads your blood oxygen saturation.
Wear the watch above your wrist bone. The watch should be snug but comfortable.
Hold the arm wearing the watch at heart level while the watch reads your blood oxygen saturation.
Use a silicone or nylon band.
Clean and dry your arm before putting on the watch.
Avoid wearing sunscreen, lotion, and insect repellent under the watch.
Avoid scratching the optical sensor on the back of the watch.
Rinse the watch with fresh water after each workout.
NOTE: All-Day tracking is not available on select models. For details, refer to your owner's manual.
Sleep Mode is designed to read SpO2 levels while you sleep, generating readings up to every minute. Pulse Ox will be sampled during your set Sleep and Wake times from Garmin Connect™ (see Setting Sleep and Wake Window Times in Garmin Connect). Turning on Sleep Mode will cause the watch battery to drain more rapidly.
For select models, Sleep Mode is designed to sample SpO2 levels for only 4 hours during the middle of the regular sleep hours you have set in your Garmin Connect™ account. These models include:
Lily® - Classic Edition | Lily® - Sport Edition watches
Lily® 2 | Lily® 2 Classic | Lily® 2 Active
vívomove® 3 | vívomove® 3S watches
vívomove® Luxe | vívomove® Sport watches
vívomove® Style | vívomove® Trend watches
vívosmart® 4 watch
vívosmart® 5 watch
You can use the Pulse Ox feature in one of two ways:
Navigate to the Pulse Ox widget on your device.
Allow the watch to calculate your Pulse Ox.
The device will display your oxygen saturation as a percentage.
Open the Garmin Connect™ app.
Access the menu by selecting More (bottom right).
Select Garmin Devices.
Select your watch if you have more than one device listed.
Select Activity Tracking or Health & Wellness.
Select Pulse Ox or Pulse Ox Mode.
Toggle Sleep Tracking or All-Day Tracking to the on position, or select During Sleep or All Day.
Approach® S62
Approach® S70 | Approach® S70 - TaylorMade® Edition
Forerunner® 245 | Forerunner® 245 Music
Instinct® Solar - Standard Edition | Instinct® Solar - Camo Edition | Instinct® Solar - Surf Edition | Instinct® Solar - Tactical Edition
Lily® - Classic Edition | Lily® - Sport Edition
Lily® 2 | Lily® 2 Classic | Lily® 2 Active
vívomove® 3 | vívomove® 3S
vívomove® Luxe | vívomove® Sport watches
vívomove® Style | vívomove® Trend watches
vívosmart® 4 watch
vívosmart® 5 watch
While pulse ox data is recorded while you sleep, you'll be able to view the details once the data is uploaded via a sync to your Garmin Connect account. Choose your option below to reveal instructions on how to view this data.
Open the Garmin Connect app.
Access the menu by selecting More (bottom right).
Select Health Stats.
Select Sleep.
Average and lowest SpO2 (or Pulse Ox level) will show under Sleep Timeline Metrics.
Select Pulse Ox from below the Sleep Timeline graph to see the overnight recorded Pulse Ox data. You may need to scroll through the timeline options to find Pulse Ox.
Sign into Garmin Connect from a personal computer.
Select Health Stats from the navigation bar on the left side of your screen.
Select Sleep.
Average and lowest SpO2 (or Pulse Ox level) will show under Sleep Timeline Metrics.
Select Pulse Ox from below the Sleep Timeline graph to see the overnight recorded Pulse Ox data.
From watch face, scroll Down to Pulse Ox widget.
Stop to allow a Spot Check reading.
Press Start to view All-Day (Last 24 Hours) readings.
When attempting to get a Pulse Ox reading from the watch you may see the message Check Watch Fit. If this occurs check the watch fit following these tips:
The optical heart rate sensor must remain in contact with your skin at all times.
The watch must worn snug, but not too tight.
If worn too loose the watch can slide around, creating a gap between the optical heart rate sensor and your skin.
If the watch is worn too tight it can actually restrict blood flow.
A good fit will mean that you can move the watch and the skin underneath moves with it.
Wearing the watch on the outside of the wrist is recommended.