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How to Pair a Newer Forerunner Series Watch to Your Phone

Choose an option below that best represents how you are attempting to connect your Forerunner® to your mobile device.

You Have a New Watch and Have Not Used the Garmin Connect™ Program Before

  1. Power the watch on and select the language you would like.

    Screen on Forerunner 945 asking to pair phone upon first start up

  2. The watch will display "Pair with phone? Yes No". Leave it on that screen for now.

  3. Install the Garmin Connect app on your phone: Installing the Latest Version of Garmin Connect App.

  4. Open the Garmin Connect app on your phone and tap Create Account.

  5. Enter your details and tap Next.

  6. When the phone asks for the Location permission that must be allowed.

  7. The app should then find your watch and ask if you're ready to connect. Tap Connect it.

    Garmin Connect app screen when it has found a watch to pair to

  8. The watch will display a PIN code; enter or confirm that PIN code in the app and follow the prompts on the screen.

You Have a New Watch or Have Reset the Watch to Defaults and Need to Add It to an Existing Garmin Connect Account

  1. If you reset your watch to defaults, you must first un-pair it from your phone (both the Garmin® app and the phone's Bluetooth® menu) before you can pair it again:

  2. Power the watch on and select the language you would like.

  3. The watch will display "Pair with phone? Yes No".

    Screen on Forerunner 945 asking to pair phone upon first start up

  4. Select Yes.

  5. Open the Garmin Connect app on your phone.

  6. Select More (bottom right).  

  7. Tap Garmin Devices.

  8. Tap Add Device at the bottom of the screen.

  9. Tap Connect it when the app finds your watch.
    Garmin Connect app screen when it has found a watch to pair to

  10. The watch will display a PIN code; enter or confirm that PIN code in the app and follow the prompts on the screen.

The Watch Has Been Previously Paired Before

  1. From the clock face on your watch, press and hold the middle left button until the menu appears.

  2. Scroll down to and select Phone with the upper right button. (On some models you will need to select Connectivity before you will find this option)

  3. If you see "Status: Connected" that means your watch is still partially paired to your phone or tablet or possibly paired to another device. Before you can pair the watch again, it must be completely un-paired from any phone or tablet. See:

    Phone status connected on a Forerunner 945

  4. Once it has been fully un-paired, the Status will read: "Waiting for Phone".

    Status Waiting for Phone on a Forerunner 945

  5. If you see "Waiting for Phone" use the Down button (lower left) to find Pair Phone.

    Pair Phone option on a Forerunner 945

  6. Select Pair Phone with the upper right button.

  7. Open the Garmin Connect app on your phone.

  8. Tap More (bottom right).

  9. Tap Garmin Devices.

  10. Tap Add Device at the bottom of the screen.

  11. Tap Connect it when the app finds your watch.
    Garmin Connect app screen when it has found a watch to pair to

  12. The watch will display a PIN code; enter or confirm the PIN code in the app and follow the prompts on the screen.

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