How to Pair a Garmin Watch With Your iPhone or Android Phone

How to Pair Your Garmin Watch With Your Phone

Garmin's order is the app first, then the watch, then a code.

1. Open the Garmin Connect app.
2. Tap More (bottom right).
3. Tap Garmin Devices, then Add Device. On an iPhone, tap Find Nearby Accessories if asked.
4. Put the watch in pairing mode, typically Menu › Connectivity or Phone › Pair Phone (some models say Pair Mobile Device).
5. When the app detects the watch, tap Start, Connect It or Set Up.
6. Enter or confirm the 6-digit code shown on the watch, then follow the prompts.

Garmin says a sync should run during this setup.

Pairing on iPhone vs Android

The last screens and the code step differ by phone.

iPhone: after Find Nearby Accessories, tap Set Up once the app finds the watch, check that the six-digit code on the watch matches the app, then tap Done.

Android: tap Start or Connect it, then type the watch's six-digit code into the prompt. Android 12 or higher also has a Nearby devices permission that must be set to Allow (More › Settings › Phone Permissions › Manage Permissions › Permissions › Nearby devices permission). It's on by default; if it's off, the app won't find the watch.

Where to Find Pairing Mode on Your Garmin Watch

Pairing mode is in the watch's own menu, and Garmin notes the steps vary by model.

Watch	Pairing mode path	Source
Forerunner 265	Hold UP › Connectivity › Phone › Pair Phone, then scan the QR code	Forerunner 265 manual
Instinct 3 Solar	Hold MENU › Connectivity › Phone › Pair Phone, then scan the QR code	Instinct 3 Solar manual
Other models	Settings › Connectivity, Bluetooth or Phone › Pair Mobile Device or Pair Phone	Garmin new-phone FAQ

A new watch asks to pair during first setup (select the checkmark); the manual paths above are for a watch that skipped it.

How to Pair Your Garmin Watch Again or With a New Phone

For a new phone, clear the watch from the old one first:

1. On the old phone, remove the watch in Garmin Connect (More › Garmin Devices › your watch › three-dot menu › Remove Device) and from the Bluetooth menu.
2. Turn the old phone off so it can't try to pair with the watch again.
3. On the new phone, remove the watch from the Bluetooth menu if it's listed.
4. Install Garmin Connect on the new phone.
5. Pair the watch with the steps above.

Garmin Connect 5.21 and newer may remove the watch from the Bluetooth menu for you when you remove it in the app.

After a factory reset, watches with Back Up & Restore offer to apply your stored backup when you pair again.

How to Check Your Garmin Watch Is Paired

Garmin Connect shows two signs of a connection:

• A green dot at the top of the app's Home screen.
• A syncing animation next to the image of your watch when you open the app.

Does a Garmin Watch Work With iPhone?

Yes. A Garmin watch works with an iPhone on iOS 18.2 or higher, through the Garmin Connect app.

Phone	Requirement	Source
iPhone	iOS 18.2 or higher	Garmin Connect App Compatibility Requirements
Android phone or tablet	Android 9 or higher, native Google Play Store, not Android (Go edition)	Garmin Connect App Compatibility Requirements

Garmin warns an unsupported OS "may lead to a loss of app functionality" and lists phones that "did not pass internal tests", including Huawei phones, on Garmin's compatibility page.