How to Connect Apple Watch to Garmin Edge GPS

New: since version 7.4.2, iPhone screen can be turned OFF!

Connecting your Apple Watch to a Garmin Edge GPS allows you to leverage the accurate heart rate monitoring capabilities of your Apple Watch while cycling. This guide walks you through the process using a data field called HR2VP, ensuring seamless heart rate data transfer without the need for additional hardware.

Introduction

Why Use an Apple Watch?

Apple Watches are renowned for their heart rate monitoring accuracy, surpassing other smartwatches like Wear OS devices. With a remarkable accuracy of 2.3%, the Apple Watch SE 2 outperforms the best Wear OS watch, which has an accuracy of 13.4%.

The Solution: HR2VP Data Field

HR2VP is a data field that enables the Apple Watch to communicate with Garmin Edge devices. This method bypasses Bluetooth interoperability issues by using Garmin's native communication protocol. Compatible Garmin devices include Edge® 1030, 1040, 1050, Edge® 130 Plus, 530, 540, 830, 840 & Explore 2.

Download Connect IQ Data Field
Download HR2VP for iOS

Step-by-Step Setup Guide

Step 1: Install HR2VP Data Field on Garmin Edge

1/ Download HR2VP Data Field

Open Garmin Connect.
Tap the 'More' button (three dots) and select 'Connect IQ Store'.
Search for 'HR2VP', open the store page, and select 'Install'.
Go back to Garmin Connect, and sync your devices to ensure the data field is downloaded.

2/ Configure Garmin Edge

Press the 'Menu' button on your Garmin Edge.
Go to 'Activity Profiles'.
Choose your profile (e.g., Road, Mountain, Indoor).
Select 'Data Screens', pick a screen to customize or add a new one.
Choose a data field slot and select HR2VP from the Connect IQ data fields list.
Click on 'Done' to save your changes.

Tip: once the whole setup is complete, the data field will automatically show your heart rate when the first message from the phone will be received. In addition, the countdown will disapear automatically, so don't worry if you still see 'trial' or the count down at this step.

Step 2: Set Up HR2VP on Your iPhone and Apple Watch

1/ Download HR2VP App

Open the App Store on your iPhone.
Search for HR2VP and download the HR2VP Bike Training & Tracker app.
Ensure your Apple Watch is paired with your phone.

2/ Launch and Configure HR2VP

Open HR2VP on your Apple Watch and grant necessary permissions, especially Health permissions.
Start a workout on the watch.
On your phone, check that all permissions are granted. Open the Settings of your phone, then Privacy & Security, then Bluetooth, then check that Bluetooth is enabled for HR2VP. Check as well the Health section in Privacy & Security in order to be sure that all permissions are granted for HR2VP. If you enable GPS, be sure that the location permission is granted as well.
Open HR2VP on your iPhone.
Go to 'Settings' and enable broadcasting to the Garmin Connect IQ Data Field.
As shown on picture below (1) select the Settings tab on the top right corner.
(2) Enable broadcasting to the Garmin Connect IQ Data Field.
(3) Check that you selected 'None - Apple watch' as the sensor type. If you have something else, click on the add or change button in order to change it. Don't try to pair your Apple watch as a regular Bluetooth Low Energy heart rate monitor as it won't work.
If you get a popup like (4), this is just an information, so close the popup and continue the process.
Disable BLE broadcasting.
Save the settings and click 'Start Riding'.
Check that 'None - Apple watch' is selected as the heart rate monitor.
Ensure your subscription is valid for longer workouts.

The steps (1), (2) and (3) described above and shown below are very important if you want the setup to work... If you have any question, feel free to contact us.

Step 3: Start Your Activity

1/ On Your iPhone and Apple Watch

Start an activity in HR2VP on your watch.
Start a ride in HR2VP on your phone by clicking on the 'Let's Go' button (screen can be switched off since version 7.4.2 but only for communication with Garmin, if you want to use GPS, the screen still needs to be ON). If the app goes back to the main menu automatically, this means that either you didn't select 'Apple Watch / None' as the sensor type or one permission among 'Health', 'Bluetooth' or 'Location' is missing...

2/ On Your Garmin Edge

Start your activity as usual.
Your heart rate data from the Apple Watch should now display on your Garmin Edge screen.

Important note:

Still have trouble and app crashes after starting a workout?

In this case, deleting then re-installing Garmin Connect may help. Some users reported that it fixed the issue on their side, so you can try...

Want more info about the app HR2VP and other use cases?