Garmin Connect, the go-to app for athletes and fitness enthusiasts using Garmin sports watches, is currently experiencing a global outage. This disruption prevents users from uploading their activities, creating inconvenience for runners, cyclists, and other athletes who rely on seamless syncing.
Outage Overview
The outage began at approximately 5 AM ET on January 8, 2025. Garmin has yet to provide a specific timeline for when normal service will resume. Affected users can track the status of Garmin services directly on their website, where all services are currently marked as down.
As an avid runner, I personally noticed the issue at around 10 AM UK time when my morning run failed to upload to Garmin Connect. Upon checking the app, I was greeted by two notifications acknowledging the outage, with Garmin stating they are working on resolving the issue as soon as possible.
What Users Are Experiencing
Currently, users are unable to:
- Upload new activities
- Sync data to Strava
- Send routes to their devices
For many Garmin users, this creates a disruption in their training routines. A manual upload to Strava or other third-party platforms is necessary to keep track of activities during the outage.
How to Manually Upload to Strava
To bypass the Garmin Connect outage, follow these steps to upload activities to Strava manually:
- Connect your Garmin device to your computer.
- Locate the ‘Activity’ folder on your Garmin device.
- Find the most recent .fit file. This file typically has a long name starting with the date.
- Log into Strava on your desktop and click the ‘+’ symbol in the top right corner.
- Select ‘Upload Activity,’ then choose ‘File’ from the left menu.
- Upload the .fit file and edit the activity details before saving.
Mac users with Garmin devices that play music might need to use a third-party app like Android File Manager to access Garmin files.
Outage Duration: How Long Will It Last?
Historically, Garmin outages are brief, typically lasting one to two hours. However, the 2020 ransomware attack disrupted Garmin Connect for several days. This current outage does not appear to stem from malicious activity, and key services may return sooner rather than later.
Reports on Downdetector peaked around 7:14 AM ET but have been steadily declining, indicating partial restoration of services for some users.
Garmin’s Presence at CES 2025
Coincidentally, the outage occurred during CES 2025 in Las Vegas, where Garmin recently unveiled the Instinct 3 watch series and the HRM 200 heart rate monitor. The outage has left CES attendees unable to log their activities, highlighting the scale of the disruption.
Global Impact
The outage affects users worldwide, with reports of disruptions surfacing from the US, UK, and across Europe. Downdetector’s heatmap indicates significant issues along the East Coast of the US, including cities like New York, Boston, Tampa, and Washington.
DC Rainmaker Weighs In
Sports tech expert Ray Maker, known as DC Rainmaker, has commented on the situation via Twitter, pointing out the inconvenience to users. According to his updates, the outage has lasted about two hours but is not unusual in Garmin’s history.
“Without Garmin Connect, syncing workouts to Strava or sending routes to watches becomes challenging. Let’s hope for a quick resolution.”
Looking Ahead
Garmin is actively addressing the issue, and signs of improvement are emerging as some users report partial restoration of services. Athletes eager to keep their records up-to-date should resort to manual uploads until the full functionality of Garmin Connect is restored.
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My Name is M Anas. I am a passionate blogger with a knack for sharing insights on technology, autos, Mobile Phone, etc. With a creative flair and a commitment to delivering engaging content, Anas aims to inspire and inform readers with unique perspectives and well-researched articles.