Using Connect App without Internet access

People replying don't understand simple thing. This is not technical decision in any way. For such a large company implementing this feature is not so hard.

This is done so you can't use your garmin device without cloud. To force you to use their services, to vendor lock you, so they can farm your data.

Also, most are probably using Garmin devices more as a trackers, maybe few days trips. They don't care about this feature so much.

As always, those who do are *** until competition makes better devices than garmin. Maybe next time I will consider some alternatives who don't sell me 800€ device and then this is still not enough, and my data is also farmed and sold.

Vladekk said:

This is done so you can't use your garmin device without cloud.

But you can, if you want. There are 3rd party apps like the Golden Cheetah, or Strava, and several others, where you can upload your data without using the cloud of Garmin at all.

They want to make it hard. Most people won't try too much ways to work with their data. I tried GoldenCheetah, and I don't think you can use it to download data from the garmin watch (or it is hard to understand how). If you mean that I can download gpx, import it somewhere, sure I can. But this way my data still goes to the Garmin cloud.

Vladekk said:

I tried GoldenCheetah, and I don't think you can use it to download data from the garmin watch

It is a few years, that I did not use it, but as far as I remember there is the option "Download from device" in the menu, and it can download the files directly from the watch over the USB cable.

Vladekk said:

If you mean that I can download gpx, import it somewhere, sure I can. But this way my data still goes to the Garmin cloud.

No, you do not need Garmin Connect at all, if you do not wish to use it. Completely disconnect it, deny the access to your data in the privacy settings, and use the FIT files available directly in the folder //GARMIN/Activity/ on the watch, accessible again over the USB cable. You can import them to many services. Besides the already mentioned Golden Cheetah and Strava, also Runalyze, Nike, Training Peaks, and who knows how many other similar services. Or you can also write your own app, since the FIT file format is well documented and SDK libraries & tools for working with the FIT files are freely available on Garmin's webiste at FIT SDK | Garmin Developers

Vladekk said:

I still think Garmin makes this harder then it should be on purpose.

I do not think so. In contrary, I think they make it very easy, with the direct access to the data, and with the possibility of Connect IQ extensions capable to broadcast any info to 3rd party apps. There are also multiple API's available for 3rd party developers, who are wishing to built their own interfaces: https://developer.garmin.com/. I do not think you will find so many ways how to plug into the internal data, at Garmin's competitors.

And lastly, you can also use the app Garmin Explore, that has some rudimentary functionality for syncing the activities offline. 

My device (VivoActive4) is not supported by Garmin Explore. Other than that, maybe you are right and this is just a missing feature not many people care about. Or Garmin wants people to use more expensive devices supported by Garmin Explore.

Hi, meanwhile it's 2023. Is there a solution now to send a route from the iPhone to my Edge 1040 WITHOUT mobile service on the iPhone? Happens all the time in remote areas or when I'm over the border in Italy, France or Germany and don't have a roaming service.

Garmin Explore doesn't support the Edge. Garmin Connect does not work without Internet.

Coming from Wahoo I can't believe this shouldn't be possible.

Yea, this isnt making the data easy to access, its a sign of poor staffing choices. They focused so much on morons that claimed to be data scientists that they have crap analytics, and no connectivity frontends that come close to their competition. Its absurd. The average person should not have to use an API to get their reasonably expected functionality out of watches that can be upwards of $1000. I got a diving version and its got the same limitations about connectivity. The thing thats most enraging is that they have no problem killing battery life by making my phone tell me the same HR that the watch is (all the time), but they never set up a freemium model to justify not having wireless syncing. There arent any features that are worth paying more for, on the basis that the apple watch is now beating most of the Garmin watches under $800.

I skate (rollerblade) - how is that not an activity?! Yes, I like my wrists and ankles and should stop doing it, but maybe if it told me how Im leaning like the iphone does about walking, Id know to change my wheels before visiting urgent care!

Garmin, seriously. Get your product management together because Im going back to the [i dont know what old version of the] apple watch because this MKs (descent or whatever; diving) doesnt do most of the things I care about as well as something much smaller. My friend who has the Fenix sold me on the analytics.. At the time. But the logic is terrible. Apple knows when I sleep. When I actually sleep. Not when I tell my watch I sleep. It has the data I need. It has the ability to interact with it and my phone much more simply. I can go on. The apple watch ends up with may more integration because of how so many apps can both supplement its value and interact with it. Rather than create something that focuses on living a fit healthy lifestyle, Garmin watches dont really do what the average consumer wants, nor do they provide the specialized analytics a serious athelete needs. Heck. Its a diving watch that says not to rely on it, nor would I actually trust it, as my sole diving computer. It did work, I think. I cant figure out the UI.