New Watch Config

Nothing transfers automatically

New step count, VO2 max etc etc all start from scratch on the new device

All you can transfer is workouts, calendar stuff etc

You won't lose continuity on connect but the watch will take a number of workouts to work out what it thinks your fitness levels are

Nothing transfers automatically

Not quite true. He will get at least the user profile, including important stuff like HR zones. Personal records can be pushed quite easily as well.

I am getting a Forerunner 935 today, upgrading from the 235, and I was wondering what I need to do to make the transition as seemless as possible? I haven’t ever done this before but I assume Garmin Connect and my synced data will help to transfer over any steps/activities/fitness stats that I already have logged?

You won't get any history – of steps, activities, 24-hour HR, etc. – on your new watch by way of retrieval from Garmin Connect. You can get GC user profile information your watch requires for performing the calculations for which it is responsible, e.g. HR zones, weight and probably Activity Class, by automatic syncing. As other fellow members mentioned above, VO[sub]2[/sub]max will be calculated from scratch by your FR935 (once you have recorded one or a few qualifying activities with it), Lactate Threshold HR and pace are features not available on the FR235 anyway, and personal records can be selectively pushed to the FR935 from Garmin Connect (because they then allow the watch to determine whether new PRs are achieved).

tmk2 Yes that's true about profile - although I guess I had considered that as residing centrally on connect rather than locally like the various fitness metrics

QuantumHusky hope you enjoy the watch - I found mine a surprisingly big upgrade from my 920 xt and really like the round face over the square (despite the practicalities of the square 920 face)