F5x wrist heart rate is not working correctly

I'm facing a similar issue and I'm most confident that this happend over one of the last updates. First I thought it might be me and it is all in my head. But a few days ago I was working out on my rower and looked at my heartrate that suddenly collapsed mid workout. So there is definitively something wrong with the wrist hrm of the Fenix 5x. But as I said, I'm most confident that this happend in one of the last firmware upgrades. EDIT: Right now I use my Garmin swim HRM for all workout activity. But it would be nice to get the wrist HRM working again.ciq.forums.garmin.com/.../1303779.png

How do you know whether it was correct before the update or after

Would be useful to do a comparison using a chest strap so that you have an accurate baseline to compare against

Do you know what your maximum heart rate is as 177 seems quite high to hit in a non interval session

My WHR is useless. It won't go above 110 bpm during workouts. I contacted support today performed a hard reset, worked out today same issue. They said if that doesn't fix it then it would need to be replaced under warranty. I only got this watch a bit over a month ago. My Microsoft Band was more accurate than this watch for less the cost.

My Fénix 5 it's having the same problems. Very high heart rate and I'm feeling fine in a very slow pace run. The same happened when I was running a marathon last November. If the readings where OK I would have hit the wall by half the race (10% above max HR) , I didn't and finished strong. Since the last update it is much worse

As noted, problems with wrist heart rate are well documented. As expected (and no doubt desired) Garmin are working hard to refine heart rate detection using optical means. This will mean that things will change, hopefully for the better, sometimes for some people for the worse.

One point often overlooked is temperature. if you are down in the cold northern hemisphere then it is likely that temperature is your main problem. Veins get smaller and further away from the skin when cold making it harder for for the leds to detect the colour change necessary to measure heart rate.

Many people have stated that "My 'whatever' band was much more accurate than Garmin" but are usually not able to prove this. As also noted above, do some comparisons with a chest strap and see how accurate the watch is, or manually take a reading from your wrist pulse.

Anecdotally, I think Garmin are making good strides in measuring heart rate from the wrist. I was running with my 5 Plus the other day and noted that at a relatively stable pace, the heart rate was in a reasonable area. That's not the same as saying it's accurate as I did not compare it with a strap; I just felt that it was reasonable for the pace and intensity.

I have the same issue. It was working before the update, although I don't know which version I had before it updated to 12.40. Today I went outside with the bike, around 20ºC (68ºF), sunny day. I'm normally above 150bpm, but the watch said I had 70bpm, this is sad.

Hello!

This problem just hit me. I have been an owner for maybe 6 weeks, and for my intervals on the bike, I use a HRM strap. That broke, so while I'm waiting for a replacement, I thought I would use the Garmin Fenix 5x Plus. Wow, I was shocked that while I'm actually at 170 bmp that the Garmin will only report ~110 bpm. I reset the watch. Turned off and on. Tightened it. Loosened it. Put on other wrist. Cleaned. NOTHING. This is pretty bad. I don't need EXACT numbers from a wrist heart rate monitor, but I def need zone accuracy for when I don't have access to HRM strap.

I'm pretty shocked. Any word on the horizon for a fix?

Gnl_Jakes unfortunately if Garmin have changed the algorithm (possibly to try and correct other issues) then that can easily have a knock-on impact on other areas. Because of shortcomings in the technology the algorithm is trying to paper over the cracks by making a supposedly educated guess as to what's really happening.

I have a Garmin Fenix 5X. The whole reason I moved up from my Fenix 3 was because I wanted a wrist optical heart rate sensor. I have had this watch now for several years and use a heart rate strap when doing most exercises because the Optical HR sensor is just completely inaccurate, mostly between 30 and 50 bpm low. I like others would say that Garmiin should either fix this problem or send me my money back for this watch as this is completely false advertising on their part. I love the whole garmin connect app and the wireless sync and all of that. If it were not for that I would scrap this watch for something else. Come on Garmin fix this problem. This is a serious flaw in what is supposed to your Flagship watch.

Now unless since I may not have ready every post and or fix, if there is a simple fix to help my Optical HR be accurate please let me know. I have tried all of the obvious things like tightening it, switching wrists, cleaning the lense etc. If there is a software bug let me know. I am on Version 12.40. Please HELP!! Loyal Garmin User.

Garmiin should either fix this problem or send me my money back

Try returning the watch for a refund. A fix isn't comming.

if there is a simple fix to help my Optical HR be accurate please let me know.

Sorry to disappoint you, but no, there is not.