USB Drive Mode is needed! MTP is not supported on Mac.

The solution is to use the Android File Transfer application.  This is what I use on my Macbook to access my watch.  Works great and allows for everything you are looking for.

AFT works. But... it's a workaround for a well supported access mode. 

Before every time the watch was connected all the .FIT files were automatically picked up by Google Drive Backup.

While developing, command line interface was useful to parse the logs on the device, without need to copy things back and forth. 

Sad to see it this option go. :/

It's also conflicting with Garmin Express, which is another source of annoyance.  

Not sure what your last model was, but it wasn’t supported on the Fenix 6 either. If they never brought it back for that, they aren’t bringing it back for this. Android File Transfer is annoying, but it works. Just close out Garmin before loading it up. I’ve installed plenty of betas using AFT

All Garmin watches that support music on the watch connect via MTP.  No idea if that is a requirement or not because of the support for DRM music, but that is the logic behind which watches connect via MTP or USB drive mode.

On my Fenix 6 (non-pro, no music) there is an option to use USB Drive Mode. Must be stupid DRM requirement

Thank you! I have a Forerunner 955 which _has_ MTP mode (like, it's a setting, and I turned it on) but I couldn't get access to it on my MacBook until I used Android File Transfer. So weird! I just wanted copy a .FIT file to it because a duplicate upload (from Zwift) prevented my Edge's Indoor Cycling file not to sync to it. Ugh Garmin!

Andy J. said:

I have a Forerunner 955 which _has_ MTP mode (like, it's a setting, and I turned it on)

That setting is "USB mode" and the 2 choices are "MTP" and "Garmin". If you had left it as "Garmin", you'd still have access to MTP mode, it's just that the watch would prompt you to enter MTP mode every time you plug it into a computer.

In non-music watches, the choices for USB mode are "Mass Storage" and "Garmin", and it works the same way otherwise. (If you leave it as "Garmin", you'll be prompted to enter mass storage mode.)

So strictly speaking, you don't have to change that setting at all.

I think the "Garmin mode" option exists because:

- garmin usb mode is actually necessary for old software (but then it doesn't make sense to support it on new watches which probably can't talk to whatever old software requires garmin usb mode)

- to give the user the option *not* to go into MTP/mass storage when the watch is plugged into a computer (so the watch can still be used normally while plugged in)

Andy J. said:

Ugh Garmin!

To be fair, it's Apple's fault that you need to use a 3rd party app to access the file structure on the watch on an Apple computer. As already noted, there's generally no need to change the MTP/Garmin setting. 

That doesn't make any sense though...I was able to plug my Garmin Edge 1040 in and get the file off it just fine. Is that just using USB Mass Storage, not MTP? And yes, I noticed when I switched it back to "Garmin" setting I noticed it would ask if I wanted to connect in MTP mode. It just wouldn't show anything until I used the Android File Transfer app. Anyway, glad I got it to work eventually. So annoying!