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MacBook does not recognize my Fenix 6X Saphire.

SJPnCinch
over 5 years ago

I can charge my watch and I can connect to it via Garmin Express but just now I tried to update the sensor hub beta and my Fenix is not showing up as a folder to add the beta software.  I was always able to do this in the past with my Fenix 5X. Any ideas or suggestions?

  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 5 years ago in reply to Dr Phil
    Dr Phil said:
    If there's anyone to blame for this it's Apple
    brian.reiter said:
    Older watches used USB mass storage as the protocol which allows anything to mount them as a disk. Garmin changed that with the watches that support media playback starting with the 5 Plus to Media Transfer Protocol. 
  • 0 over 4 years ago

    I went into settings and changed USB away from MPT or whatever and to Garmin only.. it solved the problem immediately.  If Apple is all finicky about DRA (music rights) then this solved.. 

    In my humble opinion, Garmin's manuals etc are terrible. I'm a hiker that wants to download GPX files to my Fenix 6 and there is no help at all.. like wtf? Really? This should be a super basic thing.. 

  • 0 over 4 years ago in reply to jknich

    What version of MacOS do you have? If I switch to Garmin mode the watch is still not detected by the system. A message pops up asking if I want to use MTP. If I choose 'No' the watch is not detected by the computer as a drive a la Windows. It is also not detected by Android File transfer.

    The absence of a native MTP driver in MacOS means that you have to use Android File Transfer to connect to the watch if you have a Mac.

    Happy to be proved wrong.

  • 0 over 4 years ago in reply to Dr Phil

    Yes. I am just learning all of this spent way too many hours making up for the seriously crappy documentation and patchwork quilt of software that Garmin has. It's definitely more of a hardware than software company. Sooo, here is what I have learned. 

    1. To get GPX files into my watch, I figured out how to use in Basecamp.. but that is a huge and cumbersome piece of software that constantly wants me to buy new maps. It once started downloading maps from my watch into Basecamp, but then stopped and won't start again. That is, however, one way to connect to my watch. I do need to choose to say NO to MTP when asked when I first connect my watch. Odd, as I put Garmin in USB settings but keeps asking me if I want MTP anyway. 

    2. I can add a GPX file through Garmin Connect "Training" but not "Activity". I was trying to add a GPX file through activity and it just gave me error messages. If I add through Training, I can add it as a course. The definitions that easily have us users understand the difference between aciivity, tracks and courses is lacking. 

    I can connect the watch (I have Fenix 6 Sapphire) directly to my Mac using Android File System. I'm actually at a loss right now as to why I would need to do that. I believe the watch updates software through Garmin Express... so, I'm not sure why I'd need to do that? 

    All of this makes it clear how this all came to be like the oldest part of Boston.. no planning and just cobble a bunch of one ways together and hope people can figure it out. It means the experts can rock it and the new people are constantly learning again and again with zero good documentation out there. 

    I, for one, am just looking to download excellent hikes on my watch to keep me on track when I get out there into Big Nature. 

  • 0 over 4 years ago in reply to jknich

    Uses Garmin Connect.
    You go to Training -> Routes then import Routes.
    Then you just have to synchronize your watch.
    If you want to do it manually
    You need Android File and you put your GPX or FIT or TCX in Newfile.

  • 0 over 4 years ago in reply to jknich

    You do not need to use Garmin mode to connect to Basecamp. Put your watch back to MTP mode and use AFT.

    Read this:

    forums.garmin.com/.../usb-mode-mass-storage-or-garmin

    You need to use AFT to access the files and folders directly on your watch to follow these instructions:

    Alexis_Lecanu said:
    You need Android File and you put your GPX or FIT or TCX in Newfile.
  • 0 over 3 years ago

    Wow, I'm a little late to the party.... but better later then never! I was not even thinking about DRM for music when I "tried" to connect my Fenix 6 and delete some workouts to make room for new one. I got pissed out, and after a few minutes of searching I found this - THANK YOU. This makes no sense and complete sense at the same time. My biggest issue with his topic is with somebody else brought up- Garmin should make it clear that because of Music you must use the Garmin connect application. I'm sure many of the using here were having problems because "plug-and-play" was the way we did it. Regardless thank you USERS for helping me out!