How to get the watch to recognize elliptical workout

Hi, I use and pay this app F3b Elliptical | Garmin Connect IQ. You only need Garmin cadence sensor or other ANT+ cadence sensor installed on elliptical machine and properly calibrate the app settings to match elliptical machine parameters. There is also another app Elliptical | Garmin Connect IQ that is free, however it does not record all the parameters like F3b Elliptical. Try to use both and chose the one that meets your requirements. Before, I used Garmin native tredmill profile, however it spoiled my VO2max estimates (no clue why). 

It is activity type you have to add to your watch GYM>Elliptical nothing to install extra.

It is useless. It is measuring only time, heart rate and calories. It does not measure cadence, tempo/speed, distance and other metrics like F3b app. 

Based on what data F3b app is giving you speed and distance?
Is your watch connected to machine and reading it from?
If not such data for me are useles, more guessing than real data.

Exactly. You only need ANT+ cadence sensor on elliptical machine and calibrate elliptical stride length in the app settings. It works well. Only downside is Garmin rule for distance. Due to Garmin policy does not allow CIQ applications to write non-GPS values. Currently the Connect App Developers are not supporting value override function of the main values that the app uses to write the main value. However,  you have IQ fields in Connect App see pictures

Anyway, speed, cadence and distance are on paar with my elliptical machine. And app also count laps. 

Thanks, how did you connect the cadence sensor to F3b elliptical app? I don’t seem to have the option to pair the sensor to the app. Sensor is paired to the garmin watch. 

Thanks !! Old thread but still relevant. We want to use it with our dumb elliptical so we can use it with the Kinomap app.