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GPS Quick on/off mode - future update?

I have recently purchased the FR 245 and have been a consistent Forerunner user since the original FR201. I really like them and the newest one is the best version yet for me. One thing I've always wanted as a feature is the ability to turn the GPS on or off quickly without having to navigate many screens to do it - eg when a run is finished so as to not accidentally leave GPS on.

This minor thing is something that hasn't changed much in any FR version. The latest FR does have the handy Controls function to allow quick access to familiar functions but it would be good to see in a future update to allow quick access to the GPS in the same way that alarms or timers can be reached quickly too.

Anyone else find this a minor inconvenience? Could Garmin perhaps consider adding a feature like this in a future update? Putting this here hopefully for some consideration!

Top Replies

MaxR6 over 5 years ago in reply to stugoo7 +1

stugoo7 said:
I see that the GPS stays on.

GPS opens automatically when the RunningApp is started and automatically closes when the RunningApp is closed (not stopped!).
After saving your run, the RunningApp…

All Replies

0 jim_m_58 over 5 years ago

GPS turns on when you start a GPS activity and turns off GPS when you've saved/discard the activity.

No need to do it manually.

0 Former Member over 5 years ago

As jim_m_58 said, once you leave a GPS activity the GPS turns off automatically.

stugoo7 said:
This minor thing is something that hasn't changed much in any FR version.

Not true. I don't know if it's a feature on the 245, but both my 935 and 945 have the "hot keys" feature. On both of those watches I've programmed the start-stop button when long pressed for location. It turns on the GPS and gives me my coordinates and altitude. If programmable hot keys are not available on the 245, try requesting it here.

www.garmin.com/.../

0 jim_m_58 over 5 years ago in reply to Former Member

No hot keys on the 245 or 645. They start with the 935/945.

0 stugoo7 over 5 years ago in reply to jim_m_58

Not saying you're wrong but it has never seemed to do that for me. I manually turn on the GPS before a run, run, finish and then save the activity. I see that the GPS stays on. If anything it continues to find a lock whether outside or not and it requires me to go into settings to turn it off to ensure it is.

Unless I'm missing something..? Happy to be corrected! Would prefer it to turn off automatically!

0 Former Member over 5 years ago in reply to stugoo7

stugoo7 said:
I manually turn on the GPS before a run, run, finish and then save the activity. I see that the GPS stays on.

What do mean exactly by "manually" turning on GPS before your run? By default, the run app has GPS set to on. You select the run app, wait for a good (green) GPS fix and then start the activity. After saving the run, GPS is turned off once you exit the run app. What screen are you seeing that GPS is still active?

0 stugoo7 over 5 years ago in reply to Former Member

Is it possible by choosing to turn GPS on and off that I've changed it from what it was set to by default? I check GPS status out with a run by going into Run Settings > GPS. It would still appear to be on the last GPS setting from my previous run. So having just finished a run now, I saved it and then reverted to the home screen. I have then checked run settings and GPS is still on which would suggest it's still working away in the background and hasn't turned off.

I think ultimately we could go back and forth here on this, so don't think there's much more I can clarify. It's probably one of those things you'd just need to see and it would be clear in about 2 seconds.

Thanks for your efforts though.

0 Heikoo over 5 years ago in reply to stugoo7

the item in run settings (GPS switched "on") just means that if you do a run it will be using GPS. It does not mean it's actually activated all the time. You can be sure: If your watch is in standby mode (normal watchface), then GPS is definitely off. Otherwise it would burn through the battery in a couple of hours and could not last for days. You do not need to change this setting all the time

0 Former Member over 5 years ago in reply to stugoo7

Heikoo gave you the answer. It just means GPS will turn on by default the next time you open that app. It turns off once the app is closed. Just leave it set to GPS on and you've eliminated the step of manually turning it on every time you use that app.

0 MaxR6 over 5 years ago in reply to stugoo7

stugoo7 said:
I see that the GPS stays on.

GPS opens automatically when the RunningApp is started and automatically closes when the RunningApp is closed (not stopped!).
After saving your run, the RunningApp remains open.
You may want to continue running or restart.

Just close the RunningApp with the back button to the bottom right and you're done.
Just one click more. I don't see any problem here.