Wrong HR

Hi All,

A week ago, I bought a Forerunner 265—my first Garmin device, as I previously used an Apple Watch.

I’ve noticed some concerning discrepancies in the heart rate (HR) readings. During my running sessions, my HR appears unusually low and stable around 100 bpm, even as I increase my pace and intensity. Similarly, while weightlifting, my HR drops as low as 38 bpm between sets, which seems unrealistically low given my activity level. This is far below what I would expect and much lower than my usual readings on the Apple Watch.

Additionally, I've had some issues with the sleep-tracking feature. Yesterday, my Garmin suggested reducing my sleep time, based on its detection of two naps I didn’t actually take.

I’ve already tried performing a full device reset, but there hasn't been any improvement in accuracy.

Has anyone else experienced similar issues? Are there any further troubleshooting steps or adjustments I might try to resolve these inconsistencies?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

  • Many people have issues with inacurrate HR tracking.

    Garmin chooses to ignore the issue and close threads that raise the issue. Such as this one: forums.garmin.com/.../1843513

  • Same here. Garmin told me to hit button for an activity, wait five mins whilst gps loads up (e.g. for a run) then hit start. This did work for my long run 2 days ago, but not for the run I did today, when I stopped the watch and then restarted mid session. 

    Garmin told me they're aware of the issue and are working on it, but didn't have a date. I'm going to try get a refund or replacement - not like the watch is cheap!

  • I wanted to share the feedback received from Garmin’s customer support team regarding the Forerunner 265:

    The optical heart rate sensor is designed for everyday, simplified monitoring, and therefore its precision is limited. It’s not intended for medical purposes. For more accurate tracking during sports, a chest strap sensor is recommended. While repair or replacement may not enhance performance, it can be offered as a courtesy. Additionally, if the product doesn’t meet your needs, contacting the retailer may also provide further options.