Forerunner 265 Series - Recent Threads

RE: Garmin, are you there?? post the old firmware version for the FR265!

Jacquers — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 15:08:26 GMT

Someone must have the file or link saved somewhere, but they probably don't visit these forums. Most people probably update via their phones and don't save the update file before applying it. Maybe someone who used Express will have the file on their pc, or the online link to it in their logs.

Has anyone tried beta 28.03?

Garmin, are you there?? post the old firmware version for the FR265!

9701371 — Sat, 07 Feb 2026 16:04:25 GMT

Garmin, are you there??

post the old firmware version for the FR265 so I can downgrade.

I want to use my new watch fr265 instead of going to the forum every day hoping that the 27.09 firmware bug fix is out!!!

Default altitude setting when barometer fails

philnhana — Sun, 31 May 2026 13:56:58 GMT

failure of the barometer is a known issue on Garmin and I believe other gps units particularly for regular pool swimmers

a simple way to minimize the issue would be for Garmin to permit gps elevation be the default.

i know in the web I can change for any individual activity but it’s annoying. (Not in the app)

please Garmin let us have this option (I know you will provide a refurbished unit for 1/2 price)

RE: Default altitude setting when barometer fails

Jacquers — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 15:06:35 GMT

I don't think they'll add it to the 265, it's not getting feature updates anymore. Maybe they'll add it for newer models if you ask www.garmin.com/.../

RE: Garmin, are you there?? post the old firmware version for the FR265!

gxgene1 — Sun, 31 May 2026 05:29:21 GMT

Good point!!

Not quite universal. HP went away from that. After the warranty period HP started charging for things like BIOS updates and not just an arbitrary charge. Dell did not go that route. HP lost out business.

It is insanity that Garmin doesn't support roll backs. IMO, there should be an app to fully back up the current state of the watch before an update, so if the update has undesirable results an easy restoration to the previous state can be done.

If suddenly a core feature of a watch ceases to function (after an update), I don't care if I miss out on the latest update for dance step counts, I want the watch back in a functional state.

RE: Garmin, are you there?? post the old firmware version for the FR265!

shadow126 — Sat, 30 May 2026 19:18:18 GMT

At least with old tech ethos you could usually go to the website and download older drivers and firmware. This is the only solution/support I need for the FR265.

RE: Garmin, are you there?? post the old firmware version for the FR265!

gxgene1 — Sat, 30 May 2026 16:49:38 GMT

All of the following is just my opinion. I've been using tech for a very long time, when actual hard drives not SSD's dominated storage, I'd see lot of comments railing about a certain brand of hard drive be it Maxtor, Seagate, Western Digital, Quantum, Samsung, Toshiba, ect. with plenty of comments of "They will never get my business again". The trouble with that is, all of those brands at some point have had less desirable product and support issues. Never is a long time and in many cases (back then) moving on to a different brand meant moving on to the next unhappy failure. At various times I did stop buying specific brands and always worked to find and choose the brand which represented the best chance of long term success. It was not uncommon to go back to a previously undesirable brand because the product improved. That's still my viewpoint.

Ceasing to purchase is a powerful way to send a message and maybe the only real way we have to influence product development, considering how little information Garmin actually puts out about the various problems and how prone Garmin is to abandon a product without remedies, products that have notable price points. I like my Garmin's I have various types. If Garmin abandons the FR265 without sufficient remedies or recourse to users then any future purchase will be open season; look at all the potential choices and make the best decision for the need. Garmin will not get the free pass I would have been inclined to give them.

Garmin can do it, if they choose. I am quite happy with the Optical HR of the FR245, for my needs. Why Garmin can't or won't for the FR265 remains a very sore point to me.

Sleep cutting short by several hours since 27.09

2329476 — Fri, 29 May 2026 21:28:36 GMT

My watch updated 2 days ago to 27.09 and both nights since then my sleep tracking has been cut short by several hours, saying I’ve woken up at 2 and 4am rather than 6 and 7am. Is anyone else experiencing this and is there a solution?

On the Forerunner 265, within the Hiking activity, is it possible to add a pack weight?

3129234 — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 12:15:11 GMT

Am trying to add the weight of my Bergan (ruck to US readers) to the Hiking activity so I can monitor progress i.e. calories burned v weight carried as an example

RE: On the Forerunner 265, within the Hiking activity, is it possible to add a pack weight?

gxgene1 — Thu, 28 May 2026 17:35:55 GMT

With no pack weight as an option the only thought that comes to me is change your weight in your profile to temporarily include the pack weight,

RE: Heart rate measurement error - software version 27.09

gxgene1 — Thu, 28 May 2026 02:13:39 GMT

When I last interacted with support, the person offered that they did not expect fixes for the optical HR, I didn't comment that before as it looked hopeful for 28.03. While I'm not the optimist that DoctorCool is, I have held out hope that part of the HR problem was an interaction with some other feature that did get a fix, maybe benefit from the law of unintended consequences.

I am probably too much of an optimist :\

Heart rate measurement error - software version 27.09

lisamcc — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 14:00:45 GMT

Hi I have a forerunner 265 running software version 27.09

RE: Heart rate measurement error - software version 27.09

6844845 — Thu, 28 May 2026 00:45:59 GMT

For me compared with Huawei GT Runner2 around 10 sessions running outdoor and walking indoor, some session FR265 cadence drop during activity and also HR very sensitive spike I mean tested on 28.03 but overall not bad

RE: Heart rate measurement error - software version 27.09

DoctorCool — Wed, 27 May 2026 13:10:11 GMT

Well 28.03 IS beta. Perhaps your feedback to Garmin will help them tweak the release before releasing the final version.

RE: Heart rate measurement error - software version 27.09

gxgene1 — Wed, 27 May 2026 02:13:36 GMT

That's unfortunate shadow126 but thanks for reporting it!

RE: Heart rate measurement error - software version 27.09

shadow126 — Wed, 27 May 2026 01:57:13 GMT

Well I'm six runs in now on 28.03 and the first three seemed to have accurate HR readings, but unfortunately the last three had upfront HR spikes. This last run was particularly bad: A large long bubble of high HR at the beginning and random spikes throughout the activity just like 27.09. It was just a steady easy run. I'm going to be returning to my external arm sensor for now. Hopefully others will share their results on this new update. Perhaps my experience was just bad luck.

RE: Heart rate measurement error - software version 27.09

Jacquers — Tue, 26 May 2026 10:12:56 GMT

Maybe enroll for and try the new beta 28.03. Someone in the 965 section says it looks like the HR is better.

RE: Heart rate measurement error - software version 27.09

DoctorCool — Mon, 25 May 2026 17:24:29 GMT

gxgene1 Nah, your wording is fine I think. I do agree with you. The watch is kinda dead. No new apps/modules are being released for the watch such as the evening report or any of the new tools that were released with the FR70/170. So long as the watch though gets bug fixes, I am happy.

Totally agree with you about the support people being caught in the middle. Every time I have spoken with them though, support has been very supportive and helpful.

RE: Heart rate measurement error - software version 27.09

gxgene1 — Sun, 24 May 2026 23:19:09 GMT

Again Shadow, you said it. I care about a reasonable HR reading and some of the associated metrics like VO2max, Obviously there's other stuff I really want to work, like GPS, timings and the altimeter is a plus.I really like the announced lap time feature when I use a treadmill.,

I've tried multiple chest straps and they all have failed early on for me. The optical HR on the 245 was liberating, I just want the FR265 to compete in that category, I'm looking forward (with hope) to your updates (as your circumstances allow).

RE: Heart rate measurement error - software version 27.09

gxgene1 — Sun, 24 May 2026 23:04:51 GMT

DC dead was a poor choice of words on my part, probably due to my mood after reading the reply.. All the support person really said was not to expect new firmware updates going forward and as mentioned was surprised when I said there was a new Beta, the reply essentially was don't expect much more of that.

For product with a serious Optical HR issue and metrics based on Optical HR to me, that equates to dead. I try to avoid putting my own spin on things but I don't want to be verbatim either, my overall view of support is they are pretty decent people caught in the middle.

RE: Heart rate measurement error - software version 27.09

DoctorCool — Sun, 24 May 2026 22:44:42 GMT

Well this is all very encouraging. I am ever optimistic that the beta will be released as a final firmware and the optical heart rate issues will be a thing of the past. Thank you Garmin!

gxgene1 I took your comment from the Garmin service rep about the FR265 being a dead product (or whatever he/she said) to mean that the FR265 will no longer receive new features. Like the evening report, for example. Or maybe any new sports features. And I am ok with that. While I like the features of the FR170, and the fact that it is on the same software platform as the Fenix 8, so long as Garmin fixes the optical HR issues, I will be a happy camper.

RE: Heart rate measurement error - software version 27.09

shadow126 — Sun, 24 May 2026 21:27:53 GMT

Yeah I understand where you're coming from. There are certain core features that we are looking for from these devices and if they deliver it doesn't really matter if they are still actively supported by Garmin. We are essentially circling around the age-old debate of product versus service. I'll keep using the wrist HR for another week or so to test the update, but I'll probably go back to my arm strap. The wrist has never been a particularly good location for tracking heart rate anyway especially high heart rate during a moving activity. Blood oxygen detection is even sillier for the wrist. All they have to do is write a function that reports a static number of 95% and that would probably be more accurate over the average than the actual readings it reports!

RE: Heart rate measurement error - software version 27.09

gxgene1 — Sun, 24 May 2026 04:00:36 GMT

shadow126 You summed up exactly why I haven't updated. How 21.20 reports HR isn't desirable but it's predictable and if I wear the 245 on the other wrist the metrics come out pretty close on a run of any reasonable distance. It's interesting too that if I use the stair climber on a long session I don't see the problem, or it's much less noticeable. I'll get an HR that is almost as high as on a run but it is a slower build.

A week after I bought the 245 an automatic update came through and killed the accuracy of the HR sensor. Since it was only a week old I took it back and got another (which had older firmware yet) and immediately turned off updates, I allowed it to update a couple of times but only after checking the forum feedback for the release.

When I bought the 265 first thing I did was turn off updates, I think I've allowed one but it was way back.

RE: Heart rate measurement error - software version 27.09

shadow126 — Sun, 24 May 2026 00:12:03 GMT

Yeah I experienced that exact behavior with older firmware versions too. I suppose I considered that acceptable behavior because it didn't have a negative impact on the average metrics. It was very consistently under reporting for the first mile (8-10 minutes) then it kicked in. It's really the random spikes during the run that introduce noise and throw off the long term aggregate that bother me with 27.09. I don't care about the absolute value accuracy with any of these "health tracking" devices only a consistent output so I can chart long term trends.

RE: Heart rate measurement error - software version 27.09

gxgene1 — Sat, 23 May 2026 22:54:20 GMT

shadow126 I've locked my watch into an older firmware version (21.20) and I've had the opposite issue. I get to pace quickly and the reading is artificially low for 8 to 12 minutes and then take a vertical jump of 10 to 15 BPM after which it seems OK; though if left running post exercise I've seen some strange peaks.

What you've described is what I've seen in forum posts as more typical for the later releases of firmware, abnormally high reading at the start with strange spikes. I've been waiting a long time for firmware better than I have to surface, maybe this is it. Hopefully we'll see some other users post.