Forerunner 265 Series - Recent Threads

RE: HRM Disabled During Sleep

StealthRunner — Sat, 18 Jul 2026 20:38:43 GMT

I checked that right away.Battery saver was off.

No change in band, no tatts and no change in how I was wearing it. It was in sleep mode, then all tracking stopped. I was solidly asleep when the tracking stopped.

When I checked the watch before my run, I had no HR or body battery and when I tapped the HR widget to see the timeline, it popped up the "Enable" with the red and green arrows on the two sides to enable or not.

HRM Disabled During Sleep

StealthRunner — Sat, 18 Jul 2026 14:05:32 GMT

At midnight, my watch's HRM disabled itself so no overnight tracking. I'd been asleep for about 90 minutes (body battery screen shows that) and did not have battery saver enabled. I didn't know it was disabled until I checked my watch before my run this morning. Midnight to 645am are gone. I enabled it and went for my run.

I've powered the watch off and on again. I hooked it up with a cord and ran the latest updates that came up today. (I do regular updates).

Maybe just an anomaly, but wondering if this happened to anyone else? It's frustrating because this screws up all my numbers that rely on a weekly average. HRV, RHR, etc.

RE: HRM Disabled During Sleep

Garmin - CF — Sat, 18 Jul 2026 20:31:06 GMT

StealthRunner Can you check to make sure Battery Saver is not enabled during Sleep Mode? To find this, you would hold the Up button on the watch > System > Sleep Mode > Battery Saver.

Has there been any change in the band you are using and did you recently get any tattoos on your wrist where the watch sits?

RE: Sleep analisys

StealthRunner — Sat, 18 Jul 2026 14:02:06 GMT

It's not a medical device so take any SP02 data with a grain of salt.

Sleep analisys

1825007 — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 12:27:19 GMT

Hi everyone,

About a month ago, my Forerunner 265 started showing Pulse Ox data. I'm wondering whether these values are normal, good, or if they might indicate a problem.

In particular, it reports an average SpO₂ of 97% and a minimum value of 84% during sleep. What does a minimum SpO₂ of 84% mean? Could it be caused by nasal obstruction, or should I be concerned about something else?

Here is a screenshot of my sleep data.

Thak's.

Multisport

biulex — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 18:48:49 GMT

Hello. I translated this message with AI, as English is not my native language.

I can't get multisport activities planned in Garmin Connect (app and web) onto my Forerunner 265 watch. I easily created a multisport activity directly on the watch, but when I create one with the exercises on the website/app, it shows my watch as incompatible. Does anyone know why this happens?

The activity is: walk (two steps) + strength training (15 steps) + walk (one step).

RE: Multisport

Garmin - CF — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 21:27:31 GMT

kochmans Great article, thanks for adding that!

biulex With the specs stating Triathlon that means that you can add this activity profile on the watch, but custom triathlon workouts won't be compatible to send over from the web/app. Here is the current list of devices that are compatible with sending custom triathlon workouts over to the device:

D2 Mach 2
D2 Mach 2 Pro
Enduro 3
fēnix 8 - AMOLED Edition | fēnix 8 - Solar Edition
fēnix 8 Pro - AMOLED | fēnix 8 Pro - MicroLED
fēnix E
Forerunner 570
Forerunner 970
quatix 8
quatix 8 Pro
tactix 8 - AMOLED | tactix 8 - Solar | tactix 8 - Cerakote Edition
Venu 4
Venu X1

RE: Multisport

biulex — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 18:45:15 GMT

Thanks! I had no idea my watch wasn't compatible. I checked the specs on the website, and under multi-sport, it only lists the 'Triathlon' category.

https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/886785/#specs

It's extremely weird, considering I can set up multi-sport workouts directly on the watch itself.

Edit: I took the opportunity to check the specs for the 970 (which is among the ones listed as supporting multiple activities on the page you sent), and it doesn't include custom multi-sport. Only the ones listed. I wonder if it's impossible to send a custom multi-sport workout to the watch?

Garmin Forerunner 970 | Running Smartwatch with GPS

RE: Multisport

biulex — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 18:40:51 GMT

The pop-up that appears at the end of every upload attempt is the same for any multi-sport activity. I thought it was just mine in particular, but any of them that I create and try to upload bring up the same pop-up from the video saying I don't have wearables compatible with the feature (even though I can set them up directly on the watch, just without as many details).

RE: Multisport

biulex — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 18:38:29 GMT

It makes even less sense when we realize that we can set up multi-sport workouts directly on the watch (we just can't add the exact details we want). On the watch, I can set up a walk/strength training/walk sequence, but I can't include the specific details (like I showed in the video).

Bug - cannot reset passcode unless device upload is enabled

1977245 — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 14:42:43 GMT

The watch passcode cannot be reset unless device upload is enabled. This should not be the case - I shouldn’t have to consent to device upload in order to reset my passcode.

This may have been the reason why others have gotten locked out of their watch and not known how to unlock it. See: forums.garmin.com/.../watch-is-locked-and-can-t-reset-passcode-in-garmin-connect

RE: Multisport

ronand — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 10:15:16 GMT

I see the same thing with garmin connect on the web with setting up a multisport activity with my 965. Its very strange to have this limitation as I used to create run/bike/run activities for my Fenix 3 a few years.ago and I would imagine that the 965 & 265 are much more capable watches.

RE: Multisport

kochmans — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 07:49:07 GMT

[quote userid="2058164" url="~/sports-fitness/running-multisport/f/forerunner-265-series/439668/multisport/2044918"]Where does it say that your device is not compatible?[/quote]

Here:

https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=lLvhWrmlMv0vGmyGpWjOX6

The 265 is not on the compatibility list for multisport workouts.

RE: Multisport

Garmin - CF — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 21:44:38 GMT

biulex Where does it say that your device is not compatible? Does the workout never show on the watch or is it a pop up that you see on the web/app?

RE: Multisport

biulex — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 18:11:55 GMT

Sure. I'll gladly explain.
The video below shows the mode that doesn't work (I used random values and exercises for demonstration purposes only):

forums.garmin.com/.../Grava_E700E300_o-de-Tela-2026_2D00_07_2D00_12-145625.mp4

The only mode that worked was by creating a simple workout directly on the watch itself. Adding a walk, a strength workout, and another walk. But this way, I can't add the rests and the exercises I need to do on the day.

P.S: I just tested it and no multisport workout can be sent to my watch via Garmin Connect (app or web). I set it up in several different ways and none of them show my watch as compatible.

RE: Multisport

Garmin - CF — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 17:49:44 GMT

biulex Can you walk through step by step how you are creating the workout in the Connect app/web?

RE: Elevation and barometer misbehaving after the 28.05 update

gxgene1 — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 23:14:52 GMT

So you got the 2709 version? As long as it works for what you want, that's a bonus!

I've spent a lot of time on a stair climber lately and I don't see the same sudden vertical cliff jump up of 10-15 BPM (from incorrectly low) in HR that I do when I run. The stair climber has less immediate load compared to running quickly to pace. With the significantly older firmware I have on my watch, it seems that a very sudden jump in intensity creates the problem.

I'm looking forward to hearing how your "new" watch performs.

Elevation and barometer misbehaving after the 28.05 update

5277384 — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 02:32:49 GMT

Since updating from 27.09 to 28.05 last week my altimeter and barometer are erratically jumping several meters and several millibars out of nowhere. This is messing up the floor counter and showing impossible negative elevations.

I tried all the tricks but given the watch is brand new and the timing is impeccable it seems that the update is creating issues with it.

RE: Elevation and barometer misbehaving after the 28.05 update

5277384 — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 18:39:22 GMT

Damn, fun fact the replacement watch was shipped with the previous firmware version lol

RE: Elevation and barometer misbehaving after the 28.05 update

gxgene1 — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 23:27:50 GMT

One thing to note is that I have Garmin Express running on another, older computer principally for auto GPS map updates. If I happen to connect the watch to that computer regardless that automatic software updates are turned off, when I disconnect the watch it asks if I want to update my watch now or later. LATER!!

Regardless that automatic updates are off, in the background Garmin Express transferred the latest update to my watch, forcing me to answer "later" and then using the USB cable connection to browse the watch, go find the gupdate.gsp file on the watch (in the root of the Garmin folder as I recall) and move it off the watch to the computer. Since it's off the watch it can't be updated later..and the update file stored safely away should it ever be needed.

What is the font size of the large font - continued

gxgene1 — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 23:03:47 GMT

The discussion from the original post was locked;

Bit I wanted to reply to the post by [mention:f4a07b170b7c4ce39f9f65becfa3aad8:e9ed411860ed4f2ba0265705b8793d05]

"The large font is designed to be comfortably readable, especially for users who prefer bigger text. While the exact size may vary depending on the design, it is generally much larger than standard body text and easy on the eyes. If readability is your priority, it should work well. It also keeps a clean, text aesthetic ig style without sacrificing clarity."

While I agree mostly in principal with the above statement, something that I don't believe gets taken into consideration in regards to the senior group is that in the USA (age irrespective) one of the top 3 outpatient procedures is cataract surgery; a lot of cataract surgeries are done. There are a number of choices (and tradeoffs) to consider in selecting the specific lens (IOL) to be used as a replacement lens but the most common selection is the monofocal lens which is optimized for distance viewing, maybe 4 to 5 feet out to infinity; which regardless of having a non focusing lens, I can attest to is still impacted by lighting and I can also attest that the monofocal lens does pretty well at computer distance.

There are a couple of multifocal lens options but chromatic aberration, potentially visible lines (similar to lined bifocal or trifocal glasses) and possible reduced night contrast are considerations, depending on the type of extended focal range or multifocal range lens selected. Monofocal lens are generally considered to have the best overall visual quality, except they don't focus well for very close objects, like raising your arm up to look at a watch.

With the above in consideration the FR265 is notably more easy to read than the FR245 both at rest and during exercise due to the additional screen brightness and clarity, (now if Garmin could only make the Optical HR work on the FR265 as well as it did on the FR245).

If different font selections were available would I try them, likely; though I couldn't say if I would actually choose to use a different font until I tested it.

RE: Elevation and barometer misbehaving after the 28.05 update

5277384 — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 14:54:03 GMT

Totally agree, first thing is to deactivate automatic updates in any circumstance. I am pretty sure they will have the latest version installed; I will see.

RE: Elevation and barometer misbehaving after the 28.05 update

gxgene1 — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 01:25:31 GMT

If you get your watch replaced, I would check the software installed; if it is older than the current 2805 version I personally would turn off automatic software updates until you have a chance to check out the watch and see if it works as desired, as is. Been there and done that after a software update killed the optical HR on my FR245 a week after I bought it. In my case the watch was replaced by the store though, not Garmin. It's a moot point if a Garmin replacement ships with the latest release.

RE: Elevation and barometer misbehaving after the 28.05 update

5277384 — Sat, 04 Jul 2026 23:11:24 GMT

I have little faith this will be fixed soon but in the meantime they are going to replace my watch. Not sure how this could fix the issue but we'll see

RE: Elevation and barometer misbehaving after the 28.05 update

gxgene1 — Sat, 04 Jul 2026 18:30:09 GMT

Check the 970 forum there are lots of complaints about the barometer after the latest update, v17.33 for that watch. It looks like Garmin made a universal "improvement". One post sums it up. "Full of bugs after the 17.33 update". Since they broke it for the latest watch there is some hope that a fix will come out..if the cure isn't worse than the disease.