Forerunner 70 - Recent Threads

Incorrect Elevation Data when Pushing Garmin Connect to Strava

James K. Polk — Sun, 05 Jul 2026 01:28:03 GMT

I know the Forerunner 70 does not have a barometric altimeter, but I don't know the exact issue here - when uploading runs directly from Garmin to Strava (using the automatic data push, not by manually adding files), the elevation data registered by Strava ends up 2-3x higher than it should be. For example, a recent run should have registered about ~170' total, but the Strava run, without correction, registered something around 400'. This is happening every time.

I also have a Garmin Forerunner 170 Music (which does have a barometric altimeter) and that watch does not have this issue, so I don't believe it related to this generation of watches.

Manually overriding the elevation via Strava, when available, fixes the issue, but is a pain to do on every single run.

Any tips? Is this something Garmin can fix in an upcoming update?

Thanks!

RE: Incorrect Elevation Data when Pushing Garmin Connect to Strava

5493413 — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 01:09:22 GMT

I am having the same issue. I never had this issue with my previous 245, and now I have it with the 70. I otherwise like the watch, but it is really annoying to have to adjust the elevation each time. Any solutions? Thanks.

RE: Incorrect Elevation Data when Pushing Garmin Connect to Strava

1213022 — Fri, 23 Oct 2026 09:12:22 GMT

Same issue with the Forerunner 70. The only way to get realistic and acceptable elevation data is to adjust it in Strava after importing. It’s incredibly counterintuitive, but it’s the only solution to avoid ending up with absurdly high figures for what was actually just a long run or ride with very little elevation gain. An update would be greatly appreciated. Personally, the Forerunner is my first Garmin watch; I bought it last summer specifically to get accurate tracking for running, but I’m disappointed because of this erroneous elevation gain data.

Forerunner 70 - Software Version 18.32 - 100%

Garmin-Kevin — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 17:59:29 GMT

Software version 18.32 is now available at 100% phased rollout for Forerunner 70.

You may manually download this software update once available by following the path below:

Menu > Watch Settings > System > Software Update > Check For Updates

Change Log • Fixes an issue that could cause the device to reset when changing screens during an activity. • Prevents smart notifications from sounding a tone when the device is in silent or do not disturb mode. • Fixes an issue that could cause the alarm vibration to be unintentionally disabled. • Fixes potential issue with Spotify music playback after skipping songs via paired Bluetooth headphones. • Fixes other minor issues.

Alarm and screen lock

6856183 — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 08:41:08 GMT

Hello, I have a question. I would like to know whether it is possible to set the smartwatch so that the display must be unlocked before I can snooze or dismiss an alarm. This would prevent me from accidentally disabling the alarm while I’m half asleep and then going back to sleep. Thank you.

Please add an option to disable automatic/adaptive brightness – Forerunner 70

Noemi — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 20:55:10 GMT

I recently bought a Forerunner 70 and one thing that is really bothering me is the automatic screen brightness.

In a bright environment the display gets brighter, but in a dark room it becomes significantly dimmer. For me, this makes the watch much harder to read in low-light conditions, even when the display is fully awake and the brightness setting is turned up.

As far as I can see, there is currently no way on the Forerunner 70 to disable the automatic ambient-light adjustment.

Could Garmin please add an option under Display & Brightness to turn Auto/Adaptive Brightness ON or OFF?

I am not suggesting removing automatic brightness. I understand that some people may like it. I would just like the choice to disable it and have the screen remain at the brightness level I select.

Does this bother any other Forerunner 70 owners?

RE: Please add an option to disable automatic/adaptive brightness – Forerunner 70

Garmin - DK — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 15:33:31 GMT

Thanks for the feedback, Noemi . Please submit it here so it can be considered for possible future use: https://garmin.com/ideas

Vibration Issues Since Update 18.29

4889166 — Fri, 18 Sep 2026 09:20:05 GMT

Hi, my Garmin Forerunner 70 no longer vibrates when, for example, it's sitting on a table and I receive a notification. Is anyone else having the same problem?

RE: Incorrect Elevation Data when Pushing Garmin Connect to Strava

2199481 — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 16:14:14 GMT

Same thing, im click "correct elevation with Strava" every time....
My regular flat run on the beach about 80 meters elevation...

Forerunner 70 - Software Version 18.29 - Live

Garmin-Dan — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 19:01:58 GMT

Software version 18.29 is now available for Forerunner 70.

You may manually download this software update once available by following the path below:

Menu > System > Software Update > Check For Updates

Change Log: • Fixes an issue where enabling quiet start for an alarm could fail to take effect.
• Fixes other minor issues.

Forerunner 70 - Software Version 9.21 - Live

Garmin-Kevin — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 17:57:52 GMT

Software version 9.21 is now available for Forerunner 70.

You may manually download this software update once available by following the path below:

Menu > System > Software Update > Check For Updates

Change Log:

Fixes a potential issue with the display that could cause unexpected behavior and inconsistent gesture response.

RE: Incorrect Elevation Data when Pushing Garmin Connect to Strava

Luko79 — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 08:42:25 GMT

if the raw altitude datas are very spikey, then on strava it happens (the watch itself is using an internal smoothing for Total Ascent, this is why you see the normal TA value there and not as high as on Strava). The Strava doesnt accept this Garmin calculated TA value if the device has no barometer inbuilt, in this case the Strava is recalculating the TA from the raw altitude datas from FIT file which causes this extremely high final TA . and with the Strava's elevation correction it will be accurate (by the Strava's own ultraaccurate DEM data)

the solution would be a toggle button on Strava to enabled the Elevation Correction by default for every ride (or an advanced option for a specified device only). try to write it to Strava as an idea

RE: Incorrect Elevation Data when Pushing Garmin Connect to Strava

4397462 — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 12:44:36 GMT

Same problem here.

RE: Incorrect Elevation Data when Pushing Garmin Connect to Strava

4397462 — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 12:33:53 GMT

Same problem here. Just got my Forerunner 70, took it out on a regular route and found that the elavation gain was almost 3 times the amount it was on my old Forerunner 235 when it transferred to Strava. Has anyone found a fix to this yet? Seems to be a common problem with this version of watch which hasn’t been picked up in any of the reviews I’ve seen.

RE: Stress: How is it calculated?

Sleepy Donald — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 07:50:15 GMT

Thank you. It is very informative.

Stress: How is it calculated?

Sleepy Donald — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 11:10:41 GMT

How is the stress metric calculated? Is it reliable?

Based on my watch, I seem to be highly stressed throughout the day.

RE: Stress: How is it calculated?

Attila — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 12:38:47 GMT

You can think of stress level as the inverse of Heart Rate Variability (HRV). HRV is the variations between consecutive heart beats. I once heard this explanation about HRV that really stuck with me (source: Sarah Does Sass: Your heart's secret language: HRV explained):

The heart has a push and pull mode of delivering energy to the rest of the body. When it senses that we might need the energy any moment, like in a stressful situation or during activities, it beats very evenly, it pushes the blood through without much feedback.

When we are more chill, the nervous system can signal when it needs more energy/oxygen, so the heart beats become less regular: it's happening in a more on-demand basis.

So the watch establishes your base HRV value the more you wear it (you can see those ranges in the HRV Status widget). Of course people would be confused by an ever changing number in miliseconds, so Garmin came up with this stress level.

When your HRV is high, then your stress level is very low (close to zero); when your HRV is almost 0, then your stress level is close to 100.

So this way you can understand a bit better how the stress level graph works... it doesn't necessarily mean that you're mentally stressed. It can be that your body is requiring more energy. My stress level spikes and slowly (over hours) decreases after workouts, even after the part that period that Garmin blanks out to avoid confusing people, as we would always have super high stress right after workouts.

If you did some effort, the body needs to work on recovery, which is stress, even if it's the healthy kind of stress. But stress is stress, it does tire us.

Here are two more sources that more or less confim my theory about the relation between HRV and stress:

The Garmin article is a lot less clear about the actual relation than the first article. I formed these theories after paying close attention to my stress levels in the last 8 years, when I started wearing the Forerunner 935, and now the Enduro 3 for 2 years. Hope this helps clear it up a bit. 🙂

RE: Incorrect Elevation Data when Pushing Garmin Connect to Strava

1525397 — Sat, 08 Aug 2026 20:44:33 GMT

Same problem.Have used a Forerunner 55 in the past and there it was ok. Now with my new Forerunner 70 i also have 2-3x too much elevation.

Did check for corrections on elevation, but could not find it in Garmin Connect or in Strava.

[BUG] - Incorrect strength stats

8643112 — Sat, 08 Aug 2026 00:25:25 GMT

I recorded a strength activity using a preprogrammed workout that I was following. I did 8 reps of the dumbbell squat with 25lb weights, but it’s recording my personal record as 24.9lbs and it’s not even showing the ampersand correctly of the activity name. How can I report this bug?

I similarly did dumbbell curls with 10lbs and it went onto Strava as a 9.9 lb weight.

RE: Health Status Not Calibrating

moschenin — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 20:21:11 GMT

The only problem is that this section has 5 indicators, including temperature. But the 70 and 170 can't read temperature. And the indicator is inactive, gray.
Please fix the unused indicator in Health Status for the 70 and 170, and maybe even the 570.

Health Status Not Calibrating

4863843 — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 04:41:33 GMT

Device: Forerunner 70

Firmware: v9.17

Issue Summary

İ have been using the Forerunner 70 for more than a month, and all data is calibrated(HRV baseline, Training Readiness), but the Health Status reading still shows "waiting" with all the data unavialable in the measurements. I don't know what the issue is, and it has not changed since I bought the device.

Forerunner 70 Software - Version 9.19 - Live

Garmin-Kevin — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 13:36:59 GMT

Software version 9.19 is now available for Forerunner 70.

You may manually download this software update once available by following the path below:

Menu > System > Software Update > Check For Updates

Change Log:

Fix treadmill calibration

Forerunner 70 Running Alerts auto adjusting

7140769 — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 09:52:21 GMT

I recently bought the Garmin Forerunner 70, for a general run I use the Alerts settings to set a fast and slow alert. I want to be able to set these 15 seconds apart. e.g. 5:00 per km and 5:15 per km but whenever I do this they auto adjust to be 30 seconds apart. I used to be able to do this on my old Garmin vivoactive 3 can I really not do it on the newer model?

RE: Forerunner 70 Running Alerts auto adjusting

Attila — Sun, 26 Jul 2026 16:02:08 GMT

I can reproduce this issue on my Enduro 3 (I know, very different watch, but it is using the same codebase nowadays).

The gap always readjusts to be at least 30 seconds for me as well. I guess this is to avoid constant buzzing, it's very hard to run more accurate pace than within 30 second, however if you want to annoy yourself then that should be your right. 🙂

An alternative solution is to create a workout in Garmin Connect: https://connect.garmin.com/app/workout/create/running

There you can make a workout with a very long "Run" step, and as far as I see in the "Intensity target" you can make the from-to range arbitrarily small. I managed to set it to 5:14-5:16. Then sync the workout to your watch and start the workout when you run.

Forerunner 70 vs Index Sleep Monitor

Sleepy Donald — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 07:04:29 GMT

I have a Forerunner 70, and I want to know if it's worth the case to buy an Index Sleep Monitor?

Will this provide me with more data about my sleep?