Forerunner 965 Smartphone Notifications on iPhone - Does Garmin Connect App have to be always on?

Hi Andy.

From what I can see I get notifications (like Message, Whats app, News apps) just with BT connected with the App closed. I tested it again just now to check. (I am on the latest 4.17 Beta but I am sure it was the same before)

The watch face I am using has a BT connection logo that shows connected even if GC app is closed.

Of course the weather and other items relying on the GC app won't update unless the GC app is open in the background.

Maybe forget the device on the iPhone BT settings and reset up the BT connection?

Many thanks for the update S.M.R. that's good to hear that it should work without the Garmin Connect open in the background. 

I tried unpairing and then repairing but it's still the same I'm afraid. I might try a reinstall of Garmin Connect and see how that goes. I've tried keeping GC open in the background this last week and it doesn't appear to reduce the FR965 battery life, but I'm so much in the habit of closing all apps, I must remember to keep that one open!

Thanks again, much appreciated.

Cheers,

Andy.

Hi ANdy 

What I have done when having some BT issues is:

1. Forget Garmin device on BT settings on iPhone

2. Remove GC App from iPhone

3. Soft reset watch (hold in light button until it powers off, then restart after say 15 secs)

4. Restart iPhone

5. Reinstall GC App and sign in to it

6. Re-Pair the Garmin

You may need to reset up Garmin Pay , if you use it , not sure.

Cheers Stephen

Brilliant thanks Stephen, I'll give these a go, great info, many thanks!

Cheers,

Andy.

Hi All, 
I have the same issue on Android. I am only connected as long as the Garmin Connect app is open on the phone. 
Once I close the app, the phone shows immediately disconnected on my FR965. 

Is there a proven solution for this?

Thanks,

Laszlo

iPhone 15 Pro Max iOS 17.0.3

Forerunner 965 Version 16.17

If I don't have Garmin Connect open on my iPhone the bluetooth (phone icon) appears with a line through it but I still receive notifcations when enabled.

iPhone:

General>Settings>Bluetooth, tap the "i" next to the Garmin Device and make sure "Share System Notifications" is enabled.

Garmin Connect app on iPhone: More (...)>Garmin Devices>Forerunner 965>Notifications & Alerts>Smart Notifications

I have those settings enabled on my iPhone but I still don't receive notifications unless the App is open on my phone and (critically) the 965 is showing as a connected device.

I have multiple Garmin devices (notably a Vivosmart I use as my daily tracker) however Garmin Connect often forgets my 965 for whatever reason and I have to repeatedly shut down the Garmin Connect app and restart it for the 965 to be "seen" again.  I have no idea what causes this to happen, but it's obviously frustrating and I only know about it when I notice I am not receiving notifications on the watch.

I have the same issues with notifications on with my Garmin FR955 and also before with the FR945. After some days the connect app is probably killed by the iOS system or it crashes in background and then i am also not getting any notifications. iPhone BT menu shows active connection to the FR955 but the watch shows disconnected state. I have to reopen or to kill the app and reopen it, to get notifications again.

Before Garmin i use several years different Fitbit smartwatches and the notifications always worked even if the fitbit app was killed manually.