Optical HRM not working, device sluggish and battery drain since update

Yes, this is definitely a software bug and not hardware issues. I called support and complained and they are sending me a new watch. This will probably not fix this, but Garmin is definitely not reading these forums, and maybe if more of us called to complain and got Garmin to send out new watches, the Garmin leadership might notice that there is a problem and prioitize correction of it. We all recognize that the Garmin Optical HR hardware is not perfect and has it's limitations. But I know from how it used to work back when the 235 first came out, that this Optical HR is capable of being pretty usable if Garmin would get off their buts and return the HR software to the earlier state. I know that the first changes in the HR reading was to limit the 24/7 reading to help save battery life. I never had much of a problem with the original battery like and I would much rather have to charge the watch a little more often that to deal with a useless HR function.

Power off, power on = it works

I've been dealing with this same issue nearly every day since a tendon injury. With running, HR always caught on during my lunge matrix warmup. But for cycling, elliptical, or tennis sometimes it never finds it.

BUT - I find that powering off and back on always fixes it. It's faster to just power cycle before an activity rather than cross your fingers and wait

Done with Garmin

I am so done with Garmin. Pay over $300 for a 235. Works fine for months. One botched software update and the HRM is busted? No fix for a month?

So I'm done with Garmin. I bought an Epson Runsense 810. A little clunkier interface and app, but it works. Gets GPS and HRM lock in a few seconds every time so far. And it's less money. I also have a TomTom Spark Cardio. It's very simple, without all the bells and whistles, but also works very well, for a lot less money.

This is simply inexcusable behavior by Garmin. You beta test the heck out of software before you released it. If something breaks anyway, you put everyone on it until you fix it.

Daniel Ethier

Another quick fix to get a lock on the HR is to go into settings and switch off the HRM then go switch it on again. Always seem to get a fix very quickly afterwards, 10-20 seconds.

False Max HR issue

Anyone else experiencing max out of heart rate while running and knowing you're not anywhere near 75%, let alone Max HR? HRM gone funky since I updated to latest software and first time I saw spike in HR and couldn't bring it down even though I slowed down to the point of almost walking, I rushed back home and did blood pressure reading and manual HR read to make sure I wasn't going into cardiac arrest! Thanks Garmin!

I've done a reset as some suggested and will buckle strap down to death grip and see if that cures it

I shouldn't have to do that ...

Another quick fix to get a lock on the HR is to go into settings and switch off the HRM then go switch it on again. Always seem to get a fix very quickly afterwards, 10-20 seconds.

I tried the various suggestions, restarting, switching HRM off, then on, switching between smart recording and every second. Sometimes they worked, but lately, no difference. And more importantly, I shouldn't have to do things like that to use the HRM that worked fine before the recent updates. My new Epson Runsense works fine without having to do anything like that. So until Garmin gets its act together, I'll stick with the Epson.

Same thing

Really, after now 3 days, the HR monitoring is not getting any better was using it today for some nice hikin in the mountains, i can live with the GPS not being accucare there, but a HR that just goes crazy, and if im lucky shows my real HR, or just maxes out or makes random drops is not aceptable, either ther comes a fix soon, or my watch goes back.

EDIT: Just in case im just to stupid to use a watch, i let 2 other people try it as well, each for 1 hour, and still comeplet useless HR data.

Not a very convenient fix but I've found that power cycling the FR235 before has made for reliable HR data during the subsequent run.

I had a look at my activities, the last one with HRM data was on the 10th of June, but since then I have no HRM. Even during a 1 hour run the device couldn't find a heart rate.

Funny enough if you go into 24/7 HRM (not in the activity, but from the watch by pressing the down button) it comes up with a heart rate.

Wrote a complaint to support, I expect them to take the watch back if they can't fix it. This is not normal.