Getting started

This section describes everything you need to know to get Running Data Field 4 (Variant 2) up and running on your Garmin device.

Install data field

Please install the Running Data Field 4 (Variant 2) data field by downloading it from the Garmin App Store via the Garmin Express Software on PC/MAC or via the Garmin Mobile app on your mobile phone.

Install instructions:

This data field needs to be added to the (specific) Garmin native app within your watch settings. Please add it as a single data screen within the Garmin native app as the whole screen is needed for displaying all the information.

Go to watch settings --> apps --> e.g. running --> settings -> data screen --> screen x
Select add
Select user-defined
Set layout to 1 field
Set field 1 to Connect-IQ fields --> Running Data Field 4 (Variant 2)

Link to Running Data Field 4 (Variant 2) on Garmin App Store

How to change the user settings

The Running Data Field 4 (Variant 2) in the PREMIUM version offers a huge amount of configuration options which can be changed on your PC/MAC your or on your mobile phone:

Change user settings on PC or MAC

All configurations can be changed on your PC or MAC by using the Garmin Express Software. Before changing configurations, please make sure that you have installed the latest software version. The software can be downloaded from the official Garmin web site.

Step 1: Start Garmin Express Software Look for the symbol as shown below and double-click it to start the Garmin Express software.

After that you should be able to see your Garmin device as shown in the picture below. If not, please add your device first. For details refer to the documentation provided by Garmin.

Step 2: Establish Connection between PC/MAC and the Garmin Device Connect your device via USB to your PC/MAC. Your device should be automatically detected and the Garmin Express software starts a synchronization process. When everything is ok, it is signalized via green lights as shown in the figure below. In case problems occur, please refer to the documentation provided by Garmin.

Step 3: Select Device Please click on the icon which shows your device. Following picture should appear:

Step 4: Find our Apps Please click the marked button in the picture above. A list of all installed applications on your device should appear. Please scroll up/down until you find the application you would like to configure as shown in the figure below:

Default Garmin Express Software Version

Some Garmin Express Software Versions

Step 5: Select App for Configuration Please select the application you would like to configure by clicking with the left mouse button to the three dots as marked in the left picture above to the app of your choice as shown in the right picture above. A context menu will be shown where you have to select "Settings"

Following screen should appear:

Step 6: Change Configuration Please note that configuration changes ONLY apply on your Garmin device if you have entered the proper PREMIUM key in the field marked in the picture below. The key consists of two times four characters separated by a space in between. If the proper key is entered, please make the configurations according to your needs and press the "Save" button at the end. The Garmin Express Software will update the configurations on your device. In case of errors, please refer to the documentation provided by Garmin.

Step 7: Disconnect Device After the configuration changes were saved, disconnect your device from the PC/MAC.

Step 8: Start Application on Device Please start your application on your Garmin device. If you have the PREMIUM Version (key was correct), then your configuration changes should have been applied. If not, please refer to our Frequently Asked Questions.

Change user settings on mobile phone

All configurations can be changed on your mobile phone by using the Garmin Connect(TM) Mobile app which is available for Android-, iOS- and Windows-compatible devices. Before changing configurations, please make sure that you have installed the latest app version. The app can be downloaded from the appropriate App Store (e.g. Google Play, Apple Store, etc.)

Step 1: Start Garmin Connect Mobile App Look on your mobile phone for the app with the symbol shown on the left side and click it to start the Garmin Connect™ Mobile app.

A similar window as shown below should appear.

Step 2: Look for Garmin Devices List After pressing the button with the dots on the lower right side (as marked above) a new windows appears. Please scroll down until you find the entry "Garmin Devices".

Step 3: Select your Garmin Devices After pressing the button marked above, a window with all your registered Garmin devices appears (see picture below). If you cannot find your device, please add it before by clicking on the upper right "+" sign. For further details, please refer to the documentation offered by Garmin. Then select one of your connected device.

Step 4: Select Activities and Apps Please click the marked button in the picture below following by clicking to applications.

Step 5: Select an Application for Configuration A list of all applications appear. Please scroll up/down until you find the application you would like to configure as shown in the figure below:

Step 6: Select Settings Please click on Settings as marked below.

Step 7: Change Configuration Please note that configuration changes ONLY apply on your device if you have entered the proper PREMIUM key in the field marked in the picture below. The key consists of two times four characters separated by a space in between. If the proper key is entered, please make the configurations according to your needs.

Step 8: Save Configurations Finally scroll down and press the "Save" button. The Garmin Mobile App will update your configurations on your device. In case of communication errors, please refer to the documentation provided by Garmin.

Step 9: Start Application on Device Please start your application on your device. If you have the PREMIUM Version (key was correct), then your configuration changes should have been applied. If not, please refer to our Frequently Asked Questions.

Start the data field

Pre-Condition:

Please add the data field to your Garmin native application as described here

Perform following steps to use the data field:

Go into the activity where you want to change the data fields (Run, Run Indoor, etc...)
Go into Menu->Activity Settings->Data Screens
Go to screen 1 or 2, etc.
Select layout (it will take you to the data screen and you use <> to add/remove number of data fields); then back once
Select data field 1 (as an example - could be 1,2,3,4)
Select Connect IQ
Select the custom data field you wish to use.
Repeat for any other fields you wish to replace.

User setting overview

Registration key for PREMIUM version

After successful donation you receive a mail with the PREMIUM activation key(s). Please copy the registration key exactly in the given format (XXXX XXXX) into this text field. The registration key evaluation is case sensitive and no spaces are allowed at the beginning or end. One space is mandatory after the fourth character.

Here some important registration hints:

Hint 1: Please copy the registration key with 9 characters length exactly in the given format (XXXX XXXX) into this text field. The registration key is a hexadecimal number (numbers from 0 to 9 and big letters from A to F) and the evaluation is case sensitive. No spaces are allowed at the beginning or end. One space is mandatory after the fourth character.

Hint 2: Users reported that on some devices (e.g. Android-based mobile phones) more than one space is added when copying the key to the app settings field. Please make sure that there is exactly one space after the fourth character.

Hint 3: Please synchronize the settings with your watch afterwards. If you use Garmin Express software on PC or MAC, please disable the bluetooth connection between your mobile phone and watch during configuration as otherwise the settings might be overwritten again.

Hint 4: Sometimes it is necessary to reboot the watch once (for whatever reason).

Hint 5: Please use the right key for the selected application or data field.

Hint 6: Please make sure that there are no floating point values in the app settings anymore (except for Swimming App where they are allowed).

Averaging period for pace calculation

This option allows you to configure the averaging period in seconds for instant PACE calculation. If you e.g. would like to have PACE averaged over the last 5 seconds, then please set the value to 5. The PACE data field shows this information. With longer time selections you get more stable values but they are more lazy.

Note: For more stable results, please configure data recording in your watch settings to "every second".; The default value is set to 10 seconds.

ANT+ power sensor pairing

This application or data field is supporting the ANT+ power sensor profile even on devices where Garmin does not support this natively itself.

In all cases, the ANT+ power sensor needs to be paired with the device before it can be used. Where Garmin supports the power profile natively, the pairing must be done via the watch settings. This is fully controlled by Garmin.

Where Garmin does NOT support the power profile natively, the pairing is done automatically by the application or data field upon start. Even an automatic re-pairing is implemented during the session, if the connection to the power sensor gets lost. In order to avoid that a pairing is done to a wrong ANT+ power sensor (e.g. to one of the colleagues you ride with), the user can set the application or data field specific setting for "Paired ANT+ power sensor ID" to one of the following values:

-1 means that a pairing to any ANT+ power sensor is possible and that this ID is NEVER locked. Upon re-connection a different power sensor might be found and used. This setting e.g. makes sense when you have more bikes with power sensors and change them regular and you ride alone. Because then you do not have to update the pairing information in the settings.
0 means that a pairing to any ANT+ power sensor is possible and that this ID is locked when found first. The sensor specific ID is then automatically entered into this field and a re-pairing is only possible to the same power sensor with this ID.
other values mean that a pairing is only possible to that specific ID anymore. It can be set to -1 or 0 at any time by the user to allow a pairing to other sensors again.

Note: By default the value -1 is set for legacy reasons to allow pairing to all ANT+ power sensors!

Color scheme

This option allows you to select the background and text color.

Following options are available:

White background with black text color and grey header/footer
Black background with white text and grey header/footer
White background with black text and inverted colors in header/footer
Black background with white text and inverted colors in header/footer

Please refer to following picture for better illustration:

Note: By default the option with "Black background with white header/footer" is used for best readability on all devices!; For devices with AMOLED display (e.g. Venu™ based devices) we strongly recommend to always select the black background to avoid damages due to burn-in effects and to save battery life time!

Write power data to FIT file

This option allows you to configure whether the power data is stored in FIT file (to be later visible in Garmin Connect) or not.

Note: This option is only available on Garmin devices with 64kb memory or more!; By default this feature is enabled!

4-field data page

This option allows you to freely select the content of the 4-field data page out of a huge list of all available data fields (even during the ongoing training session). This enables you to adjust all fields completely according to your personal preferences. For an overview of available data fields PRESS HERE.