You can build a workout in Garmin Connect, send it to your watch, sync once, then start it from the Training menu.
Loading a workout onto a Garmin watch sounds like it should be one tap. Some days it is. Other days you’re staring at your watch like, “Where’d it go?”
This post fixes that. You’ll learn the exact flow that works on most Garmin watches: create or pick a workout, send it to the watch, sync, then find it in the right menu on the watch.
I’ll keep it practical. You’ll get steps for phone and computer, where workouts usually hide on the watch, and what to do when the send button is missing or the workout never shows up.
What You Need Before You Start
Get these basics lined up first. It saves a lot of “why isn’t it syncing” pain.
- Garmin Connect account signed in on your phone and paired to your watch.
- Bluetooth pairing working between watch and phone.
- One clean sync done recently in Garmin Connect.
- A compatible workout type for your watch model (run workouts on a run-capable watch, strength workouts on models that store them, and so on).
If you’re using Wi-Fi sync on your watch, set up Wi-Fi first. If you sync through a cable, have Garmin Express ready on your computer. Most people won’t need that cable route for workouts, but it can rescue a stubborn sync.
How Workouts Move From Garmin Connect To Your Watch
Garmin workouts move in a simple chain:
- You create or save a workout in Garmin Connect.
- You send it to a device (or schedule it on the calendar).
- Your watch syncs and downloads it.
- You start it from the workout list on the watch.
If the chain breaks, it usually breaks at step 2 (not actually sent) or step 3 (sync didn’t pull it down).
How To Load Workout On Garmin Watch For Any Training Type
This is the core method that covers most Garmin watches and most workout styles.
Create Or Find The Workout In Garmin Connect
You’ve got three common sources:
- Custom workouts you build (interval runs, strength circuits, bike sessions).
- Saved workouts from plans (Garmin Coach or other plans you add inside Garmin Connect).
- Workouts shared to you (a coach or friend sends a workout file, or you recreate it step-by-step inside Connect).
On the Garmin Connect app, the usual path is Training (or Training & Planning) then Workouts, then Create a Workout. The exact labels shift a bit across app versions, but “Workouts” is the door you’re looking for.
If you want Garmin’s official step list for building a structured workout, use this: Garmin article on creating a custom workout.
Send The Workout To Your Watch
Once the workout is saved, open it and look for an action like “Send to Device” (often an icon). Pick your watch from the list.
Garmin also notes a device-side cap: many watches store a limited number of downloaded workouts at a time (often 25 unscheduled workouts). If your list is packed, clear older workouts you no longer use.
Garmin’s official instructions for the send step are here: Garmin article on sending workouts to a device.
Sync Once And Let The Watch Pull It Down
After you send it, force a sync right away. On your phone, open Garmin Connect and trigger sync (often by pulling down on the home screen or tapping the device sync icon).
Stay close to your watch for a minute. Keep the app open until you see sync finish. If the app gets shoved into the background, some phones throttle Bluetooth activity and the download stalls.
Find The Workout On Your Watch
The menu names vary by model, but the workout list usually lives in one of these places:
- Run (or another activity) > Training > Workouts
- Training > Workouts
- Workouts as a top-level item, then filter by activity type
Pick the workout, review steps if your watch shows them, then start.
Common Ways To Load Workouts Based On Your Setup
There isn’t one “right” way for every person. The best method depends on what you’re building and where you start.
Phone App Method
This is the smoothest path for most people. You create or open the workout in Garmin Connect on your phone, send it to the watch, then sync. It’s fast and works well for last-minute changes.
Garmin Connect Web Method
If you prefer typing workouts on a bigger screen, build them on the Garmin Connect website. You can still send to device from the workout page, then sync your watch through the phone app.
Calendar Scheduling Method
Scheduling is handy when you want workouts to show up by date. Add the workout to a specific day in Garmin Connect. On many models, scheduled workouts surface under a calendar or daily suggestion area on the watch.
Plan-Based Method
Garmin Coach plans and some training plans attach workouts to your calendar automatically. You usually won’t “send” each workout manually. You just sync and start the day’s session.
| Method | Best For | What To Check |
|---|---|---|
| Custom workout in phone app | Last-minute edits, quick intervals | Workout saved, then “Send to Device,” then sync completes |
| Custom workout on Garmin Connect web | Long workouts with many steps | Send from web, then open phone app and sync watch |
| Workout scheduled on calendar | Training by date, fewer taps on watch | Workout is on the right day, watch date/time is correct |
| Garmin Coach plan workouts | Follow-a-plan training blocks | Plan is active, workouts appear on calendar, sync pulls them down |
| Multiple watches on one account | Swapping between models | Workout sent to the correct watch (not the old one) |
| Wi-Fi sync (watch supports Wi-Fi) | Phone-free syncing at home | Wi-Fi set up, watch is in range, sync runs to completion |
| Clearing old workouts first | “Workout not found” after sending | Workout storage isn’t full (many models cap stored workouts) |
| Activity-type matching | Workout appears in the wrong place | Run workout started under Run, bike under Bike, strength under Strength |
Where People Get Stuck And How To Fix It Fast
When loading fails, it tends to fail in repeatable ways. Here are the ones that show up the most.
The Workout Sends But Never Shows On The Watch
This is usually a sync issue, not a workout issue.
- Force a fresh sync from Garmin Connect with the app open and the watch nearby.
- Toggle Bluetooth off/on on the phone, then reopen Garmin Connect.
- Restart the watch, then sync again.
- If you have more than one Garmin device tied to the account, confirm you sent the workout to the watch you’re wearing.
One more sneaky cause: you sent the workout, then edited it. Some watches only pull the newest version after another send plus a sync. If you changed steps, resend, then sync.
The “Send To Device” Option Is Missing
This can happen if the workout type doesn’t match your watch, or the device connection inside the app is shaky.
- Check that the watch is paired and showing as connected inside Garmin Connect.
- Confirm the workout activity type matches what the watch accepts (run, bike, strength, cardio).
- Update Garmin Connect and your watch firmware if updates are pending.
The Workout Is On The Watch, But It’s Hard To Find
On many models, workouts sit under the activity they belong to. A run workout may not appear if you start from “Strength.”
Try this pattern: start the activity first (Run, Bike, Strength), then open Training or Workouts inside that activity’s options.
The Watch Says Workout Limit Reached
If your watch hits its stored workout cap, sending a new workout can fail quietly or overwrite older items.
Clear older downloaded workouts you don’t use. If you like keeping templates, store them in Garmin Connect and only keep a small set on the watch.
Strength Workouts Feel “Off” When They Load
Strength workouts can load cleanly but still feel wrong if the watch can’t display the same step details you built in the app.
- Keep step names short so they fit on-screen.
- Use reps and rest timers the watch can show clearly.
- Skip super-nested repeats if your model struggles with them.
| What You See | Most Likely Cause | Try This |
|---|---|---|
| Workout sent, not on watch | Sync didn’t finish | Open Garmin Connect, trigger sync, keep phone awake until it ends |
| Send option missing | Watch not connected in app | Reconnect watch, reopen app, then check the workout again |
| Workout not in list | Looking under wrong activity | Start the correct activity, then open Training > Workouts |
| Workout limit reached | Stored workout cap hit | Delete old workouts from the watch, then resend and sync |
| Workout duplicates | Resent without clearing older copy | Remove duplicates on watch, then keep one clean version |
| Workout steps look odd | Watch can’t display all step fields | Simplify steps in Garmin Connect, resend, then sync |
A Smooth Routine That Keeps Workouts Loading Reliably
If you load workouts often, a small routine beats random tapping.
- Build workouts in batches on a calm day.
- Name them clearly so you can spot them on the watch in one scroll.
- Send only what you’ll use soon to avoid hitting the workout cap.
- Sync right after sending and wait for completion.
- Start the workout from the matching activity on the watch.
This keeps your watch list tidy and makes it less likely you’ll end up with ten versions of “Intervals 1” sitting on your wrist.
Small Details That Save Time On Workout Day
Use Names That Sort Well
If your watch sorts alphabetically, start workout names with a short tag like “RUN – ” or “STR – ”. You’ll jump to the right block fast.
Keep A Few Templates In Garmin Connect
Store your evergreen workouts (easy run, tempo, standard strength circuit) in Garmin Connect, then send only the ones you’ll do this week. Your Connect library can be big. Your watch list should stay lean.
Resend After Editing
If you changed steps, targets, or rest, resend the workout to your watch. Then sync. That one-two combo cuts down the “why is it still the old version?” problem.
Check Time And Date If Scheduled Workouts Seem Wrong
Scheduled workouts depend on the watch clock. If your watch date is off (travel, manual time setting), the workout may sit on the wrong day.
Closing Checklist Before You Head Out The Door
- Workout saved in Garmin Connect
- Workout sent to the correct watch
- Sync completed fully
- Workout found under the matching activity menu
- Older workouts cleared if you’ve hit the cap
Run through that list once and you’ll rarely get surprised by a missing workout screen again.
References & Sources
- Garmin.“Creating a Custom Workout in Garmin Connect.”Explains how to build structured workouts in Garmin Connect before sending them to a compatible device.
- Garmin.“How to Send Workouts to a Garmin Device.”Lists the official steps for sending a workout to a Garmin device and syncing it to download on the watch.