How To Add Workout To Garmin Watch | Sync It Right

A Garmin workout can be built in Garmin Connect, synced to your watch, then started from the Workouts list inside the matching activity.

Structured workouts are where a Garmin watch earns its keep. Instead of trying to memorize intervals, you follow prompts on your wrist: warm-up, hard reps, recovery, cool-down. You create the session once in Garmin Connect, send it to the watch, then tap a couple of buttons to run it.

Below you’ll learn the full flow, plus the fixes that solve the “I sent it, but it’s not there” problem.

What adding a workout means on Garmin

On Garmin, a workout is a step-by-step plan the watch can guide you through. An activity is the record you save after you train. When you add a workout to the watch, you’re transferring that planned step list so the watch can cue you while you move.

Before you start: one-minute setup check

• Open Garmin Connect and confirm your watch shows as connected.
• Turn on Bluetooth, and make sure your phone has Wi-Fi or mobile data.
• Charge the watch enough to finish a sync.
• Decide which activity you’ll use (Run, Bike, Strength, Cardio, Swim), since workouts are tied to activity types.

How To Add Workout To Garmin Watch from Garmin Connect

You can do this from the phone app or the Garmin Connect website. The button labels differ a little, but the process stays the same: build a workout, save it, then send it to your device.

Create a workout in the Garmin Connect app

1. Open Garmin Connect.
2. Open the menu (☰ on Android, More on iPhone), then go to Training & Planning > Workouts.
3. Tap Create A Workout and choose the workout type that matches your watch activity.
4. Name the workout. Short names read better on the watch.
5. Add steps (warm-up, intervals, rest, repeats, cool-down). Pick a duration for each step (time, distance, or lap press). Add a target if your watch supports it.
6. Save the workout.

Send the workout to your watch

1. Open the saved workout.
2. Tap the send icon (often a phone with an arrow).
3. Select your watch and keep the app open until syncing finishes.

Garmin’s support page on creating a custom workout in Garmin Connect explains step types, targets, and the device limits that can change what you see on different models.

Create and send from the Garmin Connect website

1. Sign in to Garmin Connect in a browser.
2. Go to Training > Workouts, then choose Create A Workout.
3. Build the steps and save.
4. Select Send To Device, pick your watch, then sync your watch with the phone app (or Wi-Fi on models that support it).

Find and start the workout on your watch

After the sync, the workout is stored on the watch. To start it, pick the same activity type you used when you created it, then open the workout list.

Run and bike workouts

1. Press Start to open the activity list.
2. Select Run or Bike.
3. Open activity options (often the Up/Menu button).
4. Select Training or Workouts, then choose My Workouts.
5. Select the workout name and start it.

For a model-by-model view of the same flow, Garmin documents the send-and-access steps in the owner’s manual section on sending a custom workout to your watch.

Strength and cardio workouts

Strength and cardio workouts usually sit under the same My Workouts list, inside the matching activity. If your workout doesn’t appear, it’s often because you created it under a different type. A Strength workout won’t show under Run, and a Run workout won’t show under Strength.

Swim workouts

Swim workout support varies across watches. If your watch doesn’t accept structured swim steps, Garmin Connect may still let you create the workout, but the watch may not display it after syncing.

Workout types and where they appear

This table helps you match what you built in Garmin Connect to where you’ll find it on the watch.

Workout you create	Where you start it on the watch	Notes that affect visibility
Run intervals (time or distance)	Run > Workouts/My Workouts	Targets like pace or HR can vary by model
Bike intervals	Bike > Workouts/My Workouts	Power targets need a power-capable setup
Strength circuit	Strength > Workouts/My Workouts	Some watches simplify exercise prompts
Cardio timer blocks	Cardio > Workouts/My Workouts	Good for HIIT and bodyweight sessions
Yoga or Pilates flow	Yoga/Pilates > Workouts/My Workouts	Often works best as timed steps
Row indoor steps	Row Indoor > Workouts/My Workouts	Profile may need to be enabled
Pool swim set list	Pool Swim > Workouts/My Workouts	Support differs by watch and firmware
Brick session (bike then run)	Often smoother when scheduled on Calendar	Some watches handle multi-sport steps differently

Adding workouts to a Garmin watch with calendar sync

If you want workouts to appear by date, schedule them on the Garmin Connect calendar. It cuts down scrolling and helps you start the right session on a busy week.

Schedule a workout

1. In Garmin Connect, open Calendar.
2. Pick a day, then choose Add > Workout.
3. Select your saved workout and save.
4. Sync your watch.

On many watches, the scheduled workout shows inside the activity as a calendar item or a prompt when you start the activity.

Fixes when your workout won’t show up

If the workout is missing on the watch, run these checks in order. Most problems end after one or two steps.

Match the activity type

Start the workout under the same activity type you used when you created it. This is the most common reason the workout “disappears.”

Force a fresh sync

• Open Garmin Connect, pull down to refresh, and wait for sync to finish.
• Restart the watch, then sync again.
• If your watch supports Wi-Fi sync, trigger it from watch settings.

Clear space if you’ve stored lots of workouts

Many watches limit how many workouts they can store. If you’ve loaded dozens over time, delete a few old ones on the watch and send the new workout again.

Rename if two workouts look the same

Rename the workout in Garmin Connect, send it again, then scan the list by the new name. Short, specific names stand out.

Reset pairing when Bluetooth gets stuck

If syncing fails again and again, remove the watch from your phone’s Bluetooth list, then pair again inside Garmin Connect.

What you see	Fast fix	What to try next
Workout not listed under My Workouts	Start the matching activity type	Re-check the workout category in Garmin Connect
Workout shows in app, not on watch	Sync again and keep the app open	Restart watch, then sync
Targets ignored during the session	Use a simpler target, like time or distance	Confirm the watch supports that target metric
Strength steps feel off	Use timed stations instead of rep prompts	Check the watch’s strength settings during the workout
Calendar workout not appearing	Confirm it’s scheduled for today	Check date and time zone on phone and watch
Send to device option missing	Update Garmin Connect	Confirm the watch is added and connected
Workout transfers, then vanishes	Delete older workouts to free slots	Send again, then sync once more

Small tweaks that make workouts easier to follow

Name workouts for quick scanning

Use a short pattern you can read at a glance, like “Run 6x2min” or “Bike 3x8min.” Long titles get cut off.

Use open warm-up and cool-down steps

If your watch supports them, add warm-up and cool-down steps set to “lap press.” You start easy, then press Lap when you’re ready for the first rep.

Keep targets simple

Pick one target that you’ll actually follow, like heart rate or pace. Too many targets can turn prompts into noise.

Check alerts before your first session

If you train in a loud gym or near traffic, vibration plus a tone is easier to catch than tone alone. Set alerts once, then forget about them.

After you finish

Save the activity like normal. If you started from My Workouts or from the calendar, Garmin Connect will usually tie the activity to the planned workout, which keeps your training log tidy.