Garmin and Apple Health can share your fitness data, but the connection works differently depending on your device
Garmin watches do not sync directly to Apple Health through a built-in toggle. Instead, you use a third-party app called Health Sync or Garmin Connect (Garmin's own app) to move your data between systems. The most reliable route is Health Sync, a paid app that pulls data from Garmin Connect and pushes it into Apple Health. This means your steps, heart rate, sleep, and workouts appear in the Health app on your iPhone without you manually entering anything.
Before you start, make sure you have a Garmin account and that your watch is already syncing to the Garmin Connect app on your iPhone. If your watch does not yet sync to Garmin Connect, set that up first — it is the foundation everything else depends on.
Key Takeaways
- Garmin watches sync to Apple Health through Health Sync, a third-party app you purchase from the App Store, not through a direct Garmin-to-Apple connection.
- Your Garmin watch must already be syncing data to the Garmin Connect app before Health Sync can pull that data and send it to Apple Health.
- Health Sync costs money (typically $2.99 to $4.99 depending on your region) and requires you to sign in with your Garmin account credentials.
- Once Health Sync is running, your fitness data updates automatically whenever your Garmin Connect app syncs, usually within minutes of your workout ending.
- Apple Health will show Garmin data in the Health app, but some workout types may not transfer perfectly — running and cycling usually work well, while some Garmin-specific metrics may not appear.
Setting up Garmin Connect first
Open the Garmin Connect app on your iPhone and sign in with your Garmin account. If you do not have one, create it on the Garmin website or during app setup. Pair your Garmin watch to the app by following the on-screen prompts — this usually means holding your watch near your iPhone and confirming the pairing on both devices.
Once paired, wear your watch for a day or two and let it sync to Garmin Connect. You should see your steps, heart rate, and sleep data appear in the Garmin Connect app. This confirms the watch is sending data correctly. If nothing appears after 24 hours, restart both your watch and your iPhone, then try syncing manually by opening Garmin Connect and pulling down to refresh.
Installing and setting up Health Sync
Open the App Store on your iPhone and search for "Health Sync" by Xapptly. It is a paid app, not free. Purchase and install it, then open it. You will see a screen asking you to sign in with your Garmin account — use the same email and password you use for Garmin Connect.
After you sign in, Health Sync will ask for permission to access Apple Health. Tap "Allow" when prompted. Health Sync then needs permission to read and write to specific health categories in Apple Health — steps, heart rate, workouts, sleep, and others. Grant these permissions when asked. Without them, Health Sync cannot move your data.
Once permissions are set, Health Sync will pull your recent Garmin data and send it to Apple Health. This first sync may take a few minutes. You can watch the progress on the Health Sync home screen, which shows the last sync time and which data types were transferred.
Checking that data is flowing into Apple Health
Open the Health app on your iPhone and tap the "Summary" tab at the bottom. Scroll down and look for "Steps" — if Health Sync worked, you should see Garmin data there. Tap into Steps and scroll to the bottom; you will see "Data Sources and Access" with Garmin Connect listed as a source.
Check other categories too: tap "Heart Rate" and look for Garmin data, then check "Workouts" to see if your Garmin activities (runs, bike rides, swims) appear. Not every Garmin metric transfers — some Garmin-specific measurements like "Body Battery" or "Stress" do not have Apple Health equivalents, so they will not show up. That is normal and not a sign something is broken.
Keeping syncs running automatically
Health Sync runs in the background and syncs whenever Garmin Connect syncs, which is usually within a few minutes of your activity ending. You do not need to open Health Sync manually. However, if you notice data is not appearing in Apple Health, open Health Sync and check the "Last Sync" timestamp on the home screen. If it says "Never" or shows a time from days ago, tap the sync button (usually a circular arrow icon) to force a manual sync.
Make sure Health Sync is allowed to run in the background. Go to Settings on your iPhone, scroll to Health Sync, tap it, and check that "Background App Refresh" is turned on. If it is off, Health Sync will only sync when you open the app directly.
Troubleshooting when data does not appear
If your Garmin data is not showing up in Apple Health after 24 hours, start by checking Garmin Connect. Open it and confirm your watch data is there. If Garmin Connect is empty, your watch is not syncing to Garmin Connect yet — fix that before moving forward. Restart your watch and iPhone, then open Garmin Connect and manually sync.
If Garmin Connect has data but Apple Health does not, open Health Sync and check the last sync time. If it says "Never," Health Sync may not have permission to access Apple Health. Go to Settings, Health, Data Access, and scroll down to Health Sync. Make sure the toggle next to Health Sync is on, and that checkmarks appear next to the data types you want to sync (Steps, Heart Rate, Workouts, Sleep).
If permissions look correct but syncing still fails, sign out of Health Sync (usually in Settings within the app), restart your iPhone, then sign back in. This often clears temporary connection problems. If the problem persists after a restart, check that you are using the correct Garmin account password — if you recently changed your Garmin password, Health Sync will not sync until you update the password in the app.
Understanding what data transfers and what does not
Most common fitness metrics transfer well: steps, distance, calories, heart rate, and workouts (running, cycling, swimming, walking). Apple Health will show these in their respective categories. However, some Garmin-specific features do not have Apple Health equivalents. Garmin's "Body Battery" (an energy level estimate), "Stress" score, and "Training Load" will not appear in Apple Health because Apple Health has no category for them.
Workout names usually transfer correctly — a run logged in Garmin Connect will show as a workout in Apple Health. However, if you used a custom Garmin workout type that Apple Health does not recognize, it may appear as "Other" or a generic workout type. This does not affect your data; it is just a labeling difference.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to pay for Health Sync?
Yes. Health Sync is a paid app available on the App Store, typically costing between $2.99 and $4.99 depending on your region. There is no free version. You pay once and own the app; there are no subscription fees.
Can I sync Garmin data to Apple Health without Health Sync?
Not directly. Garmin does not offer a built-in Apple Health integration. Some third-party apps like Strava or MyFitnessPal can receive Garmin data and send it to Apple Health, but Health Sync is the most straightforward dedicated option.
Will my old Garmin data sync to Apple Health?
Health Sync can pull historical data from Garmin Connect, but how far back depends on your Garmin account and subscription level. Free Garmin accounts typically store 7 days of data; paid accounts store more. When you first set up Health Sync, it will sync available historical data along with new data going forward.
What if my Garmin watch is not syncing to Garmin Connect?
Make sure your watch is paired to the Garmin Connect app and that Bluetooth is on on your iPhone. Open Garmin Connect, pull down to refresh, and wait a few minutes. If data still does not appear, restart your watch and iPhone, then try again. If the watch still will not sync after a restart, check Garmin's support site for your specific watch model — some watches require a USB cable to sync initially.
Can I see Garmin data in the Apple Health app on my Apple Watch?
Yes, once data is in Apple Health on your iPhone, it syncs to your Apple Watch automatically. Open the Health app on your Apple Watch and you will see Garmin steps, heart rate, and workouts alongside data from your Apple Watch itself.