Discover the hidden features of your Garmin Fenix – the Swiss Army knife of smartwatches. In this article, I will share my top usability tips and tricks, from beginner basics to secrets known only by true hardcore Garmin fans 😀. So, let’s dive in!

LIST OF GARMIN FENIX 7 TIPS & TRICKS
Tip 1. Make sure Your Garmin’s Fenix Software is Up to Date
Tip 2. Organize Your Glances and Widgets
Tip 3. SetUp Hotkeys
Tip 4. Try Flashlight
Tip 5. Access Widgets from The Watch Face
Tip 6. The Magic Palm
Tip 7. Use Your Phone to Change settings + Instant
Tip 8. Customize your Fenix 7 Watch Face
Tip 9. Create a List of Timers
Tip 10. Optimize Battery of Your Garmin Fenix with These Tips

1. Make sure Your Garmin’s Fenix Software is Up to Date

One of the best things about the Fenix line of watches is that Garmin keeps adding cool new features via software updates, ironing out old bugs (and introducing new ones 😆).

I. Create Glances Folders

Did you know you can organize your glances into folders?

While viewing glances, long-press the “UP/MENU” button, scroll down, and select the “Create Folder” option.
Using the “START/STOP” button, select the glances you want to include in the folder. I always like to group glances that are related (e.g., running-related, health-related, etc.).

Once you’ve selected all the glances you want to include, scroll down and select “Done”. Finally, name and select an appropriate icon for your folder. Awesome, you’ve just made your Fenix 7 a bit more organized.

II. Organize Folders and Glances by Priority

By default, folders and glances are arranged alphabetically, but I prefer to arrange them by usage frequency. One of the reasons is because the first two glances in a folder show preview icons in the main glance view, allowing you to see the most important immediately.

To reorder your glances within a folder, simply go into the desired folder, long-press the “UP/MENU” button, and select the “Reorder Glance” option with the “START/STOP” button. Adjust the order with the “UP” or “DOWN” buttons, and confirm with the “START/STOP” button.

Similarly, you can move entire glance folders and individual glances in the default view. I prefer to put the ones I use the most frequently up top and at the very bottom. This allows me to access my favorite glances quickly by swiping up or down.

Here is how I structure my folders and glances:

Training [folder]

• Performance
• Training Readiness
• Training Status
• Endurance Score
• Hill Score

• Sleep Score
• Body Battery
• HRV Status
• Stress
• Naps

• ABC
• Temperature
• Weather

Race [Folder]

• Primary Race
• Race Calendar

Calendar [single glance]

• • Hold START – Stopwatch – useful in training and everyday activities.
  • Hold BACK – Timers – I like to cook, and it’s handy to have timers quickly accessible from your wrist.
  • Hold DOWN – Watch Face – It’s better than the default BACK button, which can sometimes accidentally create a lap in activity if not held long enough, a real pain for a runner.
  • START + DOWN – Screenshot – sometimes, I like to take a screenshot of the temperature or something.
  • START + UP – Touch display On/Off – especially helpful while taking a shower. Water tends to mess with the screen, changing settings unintentionally, etc.
  • BACK + LIGHT – Wallet (Garmin Pay)
  • BACK + UP – Alarm Clock

To create a list of multiple Timers:

1. Go to Timers by Long-pressing the “MENU” button -> Clocks -> TIMERS (or by using a HotKey).
2. Enter the time of your first Timer.
3. Press the “MENU” button and select “Save Timer”.
4. Use the “BACK/LAP” button to view all your currently available Timers. e) Use the “+” symbol to set up a new one.

10. Garmin Fenix 7 Battery Tips

Any good list of tips wouldn’t be complete without some useful battery-saving strategies, so here are a few that I personally find effective without sacrificing too much functionality.

• Brightness: 10%
• Keys & Touch: After Sunset
• Alerts: After Sunset
• Wrist Gesture: After Sunset
• Timeout: 4 seconds

• Brightness: 5%
• Keys & Touch: After Sunset
• Alerts: After Sunset
• Wrist Gesture: Off
• Timeout: 4 seconds

• Brightness: 5%
• Keys & Touch: Off
• Timeout: 4 seconds

c. Opt for Simple Watch Face
Remember, the simpler your watch face, the less it will drain your battery.

Also, choosing a watch face that updates often or every second (i.e., showing with heartrate, second-hand, etc.) will drain your battery quicker.

The same goes for data screens in your activities. For example, if you’re not actively tracking your heart rate or other stats during activity, switch to a simple time-watch face.

d. Be Mindful of Map Usage
The map screen in your activities can significantly drain your battery. If you are not actively using the map for navigation, switch to a different data screen to save battery.

e. Optimize your GPS settings:
Depending on where you run, you may not need to use the best GPS settings (which also drain the battery the most). While selecting auto-select might seem like a smart approach, it often leans toward a more power-hungry GPS settings.

Since you likely run in similar areas regularly, consider using GPS-only mode first and evaluate its performance. Only if necessary, adjust to a more robust GPS setting later.

If you want to learn how I optimize my GPS settings in different environments, check out this section of my other article.

f. Reset After Updates
Updates can sometimes cause your watch to go haywire, chewing through the battery like crazy. In such cases, it’s a good habit to do a simple reset of your watch.

To do so, simply hold the LIGHT button (even when the “Assistant Alert” pops up) until the watch shuts down and then turn it on again.