Why is heart rate not showing on my Garmin Vivosmart 5?
Answer
Dashes usually mean the optical sensor is not getting a stable reading from skin contact, fit, or the heart-rate feature is paused. Tightening the fit, restarting the watch, and confirming heart rate is enabled in Garmin Connect often brings the reading back.
Before you start: stop right away if…
- A factory reset can remove watch settings and unsynced activity data, so sync in Garmin Connect first.
Follow these steps
Refit the watch for skin contact
Wear the Vivosmart 5 snug on top of your wrist, just above the wrist bone, so the sensor sits flat on skin and does not slide during movement.
You should see: After a short wait, a heart-rate number replaces the dashes during normal wear.
Confirm wrist heart rate is enabled
Open the Garmin Connect app, select the Vivosmart 5, and check device settings related to wrist heart rate or Pulse Ox so heart-rate monitoring is turned on.
You should see: Heart-rate monitoring is enabled and the setting syncs back to the watch.
Restart the tracker
Restart the Vivosmart 5 from its controls or by following Garmin’s restart steps for that model, then wear it again for a few minutes.
You should see: The watch reconnects and begins showing heart rate again.
Test during a short activity
Start a short walk or timed activity in Garmin Connect or on the watch and watch whether heart rate appears once motion and blood flow increase.
You should see: Heart rate populates during activity, or it remains dashes and points to a deeper sensor or software issue.
Update software or contact Garmin if it stays blank
Sync and install any pending device updates in Garmin Connect. If heart rate still never appears while other features work, contact Garmin support about sensor service options.
You should see: An update restores readings, or support confirms next repair or warranty steps.
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Extra tips
What to look for: Dashes where heart rate should appear, whether other metrics still update, and whether Garmin Connect still lists the Vivosmart 5 as connected.
Before you change anything: Confirm the watch is charged enough to run the heart-rate sensor. Note whether steps, calories, or notifications still work. Avoid factory resetting until you have synced recent data in Garmin Connect. Only use the official Garmin Connect app for settings changes.