GARMIN Forerunner 255 Smartwatch User Manual

GARMIN Forerunner 255 Smartwatch

Introduction

WARNING
See the Important Safety and Product Information guide in the product box for product warnings and other important information.
Always consult your physician before you begin or modify any exercise program.

Overview

1. LIGHT
   • Press to turn the watch on.
   • Press to turn the backlight on and off.
   • Hold to view the controls menu for quick access to frequently used functions.
2. UP
   • Press to scroll through the glances, data screens, options, and settings.
   • Hold to view the menu.
   • Hold to manually change sports during an activity.
3. DOWN
   • Press to scroll through the glances, data screens, options, and settings.
   • Hold to open the music controls (page 11).
4. BACK
   • Press to return to the previous screen.
   • Press to record a lap, rest, or transition during an activity.
5. START · STOP
   • Press to start and stop the activity timer.
   • Press to choose an option or to acknowledge a message.

Viewing the Glance Loop
Glances provide quick access to health data, activity information, built-in sensors, and more. When you pair your watch, you can view
data from your phone, such as notifications, weather, and calendar events.

1. Press UP or DOWN.
   The watch scrolls through the glance loop and displays summary data for each glance.

2. Press START to view more information.

3. Select an option:

   • Press DOWN to view details about a glance.
   • Press START to view additional options and functions for a glance.

Viewing the Controls Menu
The controls menu contains options, such as the stopwatch, locating your connected phone, and turning the watch off. You can also open the Garmin Pay™ wallet.

1. From any screen, hold LIGHT.
2. Press UP or DOWN to scroll through the options.

GPS Status and Status Icons

For outdoor activities, the status ring turns green when GPS is ready. A flashing icon means the watch is searching for a signal. A solid icon means the signal was found or the sensor is connected.

Setting Up Your Watch

To take full advantage of the features, complete these tasks.

• Pair the watch with your phone using the Garmin Connect™ app
• Set up Wi‑Fi networks
• Set up safety features
• Set up music
• Set up your Garmin Pay wallet

Pairing Your Phone

To use the connected features on your watch, you must pair it directly through the Garmin Connect app, instead of from the Bluetooth® settings on your phone.

1. From the app store on your phone, install and open the Garmin Connect app.
2. During the initial setup, select when you are prompted to pair with your phone.
3. Follow the instructions in the app to complete the pairing and setup process.

Tips for Existing Garmin Connect Users

1. From the Garmin Connect app, select or .
2. Select Garmin Devices > Add Device.

Connecting to a Wi‑Fi Network
This feature is available only for music watches.

• Use the Garmin Connect app.
• Use the Garmin Express™ application (www.garmin.com/express).

Going for a Run
The first fitness activity you record on your watch can be a run, ride, or any outdoor activity. You may need to charge the watch before starting the activity (page 14).

1. Press START, and select an activity.
2. Go outside, and wait while the watch locates satellites.
3. Press START.
4. Go for a run.
5. After you complete your run, press STOP. 6 Select an option:
   • Select Resume to restart the activity timer.
   • Select Save to save the run and reset the activity timer. You can select the run to view a summary.

Training for a Race Event
Your watch can suggest daily workouts to help you train for a running event, if you have a VO2 max. estimate.
See the owner’s manual for more information.

1. On your phone or computer, go to your Garmin Connect calendar, and add your race event.
   You can search for an event in your area or create your own event.

2. Sync your watch with your Garmin Connect account.

3. On your watch, scroll to the primary event glance to see a countdown to your next race event.
   Weather information for the event appears right away, and local forecast data appears approximately 14 days before the event.

4. From the watch face, press START, and select a running activity.
   NOTE: If you have completed at least 1 outdoor run with heart rate data or 1 ride with heart rate and power data, daily suggested workouts appear on your watch.

Customizing Your Activity List

1. From the watch face, hold UP.
2. Select Activities & Apps.
3. Select an option:
   • Select an activity to customize the settings, set the activity as a favorite, change the order of appearance, and more.
   • Select Add to add more activities or create custom activities.

Smart Features

Physiological Measurements
These performance measurements are estimates that can help you track and understand your training activities and race performances. These estimates are provided and supported by Firstbeat Analytics™.

• Daily suggested workouts
• Functional threshold power (FTP)
• HRV status
• Lactate threshold
• Performance condition
• Predicted race times
• Recovery time
• Training Effect and primary benefit
• Training load focus
• Training status
• VO2 max.

NOTE: The estimates may seem inaccurate at first. The watch requires you to complete a few activities to learn about your performance. For more information, go to www.garmin.com/performance- data/running/.

Running Power
Garmin® running power is calculated using measured running dynamics information, user mass, environmental data, and other sensor data. The power measurement estimates the amount of power a runner applies to the road surface, and it is displayed in watts. Using running power as a gauge of effort may suit some runners better than using either pace or heart rate. Running power can be more responsive than heart rate for indicating the level of effort, and it can account for the uphills, downhills, and wind, which a pace measurement does not do. See the owner’s manual for more information.

Bluetooth Connected Features
The watch has several Bluetooth connected features for your compatible phone using the Garmin Connect app.

• Activity uploads
• Assistance
• Audio prompts
• Connect IQ™
• Find my phone
• Find my watch
• Incident detection
• LiveTrack and Live Event Sharing
• Music controls
• Phone notifications
• Social media interactions
• Software updates
• Weather updates
• Workout, course, and PacePro downloads

Setting Up Your Garmin Pay Wallet

The Garmin Pay feature allows you to use your watch to pay for purchases in participating stores. You can add one or more participating credit or debit cards to your Garmin Pay wallet. Go to garmin.com/garminpay/banks to find participating financial institutions.

1. From the Garmin Connect app, select or .
2. Select Garmin Pay > Get Started.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions.

You can open your Garmin Pay wallet from the controls menu on your watch. See the owner’s manual for more information on using the Garmin Pay feature.

Safety and Tracking Features

CAUTION
The safety and tracking features are supplemental features and should not be relied on as a primary method to obtain emergency assistance. The Garmin Connect app does not contact emergency services on your behalf.
The watch has safety and tracking features that must be set up with the Garmin Connect app.

NOTICE
To use these features, the watch must be connected to the Garmin Connect app using Bluetooth technology. You can enter emergency contacts in your Garmin Connect account.

• Assistance: Allows you to send a message with your name, LiveTrack link, and GPS location (if available) to your emergency contacts.
• Incident detection: When the watch detects an incident during certain outdoor activities, the watch sends an automated message, LiveTrack link, and GPS location (if available) to your emergency contacts.
• LiveTrack : Allows friends and family to follow your races and training activities in real time. You can invite followers using email or social media, allowing them to view your live data on a web page.
• Live Event Sharing: Allows you to send messages to friends and family during an event, providing real-time updates.
  NOTE: This feature is available only if your watch is connected to a compatible Android™ phone.

Adding Emergency Contacts
Emergency contact phone numbers are used for the safety and tracking features.

1. From the Garmin Connect app, select or .
2. Select Safety & Tracking > Safety  Features > Emergency Contacts > Add Emergency Contacts.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions.

Requesting Assistance
Before you can request assistance, you must set up the safety and tracking features

1. Hold LIGHT.
2. When you feel three vibrations, release the button to activate the assistance feature. The countdown screen appears.
   TIP: Before the countdown is complete, you can hold any button to cancel the message.

Music
On a music watch, you can download audio content to your watch from your computer or from a third-party provider, so you can listen when your phone is not nearby. To listen to audio content stored on your watch, you can connect headphones with Bluetooth technology. Connecting to a Third-Party Provider Before you can download music or other audio files to your watch from a supported third-party provider, you must connect the provider to your watch. Some third-party music provider options are already installed on your watch. For more options, you can download the Connect IQ app on your phone (garmin.com/connectiqapp.

1. Hold DOWN from any screen to open the music controls.
2. Select the music provider.

Connecting Bluetooth Headphones
To listen to music loaded onto your music watch, you must connect headphones using Bluetooth technology.

1. Bring the headphones within 2 m (6.6 ft. of your watch.
2. Enable pairing mode on the headphones.
3. Hold UP.
4. Select Music > Headphones > Add New.
5. Select your headphones to complete the pairing process.

Listening to Music

1. Hold DOWN from any screen to open the music controls.
2. If necessary, connect your headphones with Bluetooth technology.
3. Hold UP.
4. Select Music Providers, and select an option:
   • To listen to music downloaded to the watch from your computer, select My Music.
   • To control music playback on your phone, select Control Phone.
   • To listen to music from a third-party provider, select the name of the provider and select a playlist.
5. Select >

Device Information Wearing the Watch

CAUTION
Some users may experience skin irritation after prolonged use of the watch, especially if the user has sensitive skin or allergies. If you notice any skin irritation, remove the watch and give your skin time to heal. To help prevent skin irritation, ensure the watch is clean and dry, and do not overtighten the watch on your wrist. For more information, go to garmin.com/fitandcare.

• Wear the watch above your wrist bone. NOTE: The watch should be snug but comfortable. For more accurate heart rate readings, the watch should not shift while running or exercising. For pulse oximeter readings, you should remain motionless. NOTE: The optical sensor is located on the back of the watch.
• See the owner’s manual for more information.

Charging the Watch
WARNING
This device contains a lithium-ion battery. See the Important Safety and Product Information guide in the product box for product warnings and other important information.

NOTICE
To prevent corrosion, thoroughly clean and dry the contacts and the surrounding area before charging or connecting to a computer. Refer to the cleaning instructions in the owner’s manual.

1. Plug the small end of the USB cable into the charging port on your watch.
2. Plug the large end of the USB cable into a USB charging port. The watch displays the current battery charge level.

Getting the Owner’s Manual
The owner’s manual includes instructions for using watch features and accessing regulatory information. Go to www.garmin.com/manuals.

Getting More Information

• Go to support.garmin.com for additional manuals, articles, and software updates.
• Go to buy.garmin.com, or contact your Garmin dealer for information about optional accessories and replacement parts.
• Go to www.garmin.com/ataccuracy. This is not a medical device. The pulse oximeter feature is not available in all countries.

Specifications

• Operating temperature range: From -20º to 60ºC (from -4º to 140ºF)
• Charging temperature range: From 0º to 45ºC (from 32º to 113ºF)
• Non-Music (Large and Small) wireless frequency: 2.4 GHz @ 3.06 dBm maximum
• Music (Large) wireless frequency: 2.4 GHz @ 18.64 dBm maximum
• Music (Small) wireless frequency : 2.4 GHz @ 17.67 dBm maximum
• EU SAR, Music (Large): 0.48 W/kg, torso, 0.47 W/kg limb
• EU SAR, Music (Small): 1.57 W/kg, torso, 1.03 W/kg limb

support.garmin.com

© 2022 Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries
Garmin®, the Garmin logo, are trademarks of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries, registered in the USA and other countries. Connect IQ™, Firstbeat Analytics™, Garmin Connect™, Garmin Express™, and Garmin Pay™ are trademarks of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries. These trademarks may not be used without the express permission of Garmin. Android™ is a trademark of Google LLC. Apple® and iTunes® are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. The BLUETOOTH® word mark and logos are owned by the Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Garmin is under license. Wi‑Fi® is a registered mark of Wi-Fi Alliance Corporation. Windows® is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries. Other trademarks and trade names are those of their respective owners. M/N: A04308, AA4308, AB4308, AC4308 El

References

• Garmin International | Home
• Garmin Connect IQ Store | Apps
• Garmin Express - Windows | Garmin
• Watch Wear and Care Tips | Garmin
• Garmin International | Garmin Pay™ Participating Banks
• Garmin | Australia | Support Center
• Garmin International | Home
• Activity Tracking and Fitness Metric Accuracy | Garmin

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