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Turn On Historical Data In Garmin

Missing steps from earlier days after connecting Garmin? Garmin needs one extra permission to send us past data. Here is how to switch it on.

Why your earlier steps are missing

Garmin starts sharing your movement from the moment you connect, not before. Sending past days is a separate permission called Historical Data, and Garmin leaves it off by default.

So if you connected Garmin on Thursday (without enabling historic data), your steps from Monday to Wednesday may not appear in GoChallenge. Switching 'Historical Data' on gives Garmin permission to send them.

Nothing is lost while you sort this out, and your goal does not change.

Before you start

  • You have the Garmin Connect app installed and you are signed in

  • Garmin is already connected in GoChallenge (Profile → Activity Trackers)

  • Your watch has synced to Garmin Connect recently; if a day is missing in Garmin Connect itself, it cannot reach us

Turn on Historical Data

  1. Open the Garmin Connect app on your phone.

  2. Tap you profile photo in the upper left.

  3. Tap Settings, then Connected Apps.

  4. Tap GoChallenge.

  5. Switch Historical Data on.

Then open GoChallenge and pull down on the home screen to refresh, but note that there can sometimes be a lag of up to 15 minutes before Garmin shares it's data.

Still missing steps?

Work through these in order:

  • Check Garmin Connect first. Open Garmin Connect and look at the day that is missing. If the steps are not there either, sync your watch and give it a few minutes.

  • Refresh GoChallenge. Pull down on the home screen.

  • Give it a little time. Garmin sends past days in the background, so it is not always instant.

  • Message us. Tap the support icon in GoChallenge and tell us the dates that are missing. We will take it from there.

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