How to connect Bluetooth headphones to a Garmin watch

Connecting a pair of headphones to your Garmin watch is essential if you want to take advantage of features like phone-free music listening while working out. 

Even though some modern Garmin devices feature a speaker, allowing you to play music aloud, nothing quite beats the freedom (and privacy) of having playlists from the likes of Spotify on your Garmin device.

Luckily, pairing is incredibly simple if you follow the steps we’ve outlined below. And if you do experience any issues with your wireless buds pairing or staying connected to your Garmin, skip to the section below.

How to pair headphones to a Garmin watch 

Before you get started, ensure you have a Garmin watch capable of music playback, which is available to view on Garmin’s support page. This will ensure you can get set up with offline listening with Spotify, Deezer, or Amazon Music once your headphones are paired.

1. Learn how to put your headphones into pairing mode

This will naturally vary depending on the manufacturer of your Bluetooth headphones, but start by learning how to do this and then quickly jump over to your watch before the pairing mode time runs out.

2. Open the menu on your Garmin watch and find ‘Music’

Bring up the main list of settings on your Garmin watch by holding the ‘Up/Menu’ button for a couple of seconds, then scroll down and select ‘Watch Settings’.

We’re testing this on a Forerunner 970, but it’s also possible that you can scroll down to an option labeled ‘Music’.

3. Select ‘Headphones’ to begin the pairing process

On some Garmin devices, the route is as follows: ‘Connectivity’ > ‘Sensors & Accessories’ > ‘Add New’ > ‘Headphones’.

However, on devices with the ‘Music’ setting, scroll down the list to find ‘Headphones’, then select ‘Add New’ to initiate a search from your Garmin watch.

It’s critical to have your headphones in pairing mode at this stage, so check them again to ensure they are in pairing mode.

4. Select your Bluetooth buds from the list

If successful, the ‘Searching for Headphones’ screen should quickly be replaced by a screen containing your headphones. Select them, then press the ‘Start/Stop’ button (where the green tick is) to complete the process.

Now, when you open something like Spotify and start playback, your headphones will automatically connect (when in range). 

If your headphones can’t be found, reinitiate the pairing mode process on your headphones and then return to the ‘Add New’ screen.

Troubleshooting Garmin headphone issues

We’ve paired all manner of Bluetooth earbuds with our Garmin watches over the years of testing, and it’s pretty rare to have an issue related to the initial pairing process. 

If you are experiencing issues getting connected, try these steps first to try and iron out any issues:

• Restart your Garmin watch and try pairing again
• Make sure your Garmin watch is up to date
• Make sure your headphone software is up to date

At least in our experience, it’s more common to encounter problems after you’ve already paired your Bluetooth buds with your watch.

Here’s what we recommend if you’re experiencing the likes of your audio cutting out or major audio interference:

• Remove the connection completely from your Garmin watch and repair
• Disconnect your headphones from your watch and reconnect
• Turn off playback settings like shuffle and avoid skipping tracks (Spotify)
• Avoid being close to your phone or another Bluetooth device during playback