Step-by-step guide

How to sync Garmin with Samsung Health and Health Connect in 2026

Garmin and Samsung Health do not talk directly. Here is the complete setup to get your data flowing to both platforms automatically.

CategoryGuide

DateJune 20, 2026

Reading time7 min read

TL;DR

Garmin and Samsung Health have no direct integration. The bridge is Health Connect.
You need to enable Health Connect write permissions in Garmin Connect, and read permissions in Samsung Health.
Once set up, steps, sleep, heart rate, and workouts sync automatically within a few minutes.
FitMesh can read from both sources at once if you use both a Garmin device and a Galaxy Watch.

Garmin Connect and Samsung Health are two of the most popular fitness ecosystems on Android, but they have never talked to each other directly. For years, the only workaround was a third-party app or manual data export. Since Android's Health Connect became the standard sync layer, the picture changed. Both apps now write to and read from Health Connect, which acts as the bridge. This guide shows you how to set it up correctly.

How the sync works (and what it does not cover)

Health Connect is not an app that processes your data. It is a local database on your Android device that apps can read from and write to, with your permission. Garmin Connect writes your workout, sleep, and health data to it. Samsung Health can read that data from it, and vice versa. The limitation is that only data types Health Connect supports are synced. Garmin-specific metrics like Body Battery, Stress, and Intensity Minutes are not part of the standard Health Connect data types, so they stay inside Garmin Connect only.

Step 1: confirm Health Connect is installed

On Android 14 and above, Health Connect is a system app and is already installed. On Android 13 and below, search for 'Health Connect' in the Play Store and install the official Google app. Open it once to initialize the data store.

Step 2: grant Garmin Connect write permissions

Open Garmin Connect on your phone.
Go to the main menu (three dots or hamburger icon, top left).
Tap 'Health Connect' or search for it under Settings.
Tap 'Connect' and grant all the requested permissions: steps, sleep, heart rate, workouts, body measurements.
Garmin Connect will begin writing data to Health Connect from this point forward. Historical data (past weeks) is typically backfilled within a few hours.

Step 3: grant Samsung Health read permissions

Open Samsung Health.
Tap your profile icon (top right) and go to Settings.
Tap 'Connected services' or 'Health Connect'.
Enable Health Connect and grant Samsung Health permission to read steps, sleep, heart rate, and activity data.
Open the Health Connect system app and verify Samsung Health appears under 'App permissions' with read access.

Step 4: verify the sync is working

Wait 5 to 15 minutes after setup before checking. Sync is not instant.
Open Samsung Health and navigate to Activity. You should see step counts from your Garmin device.
Check the Samsung Health home screen for sleep data. If you slept with your Garmin device, last night's stages should appear.
If data is missing, open Health Connect, go to 'Data and access', and check that Garmin Connect is listed as a data source with write permissions for each data type you expect.

Troubleshooting: common sync problems

Data not appearing in Samsung Health: check that both apps have battery optimization disabled. Android aggressively kills background apps; exempting them fixes most sync gaps.
Garmin Connect shows 'Health Connect unavailable': update both Garmin Connect and Health Connect to the latest version.
Steps doubled in Samsung Health: you may have both Samsung Health's built-in step counter and Garmin writing steps at the same time. Disable Samsung Health's own step tracking under Settings to use Garmin as the single source.
Workouts not appearing: workouts are a different data type from daily activity. Make sure Garmin Connect has permission to write 'Exercise sessions' in Health Connect.

Frequently asked questions

Does Garmin sync directly with Samsung Health without Health Connect?+

No. As of 2026, there is no direct integration between Garmin Connect and Samsung Health. Health Connect is the only supported bridge on Android.

Will historical Garmin data appear in Samsung Health after I set this up?+

Usually yes. Garmin Connect typically backfills several weeks of historical data to Health Connect after you first enable the integration. The exact amount depends on the data type and the Garmin Connect version.

Does this work on iOS?+

Health Connect is Android-only. On iOS, the equivalent is Apple Health. Garmin Connect does support Apple Health sync on iOS, but Samsung Health on iOS has limited functionality. This guide applies to Android only.

Can I see Body Battery from Garmin in Samsung Health?+

No. Body Battery is a proprietary Garmin metric and is not part of the Health Connect data standard. It only appears inside Garmin Connect.

My step count in Samsung Health is lower than in Garmin Connect. Why?+

Garmin may count steps differently from Health Connect's standardization. Some Garmin step types may not map to the Health Connect step count format exactly. This is normal. Use one app as your primary reference for consistency.

Disclaimer

FitMesh Sync is an independent product. Garmin, Samsung are trademarks of their respective owners. This article implies no affiliation or sponsorship.

Medical disclaimer

The information in this article is for informational purposes only and does not replace advice from your physician, pharmacist or healthcare professional. FitMesh Sync is a fitness/wellness app, not a medical device, and does not diagnose or treat any conditions. For symptoms, clinical questions or treatment decisions always consult your primary care physician.

Written by

Matteo Pizzi

Founder & Solo Dev, FitMesh Sync · Fosforonero

Italian software developer. I built FitMesh Sync to fill the gap between my smartwatch and a real personal dashboard. Privacy-first, indie, EU servers.

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