On the watch: the GARMIN/Activity folder
Connect the watch
Plug the watch into the computer with its USB charging cable.
Open it
On Windows, it appears as a removable drive or a portable device in the File Explorer.
Go to GARMIN, then Activity
Activity files are in the Activity folder inside the GARMIN folder. On recent models they are named after the date and time of the activity.
Copy the file
Copy the .fit file of the activity to the computer, and work on the copy.
On a Mac
Garmin’s manuals warn that Mac computers do not detect some devices by default: many recent watches connect as a “portable device” (MTP) that the Finder does not show. Garmin points to its Garmin Express software to work with the device; many users copy the files with a free MTP file-transfer app.
Some watches have a USB mode setting in the system settings of the watch, where the connection type can be chosen.
From Garmin Connect on the web
If the activity is in Garmin Connect, open it on the website, click the gear icon of the activity and choose the export of the original file (“Export Original” in English). You get a .zip file that contains the .fit file: unzip it.
The original file is the one the watch recorded: it does not include the changes made later in Garmin Connect, such as corrected elevation.
If the folder is empty
Some watches also keep data in a GARMIN/TempFIT folder: look there for an activity that was never saved.
Depending on the model and the software, a file may no longer be on the watch after a sync. If the activity is in Garmin Connect, use the original export.
If the activity is neither on the watch nor in Garmin Connect, read the guide on activities missing after a sync.
What FIT Rescue repairs
- Check that the file you found is a complete, valid activity
- Repair it if it is damaged, then import it
- Open it to see the activity, convert it to GPX, TCX or CSV
What it cannot do
- Copy the file from the watch for you: that is done with the USB cable, by you
- Recover a file that was deleted from the watch
Check the file you found
Drop the .fit file: you see whether it is complete, and you can repair it, view it or convert it.
Questions
Where are activities stored on a Garmin watch?
In the GARMIN/Activity folder, which you reach by connecting the watch to a computer with its USB cable. Each activity is one .fit file.
Why does my Mac not show the watch?
Many recent Garmin watches connect as an MTP portable device, which the Finder does not show. Use Garmin Express or an MTP file-transfer app.
How do I download the FIT file from Garmin Connect?
On the website, open the activity, click the gear icon and choose the export of the original file. The .zip you get contains the .fit file.
Can I get the FIT file from the Garmin Connect app on my phone?
The simplest way is the website, on a computer or in a phone browser: the original export is in the activity’s gear menu.
Sources
- Garmin manual (Edge Explore 2): transferring files, Mac computers do not detect the device by default
- Garmin Forums: activity files are in the GARMIN/Activity folder of the device
- Garmin Forums: the TempFIT folder, where some watches store data
- Garmin Forums (FIT SDK): “Export Original” gives the original FIT file, without the corrected elevation
Related guides
FIT Rescue tools
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