Garmin Vivoactive 5: Set Up Your First Fitness Smartwatch in 10 Minutes (Zero Experience Required!)

Learn exactly how to unbox, pair, customize, and start tracking your health with Garmin's most beginner-friendly smartwatch—from complete setup to your first workout

Author

Christine Emmanuelle Bago
October 02, 2025

Just got a Garmin Vivoactive 5 and feeling overwhelmed by fitness tracking features? You're in the right place.

This guide takes you from unboxing to completing your first tracked activity, with zero technical knowledge required. Whether you're new to smartwatches or switching from another brand, you'll discover how to set up health tracking, receive notifications, and start using Garmin's powerful fitness features today.

🎥 Watch the Full Video Tutorial

Why watch? Follow along in real-time as we unbox the device, demonstrate every setup screen, and show you the exact button presses and swipe gestures you'll need. Perfect for visual learners who want to set up their Vivoactive 5 side-by-side with the video.

What You'll Learn in This Guide

✅ Unboxing & First Power-On - Everything in the box and how to charge properly
✅ Phone Pairing Process - Connect to the Garmin Connect app in under 5 minutes
✅ Essential Settings - Configure health tracking, sleep schedules, and activity goals
✅ Navigation Basics - Master buttons, swipes, and the glance screen system
✅ Your First Activity - Start tracking walks, runs, or workouts immediately
✅ Customization Tips - Personalize widgets and activity shortcuts for your lifestyle

📦 Unboxing Your Garmin Vivoactive 5

What's Inside the Package

When you open your Vivoactive 5 box, you'll find:

  1. The Garmin Vivoactive 5 watch (wrapped around protective cardboard)

  2. USB-C charging cable with proprietary watch connector

  3. Quick Start Guide and regulatory paperwork

  4. Support documentation for troubleshooting

🔍 Quick Tip: The charging cable has a USB-C end (plugs into your computer or power brick) and a specialized clip that attaches magnetically to the back of your watch. No fumbling with ports!

Opening the Package

  1. Undo the fabric straps tucked at the top and bottom of the box

  2. Open either side of the packaging

  3. Remove the watch from its cardboard holder by unbuckling the band

  4. Peel off the protective screen sticker (it shows a demo of the watch face)

🔌 Charging Your Vivoactive 5

How to Attach the Charger

The charging process is simple but requires proper alignment:

  1. Locate the sensors on the back of the watch (small circular contacts)

  2. Align the charging clip with these sensors

  3. The charger magnetically snaps into place

  4. Plug the USB-C end into a power source

⚠️ Important Note: Always charge your Vivoactive 5 before first use. The watch may have minimal battery from the factory and needs sufficient charge to complete the setup process and software updates.

⚡ Powering On for the First Time

Activating Your Watch

Your Vivoactive 5 has two physical buttons on the right side:

  • Top button (gray): Accesses activities and apps

  • Bottom button: Returns to previous screen/acts as back button

To power on:

  1. Press and hold the gray top button

  2. Wait for the Garmin logo and "Vivoactive 5" text

  3. The screen displays "Hello" in multiple languages

  4. Tap the screen to proceed with setup

▶️ Try This Now: Once powered on, tap the screen gently—this confirms the touchscreen is responsive and ready for setup.

📱 Pairing With Your iPhone

Installing Garmin Connect

The Vivoactive 5 requires the Garmin Connect app to unlock its full potential. This app tracks your health data, syncs workouts, and manages settings.

Initial pairing steps:

  1. Watch displays "Pair with phone" and shows a QR code

  2. Unlock your iPhone and open the Camera app

  3. Scan the QR code displayed on the watch

  4. Tap the notification that appears

  5. Allow Bluetooth access when prompted

🔍 Quick Tip: If the QR code won't scan, you can manually download "Garmin Connect" from the App Store instead. The automatic QR code method is just faster!

🔐 Creating Your Garmin Account

Account Setup Process

You'll need a Garmin account to save your data and sync across devices:

  1. Tap "Create Account" (or "Sign In" if you have an existing account)

  2. Accept the End User License Agreement

  3. Enter your name, email address, and password

  4. Re-enter your email to confirm (prevents typos)

  5. Confirm you're at least 13 years old

  6. Tap the blue "Next" button

Connecting Your Devices

After account creation:

  1. Tap the blue "Continue" button

  2. A six-digit PIN appears on your watch screen

  3. Verify this PIN matches what's shown on your iPhone

  4. Tap "Pair" on your phone

  5. Allow iPhone notifications (optional but recommended)

⚠️ Important Note: The six-digit PIN is a security feature to ensure you're pairing the correct device. Never share this PIN with others, and verify it matches exactly before proceeding.

► WATCH: See the Complete Pairing Process

👤 Setting Up Your Health Profile

Why Personal Data Matters

Garmin uses your physical information to calculate accurate calorie burn, exercise intensity, and personalized health insights. This data never leaves your device without permission.

Profile Information to Enter

Select Your Avatar

  • Choose from pre-made avatars

  • Upload a photo from your gallery

  • Take a new selfie

Personal Details:

  1. Gender: Male or female (affects calorie calculations)

  2. Height: Tap to enter your height in feet/inches or centimeters

  3. Weight: Enter current weight for accurate metrics

  4. Date of Birth: Used for age-related health features

🔍 Quick Tip: Garmin's algorithms become more accurate over time as they learn your activity patterns. Initial estimates may vary slightly, but they'll improve after a few days of wear.

😴 Configuring Sleep Tracking

Setting Your Sleep Schedule

Sleep tracking is one of the Vivoactive 5's most powerful features, offering insights into sleep quality, stages, and recovery.

Default schedule setup:

  1. Set your typical bedtime (default: 10:00 PM)

  2. Set your typical wake-up time (default: 6:00 AM)

  3. The watch enters Do Not Disturb mode during these hours

Customizing your schedule:

  • Tap "Customize Daily Schedule" for different times on different days

  • Create separate weekday and weekend schedules

  • Adjust times in 5-minute increments

▶️ Try This Now: Set realistic sleep times based on your actual routine, not ideal goals. The watch learns from real patterns to provide better insights.

⌚ Wrist Preference & Device Settings

Which Wrist Will You Wear It On?

This setting affects:

  • Screen orientation (so it's readable when you raise your wrist)

  • Button placement functionality

  • Gesture recognition accuracy

Select Left or Right based on your preference. Most people wear watches on their non-dominant hand.

Syncing Training Data

If you've used other Garmin devices, you can:

  • Sync past training data to your Vivoactive 5

  • Import future training plans automatically

  • Keep consistent activity history across devices

Select "Yes" to enable or "No" to start fresh.

🎯 Setting Activity Goals

Understanding Default Goals

Based on your profile information, Garmin automatically sets:

  • Daily step goal (typically 7,500-10,000 steps)

  • Weekly intensity minutes (WHO recommends 150 minutes)

  • Active calorie target

Options:

  1. Keep Default Goals - Recommended for beginners

  2. Edit Goals - Customize if you have specific fitness targets

  3. Wheelchair User - Toggle on for specialized tracking

🔍 Quick Tip: Start with default goals for the first week. Garmin adjusts recommendations based on your actual activity, so goals become more personalized over time.

📅 Calendar & Notification Permissions

Why Grant Calendar Access?

Allowing calendar access lets you:

  • View upcoming meetings on your watch glance screen

  • Receive appointment reminders on your wrist

  • Check your schedule without pulling out your phone

Tap "Allow" for full access or "Don't Allow" to skip.

Additional Permissions

Notifications: Receive texts, calls, and app alerts on your watch
Location: Enables GPS tracking for outdoor activities
Phone Access: Allows hands-free calling (on compatible models)

⚠️ Important Note: You can modify all permissions later in iPhone Settings > Garmin Connect if you change your mind.

📶 Connecting to Wi-Fi

Why Add Wi-Fi?

Wi-Fi connectivity enables:

  • Automatic software updates when charging

  • Music downloads for offline listening

  • Faster data syncing compared to Bluetooth alone

Setup process:

  1. Tap "Add Network"

  2. Select your Wi-Fi network from the list

  3. Enter your Wi-Fi password

  4. Tap "Next" to connect

  5. Watch confirms: "Set up complete"

🔍 Quick Tip: If you skip Wi-Fi setup, you can add networks later in Settings > Connectivity > Wi-Fi. Updates will simply take longer over Bluetooth.

🔄 Software Updates

First Update Process

After initial setup, your Vivoactive 5 will likely need a software update:

  1. Watch displays "Preparing to update"

  2. Progress bar shows update status

  3. Watch automatically restarts

  4. Garmin logo appears with gear icon and loading bar

  5. Update completes (typically 5-10 minutes)

⚠️ Important Note: Keep your watch on the charger during software updates. Don't try to use the watch or remove it from power until the update completes fully.

Understanding the Button Controls

Top Button (Gray):

  • Single press: Opens activities and apps menu

  • Press during activity: Pauses or resumes tracking

Bottom Button:

  • Single press: Returns to previous screen (acts as "back")

  • Press from watch face: Shortcut to recent apps

Touchscreen Gestures

The Vivoactive 5 is fully touchscreen-enabled:

Swipe Up: View health glances (steps, heart rate, calories)
Swipe Down: Access more glance screens
Swipe Right: Return to previous screen (same as bottom button)
Swipe Left/Right (in menus): Toggle between activity types
Tap: Select items, view details, activate features

▶️ Try This Now: From the watch face, swipe up slowly. You'll see your daily stats appear one by one: steps, heart rate, calories burned, and more.

📊 Understanding Glance Screens

What Are Glances?

Glances are quick-view widgets that show your most important health and fitness data without opening full apps.

Default glances include:

  • Events: Today's calendar appointments

  • Sleep Coach: Last night's sleep quality and recommendations

  • Sleep Score: Numerical rating of sleep quality

  • HRV Status: Heart rate variability (recovery indicator)

  • Body Battery: Energy level throughout the day

  • Heart Rate: Current and resting heart rate

  • Intensity Minutes: Weekly active time tracking

  • Steps: Daily step count and goal progress

Customizing Glances

You can add, remove, or reorder glances through the Garmin Connect app:

  1. Open Garmin Connect on iPhone

  2. Tap your device icon

  3. Select Glances

  4. Drag to reorder or toggle on/off

🔍 Quick Tip: Keep your most-used glances near the top for faster access. Most people prioritize steps, heart rate, and Body Battery.

🏃 Starting Your First Activity

Accessing Activity Menu

  1. Press the gray top button

  2. Watch displays activity tiles: Walk, Run, Bike, Strength, Cardio, Meditation

  3. Swipe left or right to browse activity types

  4. Tap the activity you want to start

Example: Starting a Meditation Session

Let's walk through starting a guided meditation:

  1. Press the top button

  2. Swipe to Meditation

  3. Tap to select

  4. Choose "Guided Session" or "Create Your Own"

  5. Select a session (e.g., "Restore and Stretch")

  6. Press top button to start

  7. Watch begins tracking with timer display

Ending an Activity

When you finish:

  1. Press the top button to pause

  2. Options appear: "Resume," "Save," or "Discard"

  3. Tap "Save" to keep the activity in your history

  4. Tap "Discard" to delete without saving

⚠️ Important Note: Always save activities you want tracked toward your daily goals. Discarded activities don't count toward steps, calories, or intensity minutes

🎨 Customizing Your Watch

Accessing Apps

Press the gray top button to see available apps:

  • Wallet: Store payment cards for contactless payments

  • Music: Control music playback or store songs

  • Flashlight: Turn screen white for emergency light

  • Alarms: Set wake-up alarms

  • Timer: Countdown timer for workouts

  • Stopwatch: Track elapsed time

  • Health Snapshot: Quick 2-minute health summary

  • Tips: Built-in help guide

Editing Activity Shortcuts

From the activity menu:

  1. Press top button

  2. Swipe to the end of activities

  3. Tap "Edit"

  4. Add or remove activity types

  5. Reorder for quick access

🔍 Quick Tip: Place your most frequent activities first (like Walking or Running) so you can start tracking in just two taps.

🎯 Top 3 Takeaways

1. Pairing Is Quick—Let the QR Code Do the Work

Don't manually search for apps or Bluetooth settings. Simply scan the QR code displayed on your watch with your iPhone camera, and the pairing process happens automatically. This saves 5+ minutes of setup time.

2. Glances Are Your Command Center

Master the swipe-up gesture from your watch face. Your glance screens show everything you need—steps, heart rate, sleep quality, Body Battery—without opening a single app. This becomes your most-used feature.

3. Start Simple With Activities

You don't need to understand every metric to begin. Just press the top button, select Walk or Run, and let the watch do its thing. Review your data in the Garmin Connect app afterward to learn what each metric means.

[► WATCH THE COMPLETE GUIDE FOR EVERY DETAIL]

❓ Common FAQs & Troubleshooting

Q: My watch won't turn on when I press the button

Solutions:

  • Charge for at least 30 minutes before first use

  • Ensure charging cable is properly aligned with back sensors (you'll see a battery icon on screen)

  • Try a different USB-C power adapter (some low-power adapters don't work)

  • Press and hold the gray button for 10+ seconds

Q: The QR code won't scan during pairing

Alternative method:

  • Manually download "Garmin Connect" from the App Store

  • Open the app and tap "Add Device"

  • Select "Vivoactive 5" from the device list

  • Follow on-screen pairing instructions

  • Enter the 6-digit PIN shown on your watch

Q: How accurate is the heart rate monitoring?

Factors affecting accuracy:

  • Wrist placement: Wear 1-2 finger widths above wrist bone

  • Band tightness: Snug but not cutting off circulation

  • Arm movement: More accurate during rest than vigorous exercise

  • Skin tone and tattoos: Can occasionally interfere with optical sensors

For best results: Wear consistently for 1-2 weeks so the watch learns your baseline heart rate patterns.

Q: Battery life seems shorter than advertised

Common battery drains:

  • Always-on display setting

  • Continuous heart rate monitoring (vs. smart mode)

  • GPS activities lasting multiple hours

  • Excessive notification vibrations

  • Screen brightness set too high

To improve battery:

  • Lower screen brightness in Settings

  • Use GPS sparingly (toggle off for indoor activities)

  • Disable always-on display

  • Check battery usage in Garmin Connect app

Expected battery life: Up to 11 days in smartwatch mode, 21 hours in GPS mode.

Q: My steps seem inaccurate (too high or too low)

Calibration tips:

  • Wear watch on non-dominant wrist for better accuracy

  • Ensure wrist detection is enabled

  • Manually log arm-only activities (like cycling) that don't count steps

  • Give the watch 3-5 days to learn your movement patterns

Note: Garmin counts "intentional" steps—vigorous arm movements while stationary typically aren't counted.

Q: Notifications aren't showing up on my watch

Troubleshooting checklist:

  • Verify notifications are enabled in iPhone Settings > Garmin Connect > Notifications

  • Check Bluetooth is connected (icon on watch face)

  • Confirm Do Not Disturb isn't active on watch

  • Ensure notifications are enabled for specific apps in iPhone Settings

  • Try toggling Airplane Mode on/off on the watch

Q: How do I change the watch face?

Watch face customization: The Vivoactive 5 has a fixed default watch face that displays time and quick stats. Unlike some smartwatches, you can't completely change the watch face design.

What you CAN customize:

  • Glance screen order and content

  • Data fields shown during activities

  • Widget arrangement

For more customization: Consider exploring the Garmin Connect IQ store for additional data screens (though these appear during activities, not as the main watch face).

Q: Can I use the Vivoactive 5 for swimming?

Answer: Yes! The Vivoactive 5 is water-resistant up to 50 meters (5 ATM). You can:

  • Track pool swims with automatic lap counting

  • Track open water swims with GPS

  • Wear it in the shower (though not recommended long-term for band wear)

  • Use it in rain without concern

After water exposure: Dry the watch and charging contacts to prevent corrosion.

🔗 Additional Resources

Want more Garmin tips?

📺 Watch the Full 20-Minute Tutorial - See every setup screen and gesture demonstration

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💙 Thanks for Reading!

Questions about your Garmin Vivoactive 5? Hit reply—we read every message and often feature your questions in future guides.

Keep moving toward your fitness goals,
The AppFind Team