How to create a course on Garmin Connect

1. First steps

Go to your phone and launch the Garmin Connect app, if you’re using an Android phone, tap the three-line menu icon at the top-left of the screen. On an iPhone, you need to tap More, which should be at the bottom-right of the screen. 

Tap Training & Planning, then tap Courses. 

Tap Create Course or the + icon to start building a course. You can select your course type based on how you’re planning to tackle the route. Garmin courses cover cycling, running and hiking, plus another mode that covers other activities. 

2. Creating a custom route

Once you’ve chosen your activity you’ll have the option to create a custom route, or one that’s automatically built for you based on a single starting point.

If you select the custom option, you can tap on the map to set your starting point. Next, tap on the endpoint for the course. Once you’ve done that the app will calculate the distance to that point, and details like ascent and descent information to better prepare you for how challenging your route is going to be. 

If you’ve changed your mind about any aspect, you can tap the back arrow icon to redo your route.

3. Finishing touches

There are some additional course options that you can select by tapping the three dots icon. These include creating a loop back to your starting point, and you can also add course points like aid stations or service stations to refuel. When you’re satisfied with your route, tap Save.

On the next screen you can enter a name for your course, and choose whether to keep the route private or make it public so other Garmin users can try it out. If you want to send the course to your Garmin watch, tap the icon with the phone screen and arrow. From here you’ll be able to send it to your paired device.

1. Select Courses

On your computer go to Garmin Connect and sign in using the email address and password you used to set up your Garmin watch. Using the dropdown menu down the side of the page, select Training and Planning and then Courses.

Select Create New, and as in the Garmin Connect phone app you can choose the type of activity you’d like to build the route for.

Click on the map to create a custom route, or let the app automatically create a route for you. You can additionally search for a location you’d like to include on the route.

There are some additional features here that aren’t available in the mobile app, like creating routes based on popular existing routes, following roads, or creating a freehand route. You can also choose to loop back to the start, add course points, reverse the direction of the route, and do an out and back-style route.

2. Create a new course

Select Create New, and as in the Garmin Connect phone app you can choose the type of activity you’d like to build the route for. Click on the map to create a custom route, or let the app automatically create a route for you. You can additionally search for a location you’d like to include on the route.

There are some additional features here that aren’t available in the mobile app, like creating routes based on popular existing routes, following roads, or creating a freehand route. You can also choose to loop back to the start, add course points, reverse the direction of the route, and do an out and back-style route.

3. Save your course

Hit Save to save your course, and choose whether you want the route to be public or kept private. If you want to send the route to your device, select ‘Send to device’ and you’ll then be able to select the watch or watches paired to that Garmin Connect account. 

You’ll then be prompted to open Garmin Express, Garmin’s desktop application that lets you sync settings to your watch, including created routes when connected to your computer.

Simple steps:

When you’ve successfully synced and sent your new course to your watch, you’ll need to go into the workout screen on your watch and select the activity you’ve created the route for.

If, for example, you’ve created a running route, select the Run mode and tap the menu button, which is typically assigned to the middle physical button on the left-hand side of a Garmin watch.

Select Navigation and then Courses. Select your route, and it will load, along with the distance and elevation details.