FAQ - What does GPS? mean

What does "GPS?" mean on my watchface?

GPS? indicates that your watchface doesn't have a location yet.

When you see "GPS?" displayed on your watchface, it means the watch hasn't acquired your location data yet. This is needed for features like weather, sunrise/sunset times, and other location-based information.

How to Fix This

  1. Start a GPS activity

    Begin any activity that uses GPS (running, walking, cycling, etc.)

  2. Wait for GPS lock

    Stay outside with a clear view of the sky until your watch acquires a GPS signal. This usually takes 30 seconds to a few minutes.

  3. The error will disappear

    Once your watch has a GPS fix, the "GPS?" message should disappear within a minute, and location-based features will start working.

💡 Quick Tip

You don't need to complete the activity—just start it, wait for GPS lock, and then you can stop or discard the activity. Your watch will remember the location.

Why This Happens

Watchfaces don't have direct access to your watch's GPS. Instead, they rely on location data from:

  • Your last recorded GPS activity
  • Garmin's weather service location
  • A manually set custom location (if configured)

If you haven't recorded a GPS activity yet, or it's been a while since your last one, the watchface won't have location data available.

🔗 Related

Want to set a fixed location instead? Check out How to override my location for weather or SunEvents


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