Looking for a Personalized Diet Plan?

arrowTry the Hint app

How to Reset Your Garmin Watch: Step-by-Step Guide

March 5, 2025
3 min read
How to Reset Your Garmin Watch: Step-by-Step Guide

Knowing how to reset your Garmin watch can be extremely useful if you’re experiencing technical issues or simply want a fresh start.

Whether you own a Garmin Venu Sq 2, Vivoactive 5, Instinct 2, Instinct 2X Solar, or Instinct 2X Solar Tactical, resetting your device can resolve performance issues, restore default settings, and prepare your watch for a new user.

In this guide, we’ll explain different reset methods, including soft reset, hard reset, and factory reset, for Garmin smartwatches.

Why You Might Need to Reset Your Garmin Watch

Resetting your Garmin watch can help with:

✅ Fixing performance issues or freezing problems

✅ Restoring default settings

✅ Preparing your watch for a new user

✅ Resolving syncing or connectivity issues

If your watch isn’t working as expected, resetting it may resolve common problems without needing technical support.

How to Soft Reset Your Garmin Watch

A soft reset (or reboot) is the easiest way to restart your Garmin watch without erasing any data. This is useful when your watch is frozen or unresponsive.

Steps to Soft Reset:

  1. Press and hold the power button until the watch turns off.
  2. Wait a few seconds, then press the power button again to restart the device.

🔹 Soft reset works for all Garmin models, including the Garmin Venu Sq 2, Vivoactive 5, and Instinct 2 series.

How to Hard Reset Garmin Watch (Restore Default Settings)

A hard reset restores your watch to its default settings while keeping your user data. If you're experiencing issues with GPS, syncing, or connectivity, a hard reset may help.

Steps to Hard Reset Your Garmin Watch:

  1. Open Settings on your watch.
  2. Navigate to System > Reset.
  3. Select Reset Settings to restore default settings while keeping personal data.
  4. Confirm the reset and wait for the process to complete.

🔹 This method works for most Garmin models, including the Garmin Venu Sq 2, Vivoactive 5, and Instinct 2 series.

How to Factory Reset Garmin Watch (Erase All Data)

A factory reset completely erases all data, including personal settings, activities, and preferences. If you plan to sell your watch or start fresh, this is the best option.

Steps to Factory Reset Your Garmin Watch:

  1. Open Settings on your watch.
  2. Navigate to System > Reset.
  3. Select Delete Data and Reset Settings.
  4. Confirm the reset. Your watch will restart as a new device.

💡 Factory resetting your watch will erase everything. Ensure you back up important data via Garmin Connect before proceeding.

Exclusive Offer: Enjoy One Month of Free Hint Premium Access

When you purchase any of the following from the Clearcals Store: Garmin Venu Sq 2, Garmin Vivoactive 5, Garmin Instinct 2, Instinct 2X Solar, or Instinct 2X Solar Tactical, you'll receive one month of free Hint Premium (worth Rs. 1999), which includes:

✅ Unlimited dietitian consultations

✅ Personalized diet and workout plans

✅ Advanced calorie and nutrition tracking

🚀 Visit the Clearcals Store today and unlock your free Hint Premium access!

Final Thoughts: Which Reset Should You Use?

  • If your watch is frozen or unresponsive, perform a soft reset.
  • If you need to restore settings without losing data, choose a hard reset.
  • If you want a fresh start or plan to sell your device, go for a factory reset.

No matter which Garmin model you use, knowing how to reset your Garmin watch can help you troubleshoot issues quickly and effectively.

Looking for a Personalized Diet Plan?

Try the Hint app

Share this
Garmin watches banner
Garmin watches banner