How to Export a FIT File from Garmin Connect
How to get your .fit file out of Garmin Connect.
Garmin records every activity in FIT format. Here is how to get the original .fit file — the one with all your data (heart rate, GPS, power, cadence, altitude, temperature).
Method 1 — Garmin Connect website
Easiest. Works for everyone. Use this 99% of the time.
- Go to connect.garmin.com on a computer and sign in.
- In the left sidebar, click Activities → All Activities.
- Click the activity name to open its detail page (the page with the map and charts).
- Click the gear icon in the top-right corner of that page.
- Click "Export Original" (sometimes labeled "Export File").
- A zip file downloads. Unzip it — the .fit file is inside.
On mobile? The Garmin Connect app does not have a .fit export option. Open connect.garmin.com in your phone browser, request the desktop site (Safari: "aA" button → Request Desktop Website; Chrome: three-dot menu → Desktop site), then follow the steps above.
Method 2 — Direct from the watch via USB
More hassle. Only use if the activity has not synced yet or Garmin Connect is missing it.
Windows:
- Plug the watch into your computer with its charging cable.
- Open File Explorer. The watch appears under "This PC" as a device (not a drive letter).
- Navigate to Internal Storage → GARMIN → Activity.
- Copy the .fit file. Files are named by start time, like 2026-04-20-061433.fit.
Mac: Finder cannot see modern Garmin watches. Install OpenMTP (openmtp.ganeshrvel.com — free, clean UI) or Android File Transfer (android.com/filetransfer). Quit Garmin Express first or it will block the connection. Then plug in, open the app, and grab the .fit file from GARMIN → Activity. If the Activity folder is empty, the activity has already synced — use Method 1 instead.
Method 3 — Full account export
For bulk exports or digging up old activities.
- Go to garmin.com/account/datamanagement/exportdata.
- Sign in and request an export.
- Garmin emails you a download link within a few hours (up to 48).
- The zip contains every .fit file under your account.
Important limitation
Activities synced INTO Garmin Connect from Strava, Zwift, Peloton, or Apple Health do not have a true original .fit file. Export Original will either fail or give you whatever format was uploaded. Get those files from the original platform instead.