It won't do anything automatically.  If you just plug your device into your computer and do nothing else, all it will do is charge.  You need to manually upload the file from your device to RA/Strava.  You ever move a computer file from one folder to another?  That is basically what you are doing.

That's not necessarily true. My watch uploads as soon as I plug in the cable. It goes from my watch to Garmin to RA and Strava (when I was on Strava) automatically. Usually I get the icon on RA before I get the notice that my watch has uploaded successfully to Garmin.

My watch also only holds about 15 .fit files. The watch overwrites older files when it gets full. Every once in a while the whole thing gets overloaded and I get corrupted files that won't upload. The solution is to erase all runs in my watch history and start over. That seems to happen about once a year. I have a Forerunner 35, so its memory isn't that large. So if Garmin files do disappear, I only have the files on RA, since I'm not on Strava any more.

One of the problems with technology - anything you hope to save is impermanent, even when backed up. DH just tossed boxes of old floppy disks when cleaning out his office. I have old files that are important to me that I transfer to new computers, but have to update to make them work on newer systems. And sometimes they don't work at all on the newer system.

Ginny, if the file uploads as soon as you plug in the cable, then the .fit file is in a temp folder on your computer somewhere, if you're using Windows. But I'm just saying.

BTW, I think DCRainmaker wrote something about how to manually get the fit files from the watch to Strava during the Garmin outage. I have not read it, because I already know how, but I've seen that go by on Strava. Maybe you can look it up and chances are he took the time to write a proper step by step guide with screen shots and all.

So, FYI, maybe Baboon can help since I think he has a Mac, my computer does not recognize the Garmin as something I can look at from the computer except the charge it. There is no Garmin to click and find runs from. For purposes of the computer, it does not exist.

Sadly, unless it's a DOJ encrypted external item, I won't be able to read it from my laptop either.

So, FYI, maybe Baboon can help since I think he has a Mac, my computer does not recognize the Garmin as something I can look at from the computer except the charge it. There is no Garmin to click and find runs from. For purposes of the computer, it does not exist.

 

This is going to sounds really stupid, but if your computer has more than one USB port, did you try both ports?  My Garmin will only work with one of the two ports on my laptop.  I have an HP laptop.

I get what Ginny is saying about activities loading automatically when you use the cord, but right now Garmin Connect is down, so nothing will load there, period.

 

This is going to sounds really stupid, but if your computer has more than one USB port, did you try both ports?  My Garmin will only work with one of the two ports on my laptop.  I have an HP laptop.

 

I get what Ginny is saying about activities loading automatically when you use the cord, but right now Garmin Connect is down, so nothing will load there, period.

The Mac has 5 ports. It does not recognize the Garmin as an external drive at all. It recognizes the hard drive, the TomTom, the phone, iPod but not the Garmin.

 

The Mac has 5 ports. It does not recognize the Garmin as an external drive at all. It recognizes the hard drive, the TomTom, the phone, iPod but not the Garmin.

Sounds like you are fucked then.

 

I have not tried what DC Rainmaker said, although I wonder if the 645 has a charging cable only. I only got one cable in the box that I remember. Per DC Rainmaker:

"First, find the cable. Undoubtedly you know where that is, since it’s what you charge your Garmin with. However, if you have a Garmin Edge device which uses micro-USB (if newer) or mini-USB (if older), just be sure that if it’s not the Garmin cable (which are literally labeled with ‘Garmin’ at the end), that it’s a data transfer cable and not just a charging-only cable. I’ve got plenty of micro-USB cables that are charge-only, and they won’t work. In short, if the device doesn’t show up in your computer, then you’ve got a charge-only cable.

 

And, if you need a dongle to connect to USB-C, then undoubtedly you know where that is. It’s probably attached to your Mac, because you still need that thing every day."

What he's saying is that

- if your device has a micro or mini USB charging port

- if you're NOT using the Garmin cable

chances are you're using a generic cable that does not support data transfer, but charge only.