Garmin Connect Indoor Distance Tracking Without GPS

Users of Garmin Connect are requesting the ability to hide distance metrics for indoor activities, specifically for sports such as badminton. The request centers on the fact that when GPS is disabled for indoor sessions, the platform continues to display a distance value derived from wrist movement.

This distance calculation relies on the device’s internal sensors rather than satellite positioning. Because badminton involves significant arm movement that may not correlate to actual distance traveled across a court, users are seeking a way to remove this metric from their activity summaries.

Challenges of Indoor Distance Tracking

Tracking distance indoors presents a consistent technical challenge for wearable devices due to the absence of GPS signals. Garmin devices typically rely on accelerometers to estimate distance during indoor activities, a method that can vary in accuracy depending on the activity type and device calibration.

For indoor walking or running, Garmin recommends recording several activities outdoors with GPS enabled to calibrate the device. This process requires the user to ensure the GPS ready indicator is active before starting the timer on the calibration activity to improve the accuracy of subsequent indoor distance tracking.

Despite these calibration efforts, some users have reported that distance recorded during indoor walks without GPS can be unreasonable. In some instances, activities involving over 13,000 steps have resulted in almost no recorded mileage.

Sensor Integration and Alternative Activity Types

The limitations of wrist-based tracking are also evident in other indoor sports. For indoor cycling, which includes modalities such as Peloton, Zwift, and traditional spin classes, GPS-based tracking is inherently unavailable. To achieve robust data collection for speed, distance, cadence, and power output, Garmin devices utilize ANT+ and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) connectivity to pair with external sensors.

Higher-end Garmin models, such as the Edge 530 and Forerunner 945, provide comprehensive sensor compatibility to mitigate the lack of GPS. Without these external sensors, accurate distance and speed tracking for indoor cycling remains difficult.

To avoid the recording of unwanted movement or GPS data during indoor sessions, some users have turned to alternative activity profiles. One recommended workaround found in user forums is the selection of the Cardio activity type, which some users utilize for indoor activities where they wish to ensure no GPS or movement data is picked up.