Skip to content

Garmin remote

A Connect IQ (Monkey C) companion for the Garmin Venu 3S. It's a thin remote: it messages the iPhone host via the Connect IQ mobile SDK, and the phone runs the confirm interlock and delivers through TandemKit. To build and install it, see Build the Garmin remote.

Garmin support is an optional build

The iPhone side of the Garmin bridge is compiled in only when the app is built with the Connect IQ SDK. If it was built without the SDK, the Garmin section under Settings → Remotes & devices shows a note saying so — rebuild with the Connect IQ SDK to enable it.

The Garmin app lives in its own repo

The Garmin app is maintained in the separate faBolusGarmin repo. The iPhone side of the bridge is part of the faBolus app, so the two talk over the shared command contract.

Venu 3S only

The Connect IQ manifest builds for the Venu 3S alone — it's the one device this app supports, and the one it's actually been tested on.

Garmin glance
Glance
Garmin history
History plot
Garmin details
Details
Garmin alerts
Alerts

The screens (swipe up/down to move between them)

  • Glance — current glucose + a drawn, range-colored trend arrow, and a Bolus button.
  • Alerts — active pump alerts/alarms; tap a row to clear one.
  • History — a CGM history plot; tap to cycle the window 3 → 6 → 12 h.
  • Details — last bolus, Active Insulin, reservoir, battery, and an alert count.

Reorder the screens / pick the default

The order of these screens and which one opens first are configurable from the phone: Settings → Garmin remote → Screen order. Drag to reorder and choose the screen that opens first. The layout is sent to the watch on its next status update and is remembered on the watch (it survives restarts and offline launches). Default: Glance → Alerts → History → Details, opening on Glance.

Using it

Tap the on-screen buttons — bolus −/+, Deliver, the confirm targets, an alert row — and swipe up/down to move between screens.

Bolus flow

Garmin bolus entry
Set units or carbs
Garmin 1-2-3 confirm
Tap 1 → 2 → 3 to confirm
  1. Set the amount. Tap the mode chip to switch Units / Carbs, tap −/+ to set the amount, then Deliver.
  2. Confirm. Tap 1 → 2 → 3 in order (like unlocking a t:slim) — a wrong tap resets.
  3. Completing the confirm sends the request to the phone, which carries it out. The remote never delivers on its own, and the pump still enforces its max and signature.

BG complication

The app publishes a public BG complication (a numeric value + a trend arrow) that Garmin Face It faces and Connect IQ faces can show on your watch face; the number is range-colored by the face. It refreshes while the app is open and via a background refresh (~5 min); fresh data needs the iPhone app open and connected.

Complication staleness

A numeric complication can't render --, so when a reading goes stale the trend arrow is dropped but the last number stays on screen — the complication can lag the CGM (and shows nothing new while the phone is unreachable). Use the in-app screens, or the "value + trend" string display mode, when you need staleness called out. Set the style in Settings → Remotes & devices.

Garmin BG complication
The BG complication on a Face It / CIQ watch face

Stock Garmin faces can't show it

Third-party complication data only appears on Face It faces or CIQ faces that support complications. Pick one of those and add the faBolus BG field.

Why your iPhone has to be nearby

The Garmin is a remote — it talks to your iPhone, which owns the pump connection and confirms and delivers every bolus. So keep your iPhone with you and connected while you use the Garmin. Running the pump directly from the Garmin with no phone is a separate future project, not something the app does today.