Checking blood sugar can be a challenge when the day is already in motion.
A phone may be tucked into a pocket during a walk, zipped inside a pack on a hike, or left across the room during a workout. Garmin watches help users bring supported glucose readings into those moments, so the information is easier to check without breaking the flow of whatever they are doing.
Select Garmin smartwatches can display Dexcom glucose readings and trends through Connect IQ apps. The data still comes from the continuous glucose monitor (CGM), but the wrist view places it near the workout details users may be checking during activity.
Glucose trends can mean more when the body is moving
Blood sugar can rise or fall after eating, resting, experiencing stress, or exercising. A reading taken during a walk after lunch may reflect both the meal and the activity.
Trend direction fills in the picture. A single number gives users a snapshot at one point in time, while the arrow shows whether glucose is staying level or starting to change. The direction can explain what the reading means.
Garmin gives those trends a place beside familiar body signals. A workout or hike can make more sense when glucose appears near heart rate and effort.
Garmin can show blood sugar data in a few different ways
The context comes from the data Garmin can put on the wrist. Through Dexcom’s Connect IQ apps, compatible Garmin watches can show glucose levels, trend direction, and recent glucose history, depending on the device and setup.
Users may see that data in a few places:
- Dexcom watch app: Shows glucose levels, trend direction, and recent glucose history on compatible Garmin watches.
- Activity data field: Displays glucose information on an activity screen on supported models, so users can see it alongside workout metrics without switching screens.
- Custom watch face: Uses the Face It feature in the Connect IQ Store app to add glucose levels and trend direction to select Garmin watch faces.
Like Apple Watch and Samsung Galaxy Watch, Garmin is a companion display, not a replacement for a CGM or medical guidance when making treatment decisions.
Support is broad, but not universal. Dexcom’s G6 and G7 apps are available through Connect IQ for several Garmin smartwatches, from fashion and fitness watches to rugged multisport and advanced running models. Supported lines include fēnix, Forerunner, epix, Venu, vívoactive, and Enduro, though availability still varies by model and app.
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Adding more metabolic context over time
The current Garmin experience still relies on Dexcom CGM data, but the company is also exploring a different kind of blood sugar insight.
A Garmin patent application covers estimating glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) using optical sensor data from a wearable device. The filing describes a system that would use light from the watch’s sensors to estimate how much glucose is attached to it. Unlike live CGM readings, HbA1c gives a longer-range view of blood sugar patterns.
The patent suggests periodic updates, possibly weekly or monthly, instead of second-by-second tracking. If the research becomes a product feature, it could add metabolic context to Garmin’s existing health metrics and help users see how daily routines relate to longer-term blood sugar patterns.
What could set Garmin apart?
Garmin’s most interesting angle may be that it is not only chasing the same finish line as every other smartwatch maker. A no-prick, real-time glucose reading is still the dream across the wearable industry, but Garmin’s patent suggests another path worth taking seriously.
Longer-range blood sugar insight could add another layer to glucose tracking. With this data, users can spot patterns they might not notice in a single reading, workout, or day.
The bigger payoff would be helping people understand how habits build over time, which could make wearables more relevant to diabetes risk awareness and long-term metabolic health.
If you want to understand the race to bring glucose data to wearables, our guide covers what is real now and what is next.
