Premium health insightson your Garmin watch
Recovery score, HRV trends, sleep analysis, and strain tracking — free on the Garmin you already own. No subscription required.
Recovery
84%
HRV
62ms
Sleep
7h 42m
Strain
14.2
50+
Compatible devices
5 min
Setup time
$0
Forever free
4
Key health metrics
Everything you need. Nothing you don't.
VitalOS turns raw Garmin sensor data into actionable health insights — all the metrics you need, without subscriptions or extra hardware.
Recovery Score
A daily 0–100 readiness score that tells you how hard to push today, calibrated to your personal baseline.
HRV Trends
Track heart-rate variability over time to spot patterns in stress, recovery, and fitness adaptation.
Sleep Analysis
Deep, REM, and light sleep stages mapped from your Garmin sensor data, with quality scores and trend graphs.
Strain Score
Your cumulative daily load across workouts and daily activity, so you know when you've done enough.
Unified Dashboard
All your metrics in one place. Switch between Garmin and Apple Watch without losing history.
Privacy First
Your health data is never sold or shared. Operated by Helvetic Network under a clear, public privacy policy.
Up and running in 5 minutes
No hardware purchase. No account creation. Just install and go.
- 01
Open the Connect IQ Store
Open the Garmin Connect app on your phone, tap the menu icon (☰), and select "Connect IQ Store". Or go to apps.garmin.com in any browser.
- 02
Search for VitalOS
Type "VitalOS" in the search bar. Tap the result and verify the developer is listed as VitalOS before installing.
- 03
Install to your watch
Tap "Install" and select your Garmin device. Keep your watch nearby with Bluetooth on — it syncs wirelessly in under 30 seconds.
- 04
Launch VitalOS on your watch
Press the Apps button, scroll to VitalOS, and open it. This one-time setup takes a few seconds. After that, HRV, sleep, and strain tracking run automatically in the background.
- 05
Connect to your dashboard
Go to the VitalOS dashboard, sign in with Garmin Connect, and your recovery score, sleep data, and HRV trends appear within minutes of the next sync.
How VitalOS stacks up
Same data. No subscription. No extra hardware.
| Feature | VitalOS | Native Garmin | Whoop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recovery Score (0–100) | |||
| HRV Trend Graphs | Basic | ||
| Sleep Stage Breakdown | |||
| Strain / Load Tracking | Steps only | ||
| Cross-device (Garmin + Apple Watch) | |||
| Web Dashboard | |||
| Monthly subscription fee | $0 | $0 | $30 |
| Requires Whoop hardware |
Compatible Garmin watches
Requires heart rate sensor + GPS. Most watches from 2019 onward are supported.
Forerunner
245 · 255 · 265 · 955 · 965
Fenix
6 · 7 · 8 series
Epix
Gen 2 · Epix Pro
Venu
2 · 3 series
Vivoactive
4 · 5
Instinct
2 · Solar series
Marq
Gen 2
Don't see your model? Check the full list on Connect IQ Store
Frequently asked questions
Is VitalOS free for Garmin?
Yes — completely free, no subscription ever. Download from the Connect IQ Store and every feature is unlocked at no cost.
Does it require Garmin Connect?
Yes. Garmin Connect is the bridge that syncs data from your watch to VitalOS. The app is free on iOS and Android.
How is this different from native Garmin health tracking?
Native Garmin gives you raw steps and basic sleep, but not a unified recovery score or HRV trends in one dashboard. VitalOS turns that raw sensor data into actionable health insights — completely free.
Will it drain my battery?
No. VitalOS uses the same background heart-rate hardware Garmin already activates in sleep mode. The additional battery impact is typically less than 5% over 24 hours.
Can I use VitalOS with both Garmin and Apple Watch?
Yes. VitalOS is device-agnostic. You can switch between watches and all your data stays in one unified dashboard — no re-setup needed.
My watch installed but shows no data — what do I do?
Open Garmin Connect and pull down to force a sync. Make sure you've launched VitalOS on the watch at least once. First-sync data can take up to 15 minutes to appear.
How do I update VitalOS on my watch?
Updates push automatically via Garmin Connect. You can also check manually: Garmin Connect → My Devices → your watch → Connect IQ Apps → VitalOS → Update.
Is my health data private?
Yes. Operated by Helvetic Network. Your activity data is never sold or shared with third parties. You can revoke access at any time in Garmin Connect under Settings → Connected Apps.
Ready to stop paying for data?
Download VitalOS from the Garmin Connect IQ Store and start tracking recovery, sleep, and HRV — free, forever.
Download on Connect IQ — Free