Connecting a Garmin inReach to a Garmin Smartwatch
Getting the Garmin inReach Remote Function Working with the Epix Pro Gen 2
I recently picked up a Epix Pro Gen 2 as Garmin has started discounting previous-generation watches with the release of new versions of the Fenix 8 and Fenix 8 Pro. I have really liked the workout and health tracking, but another one of my motivations for buying it was to use it on backpacking trips. To that end, I decided to pair my inReach Mini 2 with the Epix Pro. The Garmin Messenger app is pre-installed on the watch, so how hard could it be?
Turns out it is a little more complicated than it seems. The Messenger app is fine for sending and receiving messages but does not handle tracking, SOS, or preset messages. Depending on your needs and inReach subscription plan, these features are each critical.
Garmin’s app ecosystem is a bit confusing and the user manual instructions are not always accurate or complete. Here is what I learned while getting it set up with my Epix Pro and inReach Mini 2.
The manual says to “add the inReach glance” on the watch. That sounds straightforward enough, except that there is no “inReach” glance option in the “Add Glance” list.
The following steps are what actually worked for me.
On the inReach Mini 2:
- Press the OK (top-right) button.
- Scroll down to Settings and press OK.
- Scroll to inReach Remote and press OK.
- Toggle the status to On.
- Optionally, scroll down and enable Verification.
On the Epix Pro:
- Long-press the middle left button to open Settings.
- Scroll down to Sensors & Accessories and select it.
- Choose Add New, scroll down to inReach, and select it.
- Follow the prompts to connect your watch to the inReach Mini 2.
Once paired, the inReach Remote (“iR”) app should appear when you scroll down on the main watch face. From there, you can send preset messages, start or stop tracking, or trigger an SOS, all directly from your watch. You can also turn off the iR app on the watch when not using the inReach so that the watch does not keep trying to find and connect to the inReach.
Hopefully this saves someone else the head-scratching I went through trying to get the inReach Remote working properly!
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