Your Garmin Watch is a USB Stick: A Handy Backup for Emergencies

This is one of those ‘How to’ articles that will either change your life or, like me, leave you shrugging and thinking ‘Didn’t everyone know how to do that?”

I thought of writing this short article for two reasons. Firstly, I spent 10 minutes looking for a USB stick to transfer some large files to a PC at a friend’s house, and secondly, because the same friend was ‘amazed’ by my simple solution.

Several times, I’ve gone looking for a USB stick. It’s never immediately apparent that I can use my Garmin even when I’ve done that before, and the Garmin is right in front of me on my wrist.

Most Garmins will do the job, be they a watch or an Edge bike computer – the major caveat being that there is enough free space on them – older Garmin watches, especially those that never had maps or music capabilities, usually have limited space.

How It Works

Garmin watches, particularly those in the Forerunner and Fenix series, connect to computers with a proprietary cable via USB as Media Transfer Protocol (MTP) devices. This means you can access the internal storage, transfer files, and even store essential documents as you would on a USB stick. Plug it into your computer as if you were about to use Garmin Express, and it will appear as a Windows Internal Storage device. Copy files or folders across to it.

Avoid using any of the existing garmin folders; the watch may automatically delete some files in some of those folders. Also, avoid deleting anything from the existing folder.

Is it secure?

A: No!

Garmin recently introduced a PASSCODE to protect the entire watch. Of course, being Garmin, this feature hasn’t been thoroughly thought through and plugging a passcode-protected Garmin into a PC allows the person with the watch full access to anything on the watch…including the files you put on there to transfer

Practical Uses

You may only keep your Garmin charging cable at home. The need for an emergency USB stick could happen anywhere, and your Garmin won’t be able to solve the problem without its cable. At least it won’t work unless you have one of these clever little right-angle adapters on your key ring. Providing there is a standard USB-C cable available that is compatible with whatever you are plugging the Garmin into, you will be good to go.

Buy: These charge adapters are GBP3/USD4 each: Amazon.

What do you think?

Have you ever used your Garmin as an emergency USB ‘stick’

— the5krunner (@the5krunner) February 24, 2025

More: Best Garmin charger and dock Station

the Best Garmin Charger Dock Station (Charging Puck & Cable)