Garmin Elevate

Garmin Elevate
Elevate Gen. 5 sensor on the Fenix 7 Pro
Overview
Introduced	2015
First Device	Forerunner 235
Type	Sensor Technology
Availability
Devices	Most Garmin fitness watches

Garmin Elevate is Garmin's proprietary optical heart rate sensor technology used in wrist-based wearables. First introduced in October 2015 with the Forerunner 235, the Elevate sensor uses photoplethysmography (PPG) to measure heart rate directly from the wrist, eliminating the requirement for a chest strap heart rate monitor.

Prior to developing Elevate, Garmin partnered with Mio Global to incorporate optical heart rate technology in the Forerunner 225 (released August 2015). The FR225 was Garmin's first GPS running watch with wrist-based heart rate, but it used Mio's sensor technology rather than an in-house solution. The success of the FR225 demonstrated market demand for wrist-based heart rate monitoring, leading Garmin to develop its own proprietary Elevate technology for subsequent devices.

The sensor shines LED lights into the skin and measures the amount of light reflected back to detect blood flow changes with each heartbeat. Over the years, Garmin has refined the Elevate sensor through five major generations, improving accuracy, expanding LED configurations, adding capabilities like blood oxygen monitoring and ECG, and reducing power consumption.

Sensor Generations

Garmin does not officially publish generation names for the Elevate sensor; the "Gen. 1" through "Gen. 5" labels used here are community classifications inferred from product teardowns and historical device updates.

Generation	Year	First Devices	LED Configuration	Key Additions	Image
Pre-Elevate	2015	Forerunner 225	Green LEDs (Mio)	First Garmin wrist HR (Mio partnership)
Elevate Gen. 1	2015	Forerunner 235, Fenix 3 HR	3 green LEDs	First Garmin in-house optical HR
Elevate Gen. 2	2017	Forerunner 935, Fenix 5	3 green LEDs	Improved high-intensity accuracy
Elevate Gen. 3	2019	Forerunner 945, Fenix 6	Green + Red/IR LEDs	Pulse Ox (SpO2), integrated red/IR
Elevate Gen. 4	2021	Fenix 7, Forerunner 955, Venu 2 Plus	Green + Red/IR LEDs	Better HRV, ECG (Venu 2 Plus only)
Elevate Gen. 5	2023	Fenix 7 Pro, Epix Pro (Gen 2)	6 green + 2 red/orange LEDs, 4 photodiodes	Skin temp, expanded ECG, improved accuracy

Generation Details

Pre-Elevate: Mio Partnership (2015)

Before developing its own optical heart rate technology, Garmin partnered with Mio Global, a company specializing in continuous optical heart rate monitoring for athletes. Mio had established itself as a leader in wrist-based heart rate technology through products like the Mio Alpha, which was among the first accurate optical heart rate monitors designed for sports use.

The partnership resulted in the Forerunner 225, announced in June 2015 and released in August 2015. This was Garmin's first GPS running watch to feature wrist-based heart rate monitoring, eliminating the need for a chest strap during runs. The FR225 used Mio's optical sensor technology rather than a Garmin-developed solution.

Technical Details:

• Sensor Provider: Mio Global
• LED Configuration: Green LEDs (Mio's proprietary arrangement)
• Sampling Rate: Continuous during activities
• Features Enabled: Real-time heart rate display, heart rate zones, calorie calculation based on HR

Significance:

The FR225 served as a proof of concept for Garmin, demonstrating that runners would embrace wrist-based heart rate monitoring despite concerns about accuracy compared to chest straps. The watch received generally positive reviews for its heart rate accuracy during steady-state running, though it showed limitations during interval training and activities with rapid heart rate changes—a common challenge for early optical sensors.

The commercial success of the FR225 validated the market opportunity and provided Garmin with valuable insights into optical heart rate technology. Rather than continuing to license third-party sensors, Garmin chose to develop its own proprietary solution, leading to the creation of Garmin Elevate just months later.

Elevate Gen. 1

The original Elevate sensor marked Garmin's first in-house wrist-based optical heart rate technology, debuting in the Forerunner 235 and Fenix 3 HR in late 2015. This was distinct from the earlier Forerunner 225, which used optical heart rate technology developed by Mio Global rather than Garmin's own sensor.

The Gen. 1 sensor used three green LEDs with a basic photodiode configuration to detect pulse through the skin. While it enabled convenient 24/7 heart rate monitoring and activity tracking without a chest strap, the sensor had notable limitations during high-intensity exercise and was susceptible to motion artifacts. This generation laid the foundation for the health features Garmin would build in subsequent generations.

Elevate Gen. 2

Elevate Gen 2 sensor on the back of a Forerunner 935 (2017)

Elevate Gen. 2 brought improved accuracy during high-intensity activities, addressing one of the main criticisms of the original sensor. Debuting with the Forerunner 935 and Fenix 5 series in 2017, the Gen. 2 sensor featured refined algorithms that better filtered motion artifacts during running, cycling, and other dynamic activities.

The LED configuration remained similar to Gen. 1, but the photodiode sensitivity and signal processing were enhanced. According to Garmin, the sensor uses proprietary algorithms to filter out signal noise in real time, accounting for factors like sweat, vibrations, temperature fluctuations, and movement. This generation established Garmin's Elevate technology as competitive with other wrist-based HR solutions on the market.

Elevate Gen. 3

Elevate Gen 3 sensor on the back of a Fenix 6 (2019) — adds red/IR LEDs for Pulse Ox

Elevate Gen. 3 represented a major hardware expansion with the addition of red and infrared LEDs alongside the existing green LEDs. This enabled Pulse Ox (SpO2) monitoring for the first time on Garmin wearables, allowing users to track blood oxygen saturation during sleep or at altitude.

First appearing in the Forerunner 945 and Fenix 6 series in 2019, the Gen. 3 sensor used the different light wavelengths to measure how oxygenated blood absorbs light differently than deoxygenated blood. This generation also improved overall heart rate accuracy and enabled more sophisticated sleep tracking with respiration rate estimation.

Elevate Gen. 4

Elevate Gen 4 sensor on the back of a Fenix 7 (2022) — improved HRV tracking and lower power consumption

Elevate Gen. 4 focused on improved HRV (heart rate variability) tracking and lower power consumption. Debuting with the Fenix 7 series and Forerunner 955 in early 2022, this generation enabled more accurate overnight HRV measurements, which power features like HRV Status, Body Battery, and Training Readiness.

The Gen. 4 sensor also introduced ECG capability on one device. The Venu 2 Plus (2022) was the first Garmin watch to feature ECG functionality, though this required additional hardware (electrodes in the bezel) and was not available on other Gen. 4 devices. ECG remained limited to that single model during the Gen. 4 era.

Gen. 4 remained in active use on later devices as well. The 2026 CIRQA Smart Band ships with Elevate Gen. 4 rather than Elevate Gen. 5; Garmin product manager Chrissy Wheeler said the newer optical module was larger and would have made the screenless band thicker, so CIRQA kept Gen. 4 (including skin temperature) to preserve the thin form factor.

Elevate Gen. 5

The latest generation, Elevate Gen. 5, debuted with the Fenix 7 Pro and Epix Pro (Gen 2) in mid-2023. This generation brought several significant improvements:

Hardware Changes:

• Expanded LED array — product teardowns show six green LEDs, two red/orange LEDs, and four photodiodes, surrounded by an electrical isolation ring used for ECG measurement
• Skin temperature sensor integrated into the optical sensor module
• Enhanced photodiode configuration for improved signal quality during movement

Feature Improvements:

• Expanded ECG support across more device lines (though still not universal—ECG requires additional bezel electrodes)
• Enhanced accuracy during dynamic movements like weightlifting, CrossFit, and swimming
• Improved detection of poor sensor contact to reduce erroneous readings
• Better performance in cold conditions and with varied skin tones
• More efficient power consumption for extended battery life

Subsequent devices like the Fenix 8, Venu 4, and Forerunner 965 also feature Elevate Gen. 5. However, not all Gen. 5 watches include ECG functionality—for example, the Forerunner 570 has Elevate Gen. 5 but lacks ECG, as ECG requires regulatory approval in each market and additional hardware components beyond the optical sensor itself.

As of 2026, Gen. 5 remains Garmin's current optical heart rate sensor. A sixth generation is widely anticipated to debut on a future flagship such as the Fenix 9, with expectations centered on passive irregular-heart-rhythm notifications, improved accuracy during high-motion activities, and better SpO2 and respiration estimates.

How It Works

The Elevate sensor uses photoplethysmography (PPG), a light-based technique to detect blood volume changes in the microvascular bed of tissue.

Green LEDs are primarily used for heart rate measurement because hemoglobin absorbs green light effectively, making it easier to detect the pulse wave as blood flows through capillaries near the skin surface. During systole (heart contraction), hemoglobin density increases and more green light is absorbed. During diastole (relaxation), hemoglobin density is lower and more green light is reflected.

Red and infrared LEDs (added in Gen. 3) enable blood oxygen saturation measurement. Oxygenated hemoglobin absorbs more infrared light and allows more red light to pass through, while deoxygenated hemoglobin does the opposite. By comparing the absorption ratios, the sensor estimates SpO2 levels.

Garmin's sensors operate at dual frequencies: in periods of low activity or rest, the sensor uses low-frequency sensing mode, but switches to higher-frequency sensing when it detects increased physical activity. This allows continuous 24/7 monitoring while preserving battery life.

Features Powered by Elevate

The Elevate sensor enables numerous health and fitness features across Garmin devices:

• Heart Rate Monitoring — Continuous and activity-based heart rate tracking
• HRV Status — Heart rate variability analysis for recovery insights
• Body Battery — Energy monitoring based on heart rate and HRV data
• Stress Tracking — All-day stress level monitoring
• Pulse Ox — Blood oxygen saturation (Gen. 3 and later)
• Sleep Tracking — Sleep stage detection using heart rate patterns
• Training Readiness — Readiness scores incorporating HR and HRV data
• VO2 Max — Cardiorespiratory fitness estimation
• Respiration Rate — Breathing rate estimation
• ECG — Electrocardiogram recording (select Gen. 4/Gen. 5 devices with bezel electrodes)
• Skin Temperature — Wrist skin temperature tracking (Gen. 5)
• Heart Rate Broadcasting — Relays real-time heart rate to paired devices and apps (e.g. Garmin Edge bike computers, gym equipment, and apps such as Zwift) over ANT+ and Bluetooth
• Abnormal Heart Rate Alerts — High and low heart rate notifications based on resting readings

Accuracy Considerations

While Elevate sensors provide convenient wrist-based heart rate monitoring, accuracy can be affected by several factors:

• Fit — The watch must be worn snugly above the wrist bone for optimal sensor contact
• Skin tone and tattoos — Very dark skin or tattoos may affect light absorption
• Cold temperatures — Reduced blood flow to extremities can impact readings
• Sweat and moisture — Can introduce signal noise
• High-intensity intervals — Rapid HR changes during sprints may lag slightly
• Certain exercises — Movements that flex the wrist (e.g., push-ups, deadlifts) can cause artifacts

For maximum accuracy during critical training, Garmin recommends pairing with a chest strap heart rate monitor such as the HRM-Pro Plus or HRM 600.

See Also

• Pulse Ox
• HRV Status
• Body Battery
• Training Readiness
• Sleep Tracking

External Links

• Official Garmin Heart Rate Monitoring Page
• Garmin: Optical Heart Rate Technology (Singapore)