How to Open a FIT File Without Garmin Connect

What a FIT file is

FIT (Flexible and Interoperable Data Transfer) is the binary format Garmin created for activity files. Wahoo, Hammerhead, Zwift and most bike computers and training apps use it too. A ride’s FIT file holds a timestamped record of everything your sensors saw, such as position, speed, heart rate, power, cadence and elevation, plus laps and a summary. Because it’s binary, a text editor can’t read it; you need software that understands the format.

Step 1: get the file off your device

Connect over USB. Plug your Garmin into a computer with its cable.
Open GARMIN → Activity. On some models the folder is called Activities. Each ride is a .fit file named with its date and time.
Copy it to your computer. This is the original recording, before any app has touched it.

On a Mac: many newer Garmins connect as MTP devices rather than USB drives, and Finder doesn’t show those. Install a free MTP file-transfer app to see the files. Older models appear in Finder like a USB stick.

Already synced the ride? On the Garmin Connect website you can open it, click the gear icon and choose Export Original, and Garmin can also export your whole account. The Garmin export guide has the steps.

Step 2: open it

In your browser, with nothing to install

The WattsUP FIT File Viewer opens .fit, .gpx and .tcx files, and also Garmin .zip exports and Strava .fit.gz files without unzipping them. It shows distance, time, elevation, average and normalized power, TSS and every climb. The file is read on your computer and never uploaded, and you don’t need an account.

On your desktop

GoldenCheetah is free, open-source analysis software for Windows, Mac and Linux. It imports FIT files and keeps your history on your own computer, with very detailed charts once you learn its interface.

On a training platform

Intervals.icu (free), Strava and TrainingPeaks all accept FIT uploads. That’s the right choice if you want the ride in your long-term history there, but it means uploading your GPS track to their servers.

As a spreadsheet

Garmin’s free FIT SDK includes FitCSVTool, a small Java program that converts a FIT file to CSV. Open the CSV in Excel or Google Sheets. Each recorded message becomes a row, so a long ride makes a big sheet.

If the numbers look off

If your ride shows gaps, odd average power or a jagged map, your device may be on Smart recording, which only saves a point when something changes. See Garmin Smart recording vs 1-second recording for what that changes and how to switch.

Frequently asked questions

What program opens a FIT file?+

FIT is a binary format, so a text editor shows nonsense. Free options that open it: browser viewers such as the WattsUP FIT File Viewer (no account, nothing uploaded), desktop software such as GoldenCheetah, and online platforms such as Intervals.icu, Strava or TrainingPeaks after you upload it. Garmin’s FIT SDK also includes a converter to CSV.

Can I open a FIT file in Excel?+

Not directly. Convert it to CSV first with FitCSVTool, a small Java program in Garmin’s free FIT SDK, then open the CSV in Excel or Google Sheets. Expect one row per recorded message, so a long ride makes a large sheet.

Where are FIT files stored on a Garmin?+

Connect the device to a computer over USB and open the GARMIN folder. Rides are in the Activity or Activities folder, depending on the model, as .fit files named by date and time.

Why can’t my Mac see my Garmin?+

Many newer Garmin watches and bike computers connect as MTP devices instead of USB drives, and macOS Finder does not show MTP devices. You need a free MTP file-transfer app to browse them. Older models that connect as a USB drive show up in Finder directly.

Is it safe to open my FIT file in an online viewer?+

A ride file contains your GPS track, which often starts and ends at home. Check whether a viewer uploads the file before you use it. The WattsUP FIT File Viewer reads the file in your browser and never sends it to a server.

Sources

WattsUP is not affiliated with Garmin.