Connecting a heart rate monitor belt to Galaxy Watch5 Pro

[Anonymous User]

Hi All,
I am hoping somebody has information about it: I would like to connect a heart rate monitor belt (chest-strap) to the watch. This would allow me to monitor heart rate when I can't wear my watch (such as when working with kettlebells).

Samsung customer service suggested to try to connect the belt to my watch using bluetooth. This doesn't work because the watch doesn't recognize the Suunto Smart Sensor bluetooth belt.

However, I did manage to connect the same belt to Samsung Health on my Galaxy S21 Ultra.

I have two questions I hope to get some help on:

- Anyone knows if Watch5 can connect via bluetooth to Suunto Smart Sensor bluetooth heart rate monitor belt? If so, how?

- If not, is there any heart rate chest strap by any other manufacturer that can work with Watch 5 Pro?

(Samsung unfortunately doesn't manufacture this accessory, but I hope its watch can still connect to one.)

[Big O]

Hey Juan, I managed to connect my polar as an accessory to the Samsung health app. Have you learned if it is automatically picking up the signal? If not, how to get it to work?

[Members_vKDeyRq]

It's worth noting that you used to be able to add third party HRMs to Samsung Health on the Samsung Gear Fit 2 and Galaxy Watch Active 2. So it's not that they haven't added this functionality, they seem to have actually removed it. 

[JorgenS]

I just upgraded from the Classic 4 to the Classic 6 (both biggest ) for the improved battery life and screen. I just thought I'd share that the heart rate sensor appears unchanged, it's just as rubbish now as then.

I knew this beforehand, the Fenix has far better sensors - alas no LTE - but it would be great if Samsung could just please properly support external straps of any make, or make their own. 

I use a Wahoo Bolt and Garmin Strap for my riding, just did a ride then and only when far tighter than normal would it start following my heart rate from 150 up to 185 - even if way behind the Wahoo as well.

To summarise: In all other respects the 6 is a fantastic upgrade, but for HR it's simply same old. It's an easy fix, in theory - Samsung needs to just add external hr strap support which should disable the internal sensor when in use.

[Marcio Canavez]

Why doesn't Samsung let you pair the heart rate straps? In addition to improving the accuracy in the activities, it would save a bit of battery life in the activities. All smartwatches allow this.

[TomazKusar]

Another Galaxy 5 PRO smartwatch user with same issue...

I was deeply, unplesandly, surprised when realised, that watch does not support external HRM.

I believe that all what need's to be done, is writing this rule in software (by SAMSUNG of course) and distribute it via updates...

SAMSUNG, make it happen, please!🙏👍🫶

[Syf3r]

Coming here aggrevated, after just having bought a chest strap because the watch doesn't accurately record my heart rate hardly at all, only to find out I can't use it with Samsung health anyways. Absolutely rediculous.

Google Fit it is then. 

[Marcio Canavez]

These days I made a post about the advancement of technology in wearables. Many companies like Garmin and Polar that are fitness trackers are adding new smartwatch functions to their watches. Garmin, for example, this week launched a beta update that shows images in notifications, which is already an advance for this category of watches. On the contrary, many companies like Apple, which is excellent when it comes to smartwatches, has launched several new running materials in addition to supporting pairing of external sports sensors. And Samsung? So it is! The Galaxy watch 6 is an excellent smartwatch but it fails a lot when it comes to fitness Tracker, these days I posted about the non-possibility of pairing with external heart rate sensors such as the h10 polar strap which is known as the most accurate on the market, I thought that it would be a hardware limitation but to my surprise today I downloaded an app called GT Tracker on Google play with support for wear os and I was able to pair the heart strap and it worked perfectly, in other words, the Galaxy watch 6 can support external sensors as long as Samsung has a good willing. Why is it possible in the Samsung health application on the S23? It sounds silly, but anyone who is serious about sports knows that optical sensors are not accurate when practicing sports due to arm movements, this is normal. Another thing, they are limited when there is a sudden change in heart rate like sprinting or other sports. Anyway, the Galaxy watch 6 is an excellent smartwatch but it fails a lot in terms of fitness tracking due to the laziness of Samsung developers. It's time to change that Samsung!

[soutieslak]

Samsung, please add external heart rate strap support to the Samsung health Wear Os watch application!

The feature works great on Samsung health on my mobile phone, but I want to do it directly with my watch, and not with my phone.

[Members_7siouwN]

I purchased the Watch 6 Classic approximately a month ago and am now considering return due to connectivity impossibility with my HRM. This has been a disappointing experience, especially when it is 2024!!!!!

[Sergio Pedicino]

I was able to configure the external HR monitor to google fit, but it looks like the option is now gone!

The only option is to run with my phone if I want to have this information available which is disappointing to say the least!