Last updated 16Jan26

Garmin GPSMAP H1i Plus Set Up and Use

This is really an aid for me, but it may be useful to others, so I’ll publish it. Will be very handy if a full factory reset is required! Also, I’d like to hear from you if you’re using the same handheld for Hiking. There is so much to get your head around and you can help me.

I work in a Windows 11, iPhone iOS 26 environment.

I’m transitioning from a GPSMAP66i to this GPSMAP H1i Plus, so would like the new handheld to mimic my use of the old one as much as possible.

Why did I get it?

  1. Hybrid touch screen and buttons
  2. 64GB internal memory
  3. microSD card up to 1TB
  4. Claimed better battery life
  5. Multi-band GPS and multi-GNSS support
  6. Cameras. An 8mp rear and 5mp front facing cameras. Not award winning. Photos stored in …\Internal Storage\DCIM\… by default. They turn out better than they look on the GPS
  7. Exchange photos, voice messages (and text) via inReach
  8. Updated user interface
  9. USB-C interface for charging and Mass Storage Mode connection.

Why You might not want it

  1. Expensive $1648.88 from Anaconda 14/11/25. RRP $1749.00.

Documentation

  1. Here online and here as pdf.

Set Up

  1. Charge the GPS.
  2. Turn on. Set Language English.
  3. Pair the GPS with smartphone, skipping inReach activation. This automatically registers the device with Garmin (a confirming email is received) and starts Garmin Connect app on the smartphone.
  4. Garmin Connect app advises Software Update. Cable connect the GPS to PC and use Garmin Express (PC app). This includes setting up Wi-Fi. Manage Maps by adding TopoActive Australia & Oceania and deleting unwanted maps. Software updated to 2.08 (takes a while)
  5. Use Garmin Express to also load maps to PC for use with BaseCamp. In Express, select Computer tab, use default path of C:\ProgramData\Garmin\Maps. Launching BaseCamp program on PC makes maps available.
  6. Create/logon your Garmin account and check that the GPS has been registered.
  7. Turn on GPS to update software (takes a while).

Identity

  1.  Record the serial number on the back of the GPS
  2. Open the Apps List, Settings, System, About. Record identifying information.

Status LED

  1.  Flashing green = The screen is turned off. Other values here
  2. Very brief flash = at power on.

 Set Up Options

Change default setting by Open the Apps List, Settings … (also, many of these settings can be set up/changed via Garmin Connect app on a Bluetooth connected smartphone)

  1. Display & Brightness, Brightness, High
  2. Display/Display Timeout, 1 Minute
  3. Auto Lock, On (to protect against accidental actions). Requires tap of power button to activate screen
  4. Connectivity, Bluetooth, Smart Notifications, select On or Off as desired
  5. Connectivity, Bluetooth, Pair with Messenger, QR code then follow instructions
  6. Connectivity, Wi-Fi, On. Connected to Wi-Fi via Garmin Connect app on smartphone More, Garmin Devices, GPSMAP H1i Plus, Connectivity, Wi-Fi, My Networks, Add a Network, etc (NB. If doing it on GPS and have a space in your router password, the space character is at the bottom of the screen keyboard viz. English underscore.)
  7. Data Recording, Output Format, FIT and GPX
  8. Data Recording, Trip Recording, Always.
  9. System, Compass, Display, Numeric Degrees
  10. System, Compass, North Reference, Magnetic
  11. System, Compass, Calibrate Compass, follow directions
  12. System, Altimeter, Calibrate Altimeter, Calibrate
  13. System, Position Format, MGRS
  14. System, Waypoints, Auto Name Type, Date/Time. This starts the waypoint name with a prefix of dd-MMM-yy h:mm:ssm
  15. System, Waypoints, Auto Name Type, Prefix/Suffix. Leave Prefix Enabled Off. Return to Waypoints, Suffix, Enter Waypoint Suffix, set a number. This starts the waypoint name (ie. a prefix) with 000n
  16. System, Waypoints, Auto Name Type = Prefix/Suffix, Prefix Enabled = On, Prefix = set a value. This starts the waypoint name with [prefix value][suffix value]
  17. System, Reset, Reset Trip Data or Delete All Waypoints, etc – as needed. Delete All Waypoints will reset the suffix to 1
  18. APPS, Map, Hike Settings, Map Dashboard, Small Data Fields ?
  19. APPS, Map, Hike Settings, Track Color, select Black ? is this the recorded track colour
  20. APPS, Map, Hike Settings, High Contrast, On (default is Off)
  21. APPS, Map, Hike Settings, COMPASS, Compass Dashboard, Small Data Fields
  22. APPS, Map, Hike Settings, ACTIVITY RECORDING, Auto Pause and Auto Lap, Off
  23. APPS, Map, Orientation, Track Up
  24. APPS, Camera, Save Photos To, select Data Card (If Present)
  25. APPS, Geocaching, Register Device, follow instructions – needs access to www.geo.co/garmin
  26. Installed Battery Monitor from Connect IQ Store. This gives battery %age. To access it, open Apps List, Connect IQ, Battery Monitor
  27. Startup identity. Cable connect GPS to PC and add:
    Name, Phone, Address max 5 lines to …\GARMIN\Startup.txt (could not edit with Notepad, had to create new file and copy/replace)
  28. APPS, Map, layers icon, Map Layers = TopoActive + Activity Line (causes the walked track to be displayed on the map – just the way I want it!) + Contour Lines +High Contrast + Waypoints
  29. Downloaded OSM from https://alternativaslibres.org/en/index.php via Downloads, Garmin Maps, Oceania, Base map with DEM and Contour lines. Unzipped and copied .img files to micoSD card in adapter on PC. Changed filenames to make them unique. MicroSD card into GPS and turned on map layers Contourlines Australia and OSM Australia DEM.

Getting Data to the GPS

  1. Acquire a gpx file
    via Explore website
  2. Access the Garmin Explore website, MAP
  3. Import icon (top right), Import as Tracks, Add your imported items to new collections, Sync New Collections to These Devices, select device, OK, Name: type new collection name, Next, click to get source, Import …
    via Explore app
  4. Access the Garmin Explore app, tap +, Import.GPX, select the gpx file, Done. This imports the track and waypoints.
  5. Devices, select the device, sync
  6. On the GPS, the data is available as waypoints and a course eg. Start Activity, Navigation, Saved, select a waypoint or the course, Start.
    via Mass Storage Mode
  7. You can copy a gpx file to GPSMAP H1i Plus\Internal Storage\GPX\NewFiles. Any ‘track’ in the gpx file presents on the GPS as a course and is usable (eg. can Navigate to it). Waypoints in the gpx file are visible on the GPS, BUT CANNOT BE USED (eg. can’t navigate to them). On a subsequent Mass Storage connection of the GPS, the …\NewFiles gpx file has disappeared. The only way to send usable waypoints to the GPS is via the Explore website or app.

Use

  1. GPS starts at first of the glances. Home page is default, with default fields of Trip Odometer, Total Ascent, Map, Saved, Compass, Altimeter. Can change order of glances and data fields in a glance (see here)
  2. To set a waypoint do: MARK (button), tap NAME field, identify as desired (no space character!), tap keyboard icon when finished, tap Done. Also set a waypoint via open Apps list, Mark Waypoint, …
  3. To navigate (follow) a preloaded course, Home page, Saved, select (tap) a course, 3 bars, Set Color (see here) ,Navigate, Go ?
  4. To display the activity breadcrumb whilst not navigating (ie. just going for a wander), Garmin Australia Support advises: Start Activity, Start, Saved, Current Activity will take you to a map showing the activity line. But see above – set Activity Line in Map Layers!

Getting Data from the GPS to a PC

      via Connect/Explore websites

  1. The GPS automatically syncs with Garmin apps
  2. The easiest way to retrieve the recorded track is via the Garmin Connect website. On the website, access the Activity, More…, Export to GPX

The way to retrieve the recorded waypoints is via the Garmin Explore website, MAP, Activities, Waypoints, select desired waypoints, Export icon (top right), GPX File exports gpx file to PC Downloads
     via Connect/Explore apps

  1. …….
    via Mass Storage Mode
  2. Recorded activities are stored as
    …\Internal Storage\GARMIN\GPXActivities\yyyy-mm-dd-hh-mm-ss.gpx

… and a whole lot more to come