Driver FixRecommendedSound, Wi-Fi or graphics acting up? Check drivers firstFind missing or outdated drivers fast.Check DriversHalloween DealsAmazon USHalloween week deals: useful picks before month-endAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.Check DealsPC HealthRecommendedCrashes, freezes, slowdowns? Check your PC nowSpot repairable issues before they interrupt work.Check PC×
Skip to content
World desk3 min

How to Set Up Solar Charging and Battery Modes on a Garmin Enduro 2

Garmin Enduro 2 solar charging is automatic. This guide explains how to improve exposure, configure Battery Saver, select activity Power Modes, and understand the battery-life estimates.

Free tools Windows power users keep installed

One-click scans. No signup required.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

On the Garmin Enduro 2, solar charging works automatically: there is no solar mode to turn on and no solar accessory required. Keep the watch face uncovered outdoors, and use Power Manager or an activity’s Power Mode settings to manage battery use. The menu steps below are for Enduro 2; check your watch’s model name in its system/about information and use the matching manual for other Enduro generations. Garmin provides an Enduro support page with model-specific manuals and solar guidance.

How solar charging works on the Enduro 2

The watch collects solar energy while you use it; there is no setting to enable. When wearing it outdoors, avoid covering the face with a sleeve. When it is off your wrist, point the face toward sunlight. Sunny outdoor exposure can extend battery life, but Garmin does not specify a fixed charge rate or promise a particular percentage increase from a short period in the sun.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Solar charging does not occur while the watch is connected to external power or after the battery is full. The watch also stops solar charging automatically if its internal temperature exceeds the solar-charging threshold. Garmin lists a solar charging temperature range of −20° to 80°C in the Enduro 2 manual specifications; this is a device specification, not a recommendation to expose the watch to heat. See the Enduro 2 owner’s manual.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

What Garmin’s solar battery estimates mean

Garmin lists up to 34 days in smartwatch mode, or up to 46 days with solar, assuming all-day wear and three hours per day outdoors in 50,000-lux conditions. For GPS use, Garmin lists up to 110 hours, or up to 150 hours with solar under 50,000-lux conditions. These are manufacturer estimates, not guaranteed results; actual battery life varies with settings and use. Check Garmin’s Enduro 2 product specifications.

#1 Best Overall
Garmin Enduro™ 2 – Ultraperformance Watch
  • The 1.4” Power Sapphire lens harvests the sun’s energy, giving you more power and time between charges
  • AutoSelect mode uses SatIQ technology to dynamically determine the GPS mode necessary to maximize battery life without compromising positional accuracy
  • The rugged, lightweight design won’t slow you down, and the light UltraFit nylon band provides a secure, comfortable fit during all of your activities
  • Navigation tools help you find your way with preloaded TopoActive and ski maps
  • A superbright LED flashlight (twice as bright as the fēnix 7X multisport GPS watch) offers variable intensities with a strobe that matches your running cadence; red safety light mode helps you keep an eye on your immediate surroundings while running at night

Turn on Battery Saver

Battery Saver changes watch-wide features. On Enduro 2:

  1. Hold MENU.
  2. Select Power Manager > Battery Saver.
  3. Set Status to On, then select Edit.
  4. Adjust the available options. The watch shows its estimate of the hours gained as you change settings.

Options include a low-power watch face, Music, Phone, Wi-Fi, Wrist Heart Rate, Pulse Oximeter, and Backlight. Turning off Phone disconnects the paired phone; turning off Wrist Heart Rate stops optical wrist heart rate monitoring. Disabling Music, Wi-Fi, or other features means those functions will not be available while disabled. Available controls can vary by model. Garmin explains these tradeoffs in its Power Manager guidance.

Rank #2
Garmin Enduro™ 2 (MPX) Ultraperformance Watch, Comes with Nylon and Silicone Band, Long-Lasting GPS Battery Life, Solar Charging, Preloaded Maps
  • MULTIPLE TAPE INCLUDES: Garmin's Enduro 2 comes with both an UltraFit Nylon Strap and QuickFit Silicone Band, so you can wear it on any occasion.
  • SUN CHARGED BATTERY: Get up to 34 days of battery life in smartwatch mode - another 12 days when solar energy is charged - for a seamless view of your health and well-being.
  • MADE FOR EXTREMES: The robust, sophisticated and lightweight design features a large screen with 1.4" solar charging and a 51mm case with sapphire lens.
  • TOUCH SCREEN AND BUTTONS: Traditional button controls running in any environment, are paired with a responsive new touchscreen interface for quick access to selections and functions.
  • PERFORMANCE METRICS: View advanced training metrics including running dynamics, heat and altitude, VO2 max, trail running adjustment, rescue advisor, and more.

Choose a Power Mode for an activity

Change the mode for an activity in progress

During an activity, hold MENU, select Power Mode, and choose a mode. The watch displays the estimated available hours for that selection. This is a per-activity change.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Set a default or automatic mode

For recurring use, compatible watches may let you assign a default Power Mode to an activity or enable a mode automatically when estimated battery time reaches a chosen threshold. Find the activity under Activities or Activities & Apps, open its settings, then select Power Mode. Choose Default Mode or Auto Enable if those options appear. Exact support and menu labels depend on the watch model and software; consult Garmin’s Power Manager guidance.

Rank #3
Sale
Garmin Enduro™ 2 – Ultraperformance Watch, Long-Lasting GPS Battery Life, Solar Charging, Preloaded Maps (Renewed), Black
  • The 1.4” Power Sapphire lens harvests the sun’s energy, giving you more power and time between charges
  • AutoSelect mode uses SatIQ technology to dynamically determine the GPS mode necessary to maximize battery life without compromising positional accuracy
  • The rugged, lightweight design won’t slow you down, and the light UltraFit nylon band provides a secure, comfortable fit during all of your activities
  • Navigation tools help you find your way with preloaded TopoActive and ski maps
  • A superbright LED flashlight (twice as bright as the fēnix 7X multisport GPS watch) offers variable intensities with a strobe that matches your running cadence; red safety light mode helps you keep an eye on your immediate surroundings while running at night

Understand the tracking tradeoff

Power Modes may change system features, activity behavior, or GPS settings. Garmin describes these examples:

  • Max Battery: uses UltraTrac GPS to maximize time between charges, with a corresponding change to GPS tracking behavior.
  • Extended: uses GPS without secondary satellite networks.
  • Max Accuracy: uses available satellite networks and multi-band on compatible watches.

Do not choose a preset on battery duration alone: consider whether its GPS behavior and feature changes suit the activity. Use the watch’s estimated remaining hours to compare the choices available on your model.

Rank #4
Sale
Garmin epix Pro (Gen 2) Sapphire, High Performance Smartwatch, 51mm, Black
  • Ultimate high-performance smartwatch features a large 1.4” always-on, stunning AMOLED display and a scratch-resistant sapphire lens with a titanium bezel designed for larger wrists. Physical demensions - 51 x 51 x 15.0 mm Fits wrists with the following circumference: Silicone band: 127-210 mm
  • Built-in LED flashlight with variable intensities and strobe modes gives you greater awareness while you train at night and provides convenient illumination when you need it
  • New hill score feature measures your running strength and endurance during ascents and gauges your progress over time
  • New endurance score feature combines training data from all your athletic pursuits to help you understand how training impacts your overall endurance
  • Gain a more complete picture of your overall health, training and recovery with 24/7 health and wellness monitoring features such as HRV status and Pulse Ox; prioritize your rest and recovery with advanced sleep monitoring (this is not a medical device, and data presented is intended to be a close estimation of metrics tracked; Pulse Ox not available in all countries)

If solar contribution seems low

  • Check that the watch face is exposed rather than covered by clothing.
  • Make sure the battery is not already full and the watch is not connected to external power.
  • Consider whether heat has caused the watch to stop solar charging automatically.
  • Review battery-consuming settings and activity use. Garmin identifies wrist heart rate, phone notifications, GPS, internal sensors, and connected sensors as factors that affect battery life.

A short sunny exposure does not guarantee a visible or predictable percentage increase. The solar feature is intended to extend battery life under suitable conditions, not to provide a guaranteed charge rate.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

Check battery information on your model

Garmin’s Battery Manager glance can show battery percentage, estimated time remaining, usage rate, recent charge and drain history, and feature usage. Garmin’s compatibility list includes Enduro 3, but does not list the original Enduro or Enduro 2. Check your model’s current manual and software before expecting this glance to be available.

Best Value
Sale
Garmin vívoactive® 5, Health & Fitness GPS Smartwatch, 42mm, Ivory | 24/7 Health Monitoring, Built-In Sports Apps, Sleep Coach, Body Battery™ Energy Monitoring, Workout Benefit & Recovery Time
  • Designed with a bright, colorful AMOLED display, get a more complete picture of your health, thanks to battery life of up to 11 days in smartwatch mode (5 days display always-on)
  • Body Battery energy monitoring helps you understand when you’re charged up or need to rest, with even more personalized insights based on sleep, naps, stress levels, workouts and more (data presented is intended to be a close estimation of metrics tracked)
  • Get a sleep score and personalized sleep coaching for how much sleep you need — and get tips on how to improve plus key metrics such as HRV status to better understand your health (data presented is intended to be a close estimation of metrics tracked)
  • Find new ways to keep your body moving with more than 30 built-in indoor and GPS sports apps, including walking, running, cycling, HIIT, swimming, golf and more
  • Wheelchair mode tracks pushes — rather than steps — and includes push and handcycle activities with preloaded workouts for strength, cardio, HIIT, Pilates and yoga, challenges specific to wheelchair users and more (data presented is intended to be a close estimation of metrics tracked)

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

More from the Wire

  1. World desk4 min
    How to Spot an AI Voice Scam Before Sending MoneyDon’t rely on how a caller sounds. Pause, call back through a known number, and verify the emergency with another trusted person before sending money.
  2. Mountain View desk4 min
    Google’s SynthID Detector: How to Check AI-Generated Images, Video and AudioGoogle’s SynthID Detector looks for an embedded watermark in supported images, video and audio. Here is what its results do—and do not—show.
  3. Redmond desk20 min
    How to create a link to File or Folder in Windows 11Windows 11 gives you several ways to point to a file or folder without moving or duplicating it. You can create a desktop shortcut,…
Recommended PC Tool
Recommended PC Tool
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You DownFree scan - exact matches
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They SpreadFree repair scan

Two free Windows tools

One Free Minute Could Fix That PC

Before you go - each of these free tools takes about a minute and tackles what quietly slows a Windows PC down.

Special offer. View Outbyte info, uninstall instructions, EULA, and Privacy Policy.