Best watch faces for Garmin Forerunner
The best watch faces for the Garmin Forerunner: the modern Forerunners — 70, 170, 165, 265, 570, 965 and 970 — all use bright AMOLED screens, so running-focused, data-rich faces look and work best. Here are our picks, live.
Pick your model: Forerunner 70 · Forerunner 170 · Forerunner 165 · Forerunner 265 · Forerunner 570Forerunner 970 — model-specific picks. The 965 and 970 share the same faces as the 570 below.
Our picks for the Forerunner
№2Germany Park Atlas
Sixteen illustrated landscapes, one for every national park in Germany, behind a large digital time: from the Alpine lake of Berchtesgaden to the chalk cliffs of Jasmund, the beech forests of Hainich and all three Wadden Sea parks. Pick one, or let them rotate through the day. The date sits on top; the park name, battery and steps sit below. For round AMOLED Garmin watches.
№3Sky Vista
A weather dashboard with a wide alpine panorama that follows Garmin weather — sun, clouds, rain, storm, snow or a clear night — with temperature, daily high and low, big time, five configurable fields including weekly running distance, and seven accents. For round AMOLED Garmin watches.
№4Camo Tactical
A camo military chronograph: tachymeter bezel, two gauge subdials with real needles, LCD data panels and a live weather porthole.
№5Active Face
A data-maximalist cockpit — HR, distance, calories, floors, altitude, a step-goal ring and a live Body Battery graph.
№6JSON Face MIP
The JSON Face code-editor look, rebuilt for round Garmin MIP screens: the date, the time and your readings as a little JSON file with syntax colours and line numbers. The font size is picked for each screen so every row fits the circle. Eight editor themes, free. For fēnix 5 to 7, fēnix 8 Solar, Enduro, MIP Forerunner models and more.
The 165, 265, 570, 965 and 970 are AMOLED, so pick a battery-smart face and an always-on display barely costs you; the 255 and 955 use a MIP screen and take our faces made for MIP — see do watch faces drain battery?
Pick your Forerunner
Each model has its own guide with six live picks tuned to its screen and use:
- Forerunner 970 — the racing flagship: sapphire AMOLED, maps, ECG.
- Forerunner 965 and 955 — the previous flagships (965 AMOLED, 955 MIP).
- Forerunner 570 — the 2025 mid-range, 42 and 47 mm.
- Forerunner 265 and 255 — 265 AMOLED, 255 MIP.
- Forerunner 165 watch faces and 170 — the entry AMOLED runners.
- Forerunner 70 — the newest budget AMOLED.
Forerunner watch faces — FAQ
Are there free watch faces for the Forerunner?
Yes. The Forerunner runs Connect IQ, so free faces work on it. Browse our free Garmin watch faces, then try each one live.
Is the Forerunner AMOLED or MIP?
It depends on the model — the Forerunner 265, 570 and 965 are AMOLED, while the 255 and 955 use a MIP (transflective) screen. See AMOLED vs MIP.
How do I change the watch face on the Forerunner?
Install a face from the Connect IQ Store, then set it from the watch (hold UP/MENU, then Watch Face) or in the Garmin Connect app. Step by step: how to change your Garmin watch face.