You Asked, We Answered: Your inReach® Device Questions
July 25, 2024
We receive questions from inReach device1 users around the world through surveys, social media and our product support teams. We’ve answered the most common questions — and a few unique ones — about using inReach satellite communicators.
Q: Is the device supposed to warn about having an active subscription every time I turn it on?
A: Yes. Each time you turn your device on, you will encounter the following notification:
“WARNING: MESSAGING, TRACKING, AND SOS REQUIRE AN ACTIVE SUBSCRIPTION. ALWAYS TEST YOUR DEVICE BEFORE YOU GO.”
This message is for your awareness, so you know your inReach device is fully operational before you may need it for communication or during an emergency. It does not indicate that the inReach device does not have service.
Learn more about this notification and testing your inReach device.
Q: Where does the weather forecast come from?
A: Land forecasts are powered by Meteoblue®, a leading provider of weather data around the globe. It provides a forecast from the nearest reporting weather station to the location requested. Using that weather station data, Meteoblue adjusts the forecast based on the requested location and elevation.
Marine forecasts are based on OCENS premium marine weather data, which provides wave and wind levels to 1/100 of a degree of latitude or longitude. Atlantic data sources include WW3 Multi-Global, WW3 Navy, NDFD, ECMWF and GFS Global Wave as well as HRRR and RAP for wind in some areas.
Learn more about weather for inReach devices.
Q: How do I send a Check-in message?
A: Check-in messages are a convenient way to send short, predefined messages to preselected recipients from your inReach device while you are out and about.
There are three predetermined Check-in messages that cannot be edited. They are:
- I’m checking in, everything is okay.
- I’m starting my trip.
- I’m ending my trip.
Before you leave for your adventure, you must determine your Check-in message recipients. This is done from the Garmin Explore™ website or in the Garmin Messenger™ app, under “Edit Check-in Contacts” (depending upon your device). Note: Check-in messages cannot be sent via the Earthmate™ app.
Directions on sending a Check-in message from your inReach vary depending on which device you own, but for the most part, instructions are:
- From the inReach device home screen, press OK to open the homepage actions.
- Select Check-In.
- Press < or > to scroll through the three check-in message options.
- Press OK to select a message.
- Press OK to send the message.
For directions and more device-specific information, visit the Garmin Support Center, enter your device name into the search bar and search for Check-in messages.
Q: What are Waypoints, and how do I use them?
A: Waypoints are location points you record and store in your inReach device. Waypoints can mark where you are, where you are going or where you have been. Creating a Waypoint within the Earthmate® app, Garmin Explore app or Garmin Explore website–depending on which device you use–can be shared if the Waypoint is saved within a Collection that is shown in MapShare.
Learn more about Waypoints here. For detailed information on how to set Waypoints on your specific inReach device, visit the Garmin Support Center, enter your device name in the search bar, and search for Waypoints.
Q: Which Garmin apps are compatible with my inReach device?
A: Each device connects to a Garmin app (Garmin Messenger™, Garmin Explore™, Earthmate®) that you can download from the App Store® or Google Play to your smartphone. Once an app is downloaded, paired and synced to your inReach device, you may enjoy expanded features for your off-grid adventures and outdoor pursuits.
See below for clarification of the apps, what they do and the devices they connect with:
Garmin Messenger App – Communication and Location Sharing: inReach® Messenger, inReach® Mini 2, GPSMAP® 66i/GPSMAP® 67i, GPSMAP® 86i/GPSMAP® 86sci, Montana® 700i/GPSMAP® 750i and Alpha® 200i/Alpha® 300i devices
Garmin Explore App – Mapping and Navigation: inReach Mini 2, GPSMAP 66i/GPSMAP 67i, GPSMAP 86i/GPSMAP 86sci, Montana 700i/Montana 750i and Alpha 200i/Alpha 300i devices
Earthmate App – Communication, Mapping and Navigation: inReach® Mini, inReach Explorer®+, inReach SE®+ and DeLorme® inReach devices
Note: the Earthmate app is not compatible with inReach Mini 2.
Q: While overnight on an adventure, should I leave my inReach on or turn it off?
A: Because most inReach devices have enough battery life for most adventures, we recommend you leave the device powered on.
If you are on a long trip and need to save battery, know this: An SOS can be initiated even if the device is not powered on. Holding down the SOS button for around 5 seconds will force the unit to power on and initiate an SOS request if you have satellite connection.