Garmin Lily 2 Active specifications and in-depth review

Garmin Lily 2 Active

Manufacturer: Garmin

The Garmin Lily 2 Active is a compact smartwatch built around a 38 mm form factor that weighs just 29 g, making it a lightweight option for everyday wear. It carries a 1″ LCD touchscreen protected by Gorilla Glass 3, paired with an always-on display mode and a resolution of 201 x 240 px at 204 ppi. The band is replaceable and measures 14 mm in width, and the watch ships with a two-year warranty.

On the health and fitness side, the Lily 2 Active includes a heart rate monitor, pulse oximeter, accelerometer, and supports HRV tracking, VO2 max estimation, and resting heart rate measurement, along with sleep tracking and reporting. It connects via Bluetooth 5, NFC, and ANT+, and supports the Galileo satellite system for GPS positioning. The companion app — available on iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS — is free, ad-free, and covers a broad range of features including food and water intake logging, BMI tracking, menstrual cycle predictions, coaching tools, live tracking, and calendar sync, all without requiring Wi-Fi on the watch itself.

Pros
  • At 29 g and 38 x 38 mm with an 11 mm profile, the watch sits lightly and unobtrusively on the wrist
  • The always-on LCD touchscreen with Gorilla Glass 3 protection provides continuous visibility with a degree of scratch resistance
  • A 9-day battery life reduces how often the watch needs to be charged
  • Health monitoring covers HRV tracking, VO2 max, resting heart rate, blood oxygenation, and fast/slow heart rate alerts in a single device
  • The companion app is free and ad-free, and includes a broad set of wellness tools covering sleep, nutrition, hydration, weight, BMI, and women's reproductive health
  • Compatible with external heart rate monitors and smart scales, allowing integration with additional fitness accessories
Cons
  • No barometer, gyroscope, compass, or cadence sensor limits the watch's usefulness for outdoor and multi-sport activities
  • Distance tracking, pace measurement, elevation tracking, and route tracking are all absent, reducing its suitability for runners and cyclists
  • Wireless charging is not supported, requiring a physical cable each time the battery needs topping up
  • No ECG, irregular heart rate warnings, fall detection, or readiness score means advanced health monitoring is not available
  • An account is required to use the companion app, with no account-free option
  • The 14 mm band width is narrower than many smartwatch bands, which may limit third-party strap options
Who is this for?

The Garmin Lily 2 Active is well suited to everyday users who want a discreet, lightweight health companion on their wrist without the bulk of a larger device. Its 29 g frame and compact 38 x 38 mm dimensions make it a natural fit for those who prioritize comfort during all-day wear. The watch is particularly relevant for users focused on holistic wellness tracking, given its coverage of sleep monitoring, HRV, VO2 max, resting heart rate, blood oxygenation, and a thorough suite of women's health features including cycle tracking, ovulation prediction, and fertile window notifications. With 5 ATM water resistance and automatic activity detection, it also works well for casual swimmers and light exercisers who want passive tracking without manual input. Users who want broad app functionality — from nutrition and hydration logging to calendar sync and coaching — without paying for a subscription will also find it a capable option thanks to the free, ad-free companion app.

Who is this NOT for?

Users with more demanding fitness goals are likely to find the Garmin Lily 2 Active insufficient. The absence of distance tracking, pace measurement, elevation logging, and route tracking makes it a poor choice for runners, cyclists, and hikers who rely on those metrics during training. The lack of a barometer, gyroscope, compass, and cadence sensor further limits its appeal for outdoor and multi-sport use. Anyone seeking deeper cardiovascular insight will also be disappointed, as there is no ECG capability, no irregular heart rate warnings, and no readiness or recovery scoring. The watch is equally unsuitable for users who prefer wireless charging, since it requires a physical cable, and those looking for a device that works fully without creating an account will find that option unavailable. The narrow 14 mm band and the absence of fast GPS lock round out a profile that does not align well with performance-oriented athletes or advanced health monitoring needs.

Design:

screen size 1"
Display type LCD
water resistance Water resistant
ATM rating 5 ATM
Always-On Display
pixel density 204 ppi
resolution 201 x 240 px
Watch band is replaceable
has branded damage-resistant glass
Gorilla Glass version Gorilla Glass 3
thickness 11 mm
weight 29 g
height 38 mm
width 38 mm
Has a display
has a touch screen
Has sapphire glass display
volume 15.884 cm³
is designed for kids
width of band 14 mm

The Garmin Lily 2 Active has a compact, square-ish build measuring 38 x 38 mm with an 11 mm thickness and a total weight of just 29 g, giving it a notably light presence on the wrist. Its 1″ LCD touchscreen runs at a resolution of 201 x 240 px and a pixel density of 204 ppi, and it supports an always-on display mode for continuous visibility. The screen is protected by Gorilla Glass 3 — it does not feature sapphire glass. Water resistance is rated at 5 ATM, meaning the watch can handle water exposure during activities such as swimming. The 14 mm band is replaceable, and the watch has a total volume of 15.884 cm³.

Sensors:

Monitors blood oxygenation levels
Has a heart rate monitor
has GPS
has an accelerometer
Has a temperature sensor
has a compass
Has a barometer
has a gyroscope
Has a cadence sensor
Monitors perspiration

The Garmin Lily 2 Active includes a heart rate monitor, a pulse oximeter for blood oxygenation tracking, a GPS module, and an accelerometer. It does not feature a body temperature sensor, compass, barometer, gyroscope, cadence sensor, or perspiration monitor.

Activity tracking:

Tracks your sleep
Tracks distance
Tracks steps taken
Measures pace
Provides sleep reports
Detects activities automatically
Has a route tracker
Tracks elevation
Has multi-sport mode
Has exercise tagging
Has a stroke counter for swimming
Tracks calorie intake
Designed for diving
Designed for golf

The Garmin Lily 2 Active supports sleep tracking with detailed sleep reports, step counting, exercise tagging, calorie intake tracking, and automatic activity detection. It does not track distance, measure pace, log elevation, or offer a route tracker, and it lacks multi-sport mode and a swim stroke counter. The watch is also not designed for diving or golf.

Connectivity:

has a cellular module
Is compatible with iOS
Is compatible with Android
Bluetooth version 5
supports Wi-Fi
supports ANT+
has NFC
supports Galileo

The Garmin Lily 2 Active connects to both iOS and Android devices via Bluetooth 5 and also supports ANT+, NFC, and the Galileo satellite system. It does not include a cellular module or Wi-Fi connectivity.

Battery:

battery life 9 days
has wireless charging
has a rechargeable battery
Has a solar power battery
has a removable battery

The Garmin Lily 2 Active runs on a built-in rechargeable battery rated for up to 9 days of use. It does not support wireless charging or solar charging, and the battery is not removable.

Features:

has HRV tracking
measures VO2 max
measures resting heart rate
has fast/slow heart rate notifications
shows readiness level
Can be used to answer calls
Locates your phone
Has call control
Has notifications
has irregular heart rate warnings
Has ECG technology
Has silent alarm
Has vibrating alerts
has fall detection
Has a stopwatch
Has smart alarm
has voice commands
Has a built-in camera remote control function
Acquires GPS faster
warranty period 2 years

The Garmin Lily 2 Active covers a solid range of health and utility features, including HRV tracking, VO2 max estimation, resting heart rate measurement, and fast/slow heart rate notifications. It delivers wrist notifications, call control, a find-phone function, silent alarm, vibrating alerts, and a stopwatch. On the health monitoring side, it does not offer ECG technology, irregular heart rate warnings, fall detection, or a readiness/recovery indicator. Convenience features such as voice commands, a smart alarm, a camera remote shutter, and fast GPS lock are also absent. The watch comes with a 2-year warranty.

App & Software:

Provides activity reports
Has inactivity alerts
Counts how many calories you've burned
Has goal setting
Has achievements
Free app
Has exercise diary
Ad-free
Has coaching
Has temperature tracking
Has period notifications
Supports routes
Syncs with existing calendars
Has voice feedback
Has music playback
Displays fertile window notifications
Includes maps
Doesn’t require account
Predicts ovulation
Predicts start date
Has video tutorials
Supports widgets
Can be personalised
Has barcode scanner on app
Tracks water intake
Has weight tracking
Has live tracking
Tracks BMI

The companion app for the Garmin Lily 2 Active is free and ad-free, and it requires an account to use. It covers an extensive range of tracking and wellness tools, including activity reports, calorie burn counting, water and weight intake logging, BMI tracking, inactivity alerts, goal setting, achievements, an exercise diary, and live tracking. Women's health features are well represented, with period notifications, fertile window alerts, ovulation prediction, and start date forecasting all included. The app also supports routes and maps, calendar sync, voice feedback, music playback, coaching, widgets, and full personalisation, and it provides video tutorials to help users get started. A barcode scanner and temperature tracking are not available, and the app does not support an account-free setup.

Miscellaneous:

has a battery level indicator
Provides the sunrise/sunset time
Informs about the risk of thunderstorms
Has a wind speed sensor
Available on PC
Has auto pause
Compatible with smart scales
Compatible with external heart rate monitors
Is compatible with Windows
has an external memory slot
Is compatible with Mac OS X
has a socket for a 3.5 mm audio jack

The Garmin Lily 2 Active includes a battery level indicator and auto pause, and its software is available on PC with compatibility spanning both Windows and Mac OS X. The watch is compatible with external heart rate monitors and smart scales, broadening its use alongside other fitness accessories. It does not have an external memory slot, a 3.5 mm audio jack, or a wind speed sensor, and it does not provide sunrise/sunset times or thunderstorm risk alerts.

Final Verdict

The Garmin Lily 2 Active is a thoughtfully designed smartwatch that prioritizes comfort, all-day wearability, and wellness monitoring over athletic performance. At just 29 g with a compact 38 mm frame, it delivers a broad set of health tracking tools — including HRV, VO2 max, sleep reporting, and a comprehensive women's health suite — wrapped in a free, ad-free app experience that requires no subscription. Where it falls short is in active sport use: the absence of distance, pace, elevation, and route tracking, combined with a limited sensor set, means it is not built for users with structured training needs. For everyday users seeking a lightweight, wellness-focused device with refined daily usability, the Garmin Lily 2 Active represents a coherent and capable option within its intended scope.

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