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Setting up your M430

Your new M430 is in storage mode, and it wakes up when you plug it into a USB charger for charging or a computer for setup. We recommend that you charge the battery before you start using your M430. If the battery is completely empty, it takes a couple of minutes for the charging to start.

See Batteries for detailed information on charging the battery, battery operating times and low battery notifications.

Choose one option for setup

A. Mobile setup is convenient if you don't have access to a computer with a USB port, but it might take longer. This method requires an Internet connection.

B. Wired computer setup is quicker and you can charge your M430 at the same time, but you need a computer available. This method requires an Internet connection.

The A and B options are recommended. You can fill in all the physical details required for accurate training data at once. You can also choose language and get the latest firmware for your M430.

C. If you don't have a compatible mobile device and can't get to a computer with an Internet connection right away, you can start from the device. Please note that the device contains only part of the settings. To make sure you get to enjoy your M430 and the unique Polar smart coaching features at their best, it's important that you do the setup in the Polar Flow web service later by following the steps in option A or B.

Option A: Set up with a mobile device and Polar Flow app

Polar M430 connects to the Polar Flow mobile app wirelessly via Bluetooth, so remember to have Bluetooth turned on in your mobile device.

Check the Polar Flow app compatibility at support.polar.com.

  1. To make sure there’s enough charge on your M430 during the mobile setup, plug your M430 in a powered USB port or a USB power adapter. Make sure that the adapter is marked with "output 5Vdc" and that it provides a minimum of 500mA. It may take a few minutes for your M430 to wake up before the charging animation starts.

    Before charging, please make sure there’s no moisture, hair, dust or dirt on the M430’s USB connector. Gently wipe off any dirt or moisture. Do not charge the M430 when the USB connector is wet.

  2. Go to the App Store or Google Play on your mobile device and search and download the Polar Flow app.
  3. Open the Flow app on your mobile device. It recognizes your new M430 nearby and prompts you to start pairing it. Accept the pairing request, and enter the Bluetooth pairing code shown on the M430 display to the Flow app.
  4. Then create a Polar account, or sign in if you already have one. The app will walk you through the sign-up and setup.

    To get the most accurate and personal activity and training data, it’s important that you’re precise with the settings. When signing up, you can choose which language you want to use on your M430. If there is a firmware update available for your M430, we recommend that you install it during the setup. It may take up to 20 minutes to complete.

  5. Tap Save and sync when you’ve defined all the settings. Your personalized settings will now be synced to your M430.
  6. The M430 display will open to the time view once the synchronization is done.

After the setup is done, you’re ready to go. Have fun!

Option B: Set up with your computer

  1. Go to flow.polar.com/start and install the FlowSync software to set up your M430.
  2. Plug your M430 in to your computer using the provided USB cable to charge it during the setup. It may take a few minutes for your M430 to wake up. Let your computer install any suggested USB drivers.

    Before charging, please make sure there’s no moisture, hair, dust or dirt on the M430’s USB connector. Gently wipe off any dirt or moisture. Do not charge the M430 when the USB connector is wet.
  3. Sign in with your Polar account, or create a new one. The web service will walk you through the sign-up and setup.

    To get the most accurate and personal activity and training data, it’s important that you’re precise with the settings. When signing up, you can choose which language you want to use on your M430. If there is a firmware update available for your M430, we recommend that you install it during the setup. It may take up to 10 minutes to complete.

After the setup is done, you’re ready to go. Have fun!

Option C: Set Up from the device

Plug M430 into your computer’s USB port or a USB charger with the cable that came in the box. Choose language is displayed. Press START to choose English. Your M430 is delivered with English only, but you can add other languages when doing the setup in the Polar Flow web service or with the Polar Flow app.

Set the following data, and confirm each selection with the START button. If you want to return and change a setting at any point, press Back until you reach the setting you want to change.

  1. Time format : Choose 12 h or 24 h. With 12 h, select AM or PM. Then set the local time.
  2. Date : Enter the current date.
  3. Units : Choose metric (kg, cm) or imperial (lb, ft) units.
  4. Weight : Enter your weight.
  5. Height : Enter your height.
  6. Date of birth : Enter your date of birth.
  7. Sex : Choose Male or Female.
  8. Training background : Occasional (0-1 h/week), Regular (1-3 h/week), Frequent (3-5 h/week), Heavy (5-8 h/week), Semi-Pro (8-12 h/week), Pro (12+ h/week). For more information on training background, see Physical Settings.
  9. Ready to go! is displayed when you're done with the settings, and M430 goes to time view.

When you do the setup from the device, your M430 is not yet connected with the Polar Flow web service. To make sure you get to enjoy your M430 and the unique Polar smart coaching features at their best, it's important that you do the setup later in the Polar Flow web service or with the Flow mobile app by following the steps in option A or B.