The best Garmin watches come loaded with incredible features to help you track your daily activity and workouts, and your watch will continue to improve years after you’ve bought it thanks to the regular software updates that Garmin releases.
Garmin tends to release software updates on a quarterly cycle and while many of these are simple bug fixes, there are usually some more exciting new features as well, whether it’s the latest features rolling out to older or cheaper watches or something entirely new being introduced.
All of these updates roll out to the general public eventually, but if you want early access to them you can sign up to the Garmin public beta program. This means your watch will get the updates before the public release — usually 30-40 days beforehand, in fact.
If, like me, you’re a long-term Garmin watch user who wants to try features as soon as possible, it’s well worth doing. The public beta program is free and easy to use, and I’ve been on it for several years and only have positive things to report about it.
What is the Garmin beta software program?
The program allows Garmin users to sign up for beta software updates, so you get access to features before they are rolled out to the general public. The program also gives you access to a Garmin forum where you can report any bugs with new features and discuss them with other users.
This gives Garmin the feedback they need to make sure the features work perfectly before rolling out to everyone, while those who sign up get access to new stuff first.
How to sign up for the Garmin beta software program
How to sign up for the Garmin beta software program
To sign up for the beta program you need to log into the Garmin Connect website (connect.garmin.com).
Next, select your device by clicking the watch icon in the top-right of the screen and picking the watch or bike computer you want to enroll.
On the device page you see an option to ‘Join Beta Software program’. Click that and you’re in, simple as that.
What Garmin devices are eligible for the beta program?
Most Garmin watches and bike computers are eligible from the program, with the only ones excluded being some devices that were released more than five years ago. You can see the full list of eligible devices on the Garmin website, but as a general reference, both the Garmin Fenix 6 and Garmin Forerunner 245 are included, and they both came out back in 2019.
How do I know if my Garmin is up to date?
Once you’re enrolled on the beta program, the updates will roll out to your watch automatically if you select that option on your watch, but sometimes I find this can take a bit of time. Fortunately you can make your watch check for any new updates manually.
To check to see if you’re on the latest software on your watch start by holding the menu button, then selecting ‘System’ at the bottom of the list, then ‘Software Update’ and ‘Check For Updates’. This will check to see if any updates are available for your watch.
How do I update my Garmin to the latest software?
The updates do download automatically over time, but you can force your watch onto the latest software by following the process above to check for updates and then selecting download update. Once your watch has downloaded the latest software you can choose to install it now or later.
Is there any risk?
While it’s called beta software, the truth is that any updates Garmin makes available to the public via this beta program have already been very well-tested behind the scenes.
That said, there is more risk to installing the software than waiting for the version rolled out to the general public. I’ve had zero issues with any of the watches I’ve tested on the program so far but you're more likely to experience bugs and other problems with the new software.
You can log any issues you do have on the Garmin Forum – which is after all the main point of the beta program — and you’ll then get help from Garmin to resolve them. You can report issues on the Garmin Connect website in the same place you signed up for the beta program — just click ‘Report a Beta Software Issue’ on your device page and you’ll be taken to the Garmin Forum to log your problem.
How do you leave the Garmin beta software program?
If you decide you don’t want to be on the program anymore you leave it the same way you came in. Log in to the Garmin Connect website, click your watch from the devices drop-down, and then click ‘Leave Beta Software Program’.
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