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Garmin Express with MacBook Air M1

I have recently migrated from a Windows PC to a MacBook Air (M1) running BigSur 11.2. Garmin Express will not detect my Fenix 5X. the watch is set to Mass storage and I have it connected to the MacBook via the watch charging cable connected to a USB-A to Thunderbolt adapter. When connected, the watch is charging. Any clue about resolving this issue ?

Thanks in advance.

  • Garmin Express will just show the device if it can connect. That’s nothing to do with the mass storage setting.

    Your F6 needs Android File Transfer or equivalent before you’ll see it in File Explorer. That’s always been the case with the F6.

    Contact Garmin Support and ask them specifically about connecting your watch to your M1 Mac.

  • My Mac Mini M1 will not mount my Fenix 5x...super disappointed!

  • On my MAC M1 -- I had to buy a USB C to micro USB cable. And then Garmin Express worked and found my device. My USB-C adapters and USB-C Hub did not work.

    I bought an Amazon Basics Cable for $10, I have not tried the $1.50 cable yet from Ebay.

  • Hi what device are you using I have a lgv 1000 sat nav 

  • I have a Garmin Edge 830 Bike Computer

    Amazing that nobody from Garmin chimes in with an answer here.

  • I spoke to garmin a few months ago and they thought it was hilarious that apple say it’s down to garmin to fix the problem. So I think I’ll be waiting a while. Not bad for a sat nav that cost over £600. It can be updated by WiFi but I did an update and it completely screwed the sat nav up, so much that I had to send it back for a replacement. I daren’t update it now until I can plug it into my Mac 

  • Same. Garmin ALWAYS has treated Mac users poorly.

  • i am not a MAC expert, but i bought 1 month ago a new mac mini with m1 and have no probs to connect my Edge 830 with GE, my Forerunner connects too, anyway, if you need access to filesystem of a Garmin watch you have to use Abdroid File Transfer to access files:

    https://forums.garmin.com/apps-software/mac-windows-software/f/garmin-express/215215/need-for-android-file-transfer-to-access-files

    Think it is not a bug, it's normal, it's a different way of configuration on Garmin watches compared to Bike Computers, sure, i don't understand why Garmin don't use different ways to connect their devices to a Computer

  • I just tried again. my MacBook with the M1 chip does not recognize (see) the garmin hardware. nothing has changed.  And I can't update the device without it syncing. To the person who asked if it's an Apple issue, it's the hardware manufactureer ie. Garmin's job to make sure that their product works on an Apple device. Apple can assiist Garmin with software info to help the process. 

    My forerunner is recognized on my MacBook with the M1 chip. 

    ODDLY, when I went to look for my conversation regarding this, either the moderator or Garmin locked the conversation for a while and I couldn't find my posts

  • it works fine for some devices not all, my forerunner syncs with GE running on a Macbbook with a M1 chip but my Edge does not. I've already spoken with CS at Garmin who knows about the issue and has been working. That is what I was told in March, it still doesn't work. it's a software issue on the Garmin Edge devices