Garmin Express Mac - Recent Threads

garmin express won't connect to forerunner 945 on OS Tahoe

5114272 — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:18:26 GMT

As seen above. It won't connect - Mac sees the watch, it charges, Garmin software just won't recognize it. Have uninstalled/reinstalled, restarted, etc - I have, in other words, done all of the things the first five comments will tell me to do anyhow.

Only possible issue I see is that the Garmin cable is USB 2.0, so I have to use an adapter/hub to connect it to any computer made in the last decade.

Garmin Express on Mac is reordering glances on Fenix 8 Solar

7af059e052b54af7a249dbdc0e860cf9 — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 02:33:06 GMT

When I plug in my Fenix 8 Solar to my Mac to update software and maps, the glances are reordered. This is frustrating as I regularly use the top three glances.

I understand this is a widely recognised problem, I'm just reporting to add to the pool of data.

RE: Garmin Express on Mac is reordering glances on Fenix 8 Solar

PubBike — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 16:02:00 GMT

Garmin - DC please would you give us an update. This is still a big issue every time it is necessary to sync with Garmin Express.

I just synced about an hour ago.

I had to plug in to GE to send diagnostic information to Product Support. After I had unplugged the watch the ABC, Challenges and MinuteCasts Glances were all moved to the bottom of the list, and Music Controls which was at the bottom was moved to the top.

When I went into GCM to adjust my Glances the display on GCM was how they were before I plugged into GE: different to the actual order on the watch. In order to get GCM to refresh and display the correct information I had to move some of the Glances around.

It was made more difficult because after using Garmin Express some of the Glances that were at the top of the list move to the bottom and vice versa. When I go into GCM and try to move an item from the bottom of the list beyond the top the interface stutters and moves very slowly. To avoid this the Glances that have been rearranged need to be moved up to the top in stages which is quite tedious.

It is also necessary to record which Glances I was using somewhere else and use this to reorder them back to how I want them. This problem creates a lot of extra unnecessary work.

Please fix it soon.

RE: Garmin Express Crash on Mac

PubBike — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 08:38:51 GMT

The end of Rosetta support was announced in 2020 so Garmin has had many years to re-write and test the code to run natively.

Garmin has to support software on computers (rather than phones/tablets) to allow large scale transfer of data such as music and maps, and to support non-Bluetooth legacy devices that pre-date Garmin Connect mobile e.g. ANT+ stick devices such as 310XT etc., and devices where you only connect with a cable such as the Etrex series.

Maybe the answer is to move this functionality into Garmin Connect web and retire express?

Although a problem with that is that they would have to write lots of new code which means introducing lots of new bugs and accidentally removing legacy support as a result.

Garmin Express Crash on Mac

BikerCub — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 12:25:47 GMT

The newest update for Garmin Express for Mac does not work. I'm on Mac OS Sequoia on a 2019 Mac. I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling it and it still goes into a crash loop when open. When I open the application I keep getting the error message that the program quit unexpectedly. When I hit "close" or reopen, the Garmin Express Startup banner remains displayed until I right click the icon to quit the program. This has been doing this since I made the last update. When I try to restart the program, it goes in the same loop. Is there any way Garmin can push another update to fix this problem or any guidance on how I can get this to work again??

Apple Silicon Support

robd003 — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 22:55:16 GMT

Garmin, please update Garmin Express and release a NATIVE arm64 release for macOS.

Apple hasn't sold an Intel Mac in *years* and it's beyond embarrassing that zero effort has been put into support Apple users.

Reminder, Apple users have more disposable income than any other type of computer buyer. Do the right thing and put some engineering effort into this growing platform!

RE: Apple Silicon Support

TJFW — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 09:57:39 GMT

As my first few posts will be moderated, here is to hoping, that someone at Garmin reads this message, and the forum thread it is herein contained.

As many have stated, it is ludicrous, that a behemoth of a company, with huge financial resources, and many software engineers, cannot create a Universal Binary, which bundles both Intel (x86_64) and Apple Silicon (arm64) code into this programme.

It's also pretty insulting, that many hundreds of comments on these forums and reddit, and not one response from anyone at Garmin. Tut Tut Tut...

RE: Garmin Express Crash on Mac

1389576 — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 13:08:56 GMT

Since Apple is winding down the rosetta 2, Garmin really needs update Express to run natively on Macs with M-chip. Or make the watch software to do without Express. It's about time.

Garmin Express doesn't find my Swim 2

6648332 — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 15:52:46 GMT

I just downloades garmin express to connect my garmin swim 2 and its seems to not find it. How can i solve this? I have already entered Garmin Express in the Full disk access but still nothing. Hope to find some help here, Thanks

Unable to update maps

3305719 — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 00:38:20 GMT

Perhaps others have had this problem. Device is a nuvi 3590LMT. Trying to get it to update map, using Garmin Express version 7.28.0.0 on iMac running Sequoia 15.7.4

Garmin Express recognizes device, but according to the help videos, I should see either a "Map Detail" link or a "Manage Maps" button. Neither seems to be present.

See screenshot from my computer:

Any way to fix this?

RE: Unable to update maps

3305719 — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 20:21:24 GMT

Unfortunately, the provided article provides very basic troubleshooting that does not work

1) Ensure You Have the Latest Version of Garmin Express: - as stated above, I have the latest version

2) Ensure the Computer has Enough Free Disk Space: - I have a 1TB hard drive that is only 50% full

3) Ensure Your Internet Connection Meets the System Requirements for Garmin Express: - I have AT&T Fiber with Speedtest verifying full speed up/down

4) Try Restarting the Computer: Done, no fix

There are equally nonsensical "Advanced" Troubleshooting steps that have more to do with the Internet connection (this is not the issue). As I would note with the above screenshot, there is simply no option to update the maps as alleged by the video and support articles.

RE: Unable to update maps

Garmin - DK — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 15:12:35 GMT

There could be a few different things happening. I recommend reviewing the following Support Center article for troubleshooting: Garmin Express not Working for Updates and Downloads

Please note that the nuvi 3590LMT has moved to what we call Online Support Only. For more info on what that means, visit this article: What Does Online-Only Support Mean?

RE: Apple Silicon Support

8843114 — Sat, 07 Mar 2026 16:15:18 GMT

Another vote for this. Reminder: Apple + Garmin users depend on local maps because they travel far and wide, and a cheap vibe-coded interface to access your wonderful maps will help keep this lucrative demographic in your ecosystem. So get on with it.

Has anybody had issues syncing Garmin Edge 840 with Garmin Express on a Mac using the latest OS?

nick2960 — Sat, 07 Mar 2026 07:10:30 GMT

On connecting Garmin Edge 850, Garmin Express either crashes or cannot find the device that is connected via USB-C.if it does connect (occasionally) it does not find the latest firmware version.

RE: Apple Silicon Support

2652683 — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 11:50:50 GMT

Thanks, i completely understand. I refuse to use Rosetta 2—I've disabled it—for Intel software on my M4 MacBook Pro. I only use an old Intel MacBook Pro for Garmin Express. I find Garmin's decision incomprehensible.

RE: Apple Silicon Support

JoMiSan-Tokage — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 11:23:55 GMT

Yes, I am getting that message now with beta.

But for me, it is incredible that Garmin Express is the only software that I have in my computer that has not yet (after 5 years) being able to get an update for new processors.

RE: Garmin Express language mismatch bugs

Maks Zbogar — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 14:21:56 GMT

AI suggestion was to delete Garmin Express and not use it 🙈 as the best solution.

Garmin Express language mismatch bugs

Maks Zbogar — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 15:43:47 GMT

I can't express enough how frustrating is Garmin Express software. I just installed Garmin Express from Garmin.com on my MacOS 26.2, and it is version 7.28.0.0 (ea3d11e5a). Then I connected my new Garmin Fenix 8x Solar Titanium via USB in order to try to download maps and immediately it changed my watch language from Slovenian to English. I checked my profile language and there is everything set as a Slovenian, also my Garmin Express domain language is set as Slovenian, but when I opened all the menus in Garmin Express app, I found a section which is in Swedish language. What the hack?!

The main problem is that my watch changes language to English from Slovenian automatically when I connect it to Garmin Express via USB cable. How stupid is that? Considering I have all other profile settings set to Slovenian:

After I purchased this 1200 EUR watch, I am not so sure about its quality. Garmin obviously failed to prove so...

What should I do with all this language mess?

RE: Garmin Express language mismatch bugs

9974471 — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 04:08:41 GMT

How does Garmin customer service NOT respond to this?

RE: Garmin EXpress 7.28.0.0. adding device not working (Fenix 8 PRO)

tomoooo — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 12:26:14 GMT

Hey Garmin, any updates???

Basically every time for the watch to be recognized, you have to remove it from Express, do your updated. If you reconnect the watch, Express cannot find it.

So you have to remove it again, add it back, re-sync and then it is available until next disconnect.

This is crazy. Windows version of Express works without issues.

Garmin EXpress 7.28.0.0. adding device not working (Fenix 8 PRO)

tomoooo — Thu, 08 Jan 2026 11:41:07 GMT

Can Garmin make at least something work????

Is the "add device" in Express not supposed to be a basic functionality that should work out of the box

Before 7.28.0.0. watch found, but garmin asked for update, so updated, and now stuck, +add device will not recognise the via cable connected watch

For quit, close start again, disconnecting cable, nothing works

Seriously.....

RE: Garmin Express Crash on Mac

3389985 — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 15:42:53 GMT

Express repeatedly crashed when loading music files from my Apple Music folder. Some files were protected so i thought that might be the reason. So i deleted those files and re-downloaded from Apple Music (newer downloads don't have the protection anymore). All songs loaded except a few which for some unknown reason could not be transferred... but at least did not crash. I don't know if it was the unprotected files or all the other things I tried but finally was able to load the songs without crashing.

RE: No Fenix 8 product image in Garmin Express on the Mac

jneuveglise — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 11:14:11 GMT

Thank you very much, my OCD is grateful :D

No Fenix 8 product image in Garmin Express on the Mac

Webcrew — Wed, 10 Sep 2025 07:19:45 GMT

Looks like the device_image.png is not downloaded from the device or Garmin.

How to obtain the image myself and place it in the right folder?

RE: Apple Silicon Support

BonAce — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 21:51:33 GMT

In the macOS Tahoe 26.4 Release Notes Apple has remembered the deprecation of Rosetta after macOS 27 and now that:

Starting in macOS Tahoe 26.4, users will be notified when they launch apps that use Rosetta of the upcoming incompatibility.