how to reconnect Garmin Explore to paired Etrex SE

I just received an Etrex SE and am experimenting with.  I successfully paired the Etrex SE with my Pixel 6a.  The Garmin Explore app showed that the Pixel 6a was connected to the Etrex SE.  The Etrex SE in Settings > Phone > Status shows Connected.  When I selected Status > OK, the Status immediately changed to Off.  Now Garmin Explore shows that the Etrex SE is "Not Connected".  Back on the Etrex SE, I select Status > OK again.  Status then shows "Waiting for Phone" and then "Open App on Phone".  Garmin Explore, still open, still says "Not Connected". How do I get it reconnect to the paired Etrex SE, without having to "forget" and re-pair with the Etrex SE?  I saw nothing I could do in the Explore app to get it to reconnect.  I tried shutting down and restarting Garmin Explore, that did not get it to reconnect.  From the Etrex SE I forgot and repaired with the Pixel 6a, then I was connected, but that's a pain.  Then I ran the Garmin Connect app.  Garmin Connect connected with the Etrex SE, and when I went back to Garmin Explore, it had also reconnected with the paired Etrex SE.  (Curiously, on the Etrex SE, Settings > Phone > Status still shows "Open App on Phone", not "Connected".)  So do I have to use Garmin Connect to get Garmin Explore reconnected with the paired Etrex SE?