Montana 700i/750i - Recent Threads

Montana 700i random freezes and shutdowns

4586709 — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 18:39:04 GMT

Hi everyone,

I’ve had a long-standing problem with my Montana 700i randomly freezing, shutting down, or getting stuck during boot.

At first I thought it was caused by motorcycle vibration, so I changed the mounting setup and added a vibration damper. I also tested it over time with and without microSD, Bluetooth, external power and the powered mount, but the problem kept happening.

Recently I did a full factory reset and deliberately did not restore my old profiles or settings. For a short test in the car, using City Navigator with active navigation, it worked perfectly.

Then it shut down again during a short ride on the motorcycle with the powered mount.

Today it became even stranger: while sitting at home completely stationary, the screen froze and slowly faded to black. After that it repeatedly froze during boot. Holding the power button did not help, but removing the battery and reinstalling it allowed it to boot again. Later it froze/faded to black again while I was in the car, stationary, with no mount, no vibration and no external power.

So at this point I don’t think vibration or the powered mount can fully explain it.

The Debug folder also contains several errors over the years, including RTL crashes, watchdog timeouts and WMT/SDIO-related coredumps. Even after the recent factory reset, new RTL errors and multiple AP entries appeared again.

I’ve ordered a new battery to rule that out, but I’m starting to suspect an internal hardware or power-management problem.

Has anyone seen similar behaviour on a Montana 700i, especially freezes followed by the screen fading to black or repeated boot freezes that only recover after physically removing the battery? It is so annoyng when it does that during moto navigation and it happens all the time....

GPX File Transfer iphone 16 to Montana 700i

Kearly — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 14:04:27 GMT

Is there anyway to transfer *.gpx files (Tracks) from iphone 16 to Montana 700i?

i have a number of files saved to my iphone 16, files from GAIA as shared between phones. The file transfer problem occurs notably when travelling and away from Basecamp/laptop and Garmin Explore app doesnt manage tracks

How do i get *.GPX files from iphone16 to the Montana 700i?

Montana 700i unreliable, Freezing on several software versions

lewi3069 — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 13:54:56 GMT

I’ve been having a growing number of issues with my Montana 700i freezing and not responding, to the point that I stopped using it for a while. I recently pulled it back out because I was planning to rely on it this hunting season in the Colorado high country, but at this point I’m questioning whether I can depend on it for either mapping or the inReach functionality.

The device is running the latest software, I’ve performed a factory reset, and I’ve limited the installed maps/data to only what I actually need. Despite that, it continues to freeze and become unresponsive.

Most recently, I subscribed to Outdoor Maps+ specifically to use with my Montana 700i and fēnix 7X Pro. The Montana repeatedly freezes while trying to download maps, even while connected to a very strong Wi-Fi signal on a 1 Gbps symmetrical fiber connection. The connection itself is not the limiting factor.

I’ve invested quite a bit in the Montana ecosystem between the device, mounts, cases, accessories, and now Outdoor Maps+, so this has become extremely frustrating. More importantly, the Montana 700i is one of Garmin’s flagship outdoor/inReach devices, and I need to be able to trust it when I’m several miles into the backcountry.

At this point, the core device is effectively unusable for what I purchased it for. I’d appreciate Garmin taking a look at this and helping determine whether there is something else that can be done, because I’m running out of troubleshooting options and I’m not comfortable depending on it in the backcountry in its current state.

Montana 7XX Software version v25.30

Garmin-Christopher — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 22:49:47 GMT

Change Log
: Fixed issues with TopoActive Map downloads

Can the current 750i firmware version v25.10 keep SOS when suspension?

1503014 — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 21:07:03 GMT

Heard that a firmware update is needed to keep the SOS with on suspension plan.

Another Montana 700i that turns off randomly

Roby466 — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 15:58:07 GMT

Similar to many others, my unit turns off randomly. It is most frustrating when I'm trying to build routes/tracks on the device as unless you have finalized the track, it disappears when it shuts down.

It seems to shut down in less than 30 minutes, it will power back up after.

It has been a problem on battery, and in the cradle so it doesn't seem to be battery related. Also, I have a second battery, and changing battery has not solved the issue.

It has struggled to go through a full SYNCH as it shuts down before being done.

I have found others here with the question, but the fix doesn't seem to be public as Garmin techs response has been ''you will receive an email with the solution''.

I would love to have that solution as this was not a cheap unit!

No City Navigator maps for my 700i

RVASSEN — Sun, 28 Jun 2026 17:20:18 GMT

My Montana 700i came with City Navigator EU maps when I bought it.

However, with firmware 25.10 and Garmin Express 7.29.0 (Windows 11), it is no longer possible to download or update City Navigator maps on a Montana 700i.

Garmin Express no longer shows City Navigator maps for installation or upgrade. Please, Garmin, fix this!

Montana 7xx Software Update v25.10

Garmin - Jessica — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 18:57:54 GMT

Hello Montana 7xx users!

Software version 25.10 is now fully released.

Change log

Added QR codes to Outdoor Maps+ layer info page
Added support for displaying SOS threads by device
Added Messenger account phone number to inReach plan page
Added sender device to message details
Added deletion of inactive SOS threads
Fixed incorrect position for new points in course creator
Fixed TopoActive maps incorrectly showing update available
Fixed TopoActive map downloads getting requeued after completion
Fixed inReach weather sync
Fixed inability to download satellite imagery without OM+

Alpha 300 v8.40 UI issue — missing Applications / Utilities in Training Keys

nDrewone — Sat, 16 May 2026 08:51:11 GMT

Sorry for posting this in the Montana/inReach section, but Garmin currently does not appear to have a dedicated Alpha 300 forum section.

Device: Garmin Alpha 300
Software Version: 8.40

I am trying to understand whether this is:
- an intended UI change,
- a firmware regression,
- or a bug.

After updating my Alpha 300 from firmware 6.x to 8.40, the "Training Keys" customization menu no longer shows the categories:

- Applications
- Device Actions
- Utilities

Now only dog training commands are available.

Path:
Main Menu → Setup → Training Setup → Training Keys → Add Item Here

According to the Garmin documentation, training keys should allow assigning:
- applications,
- device actions,
- utilities,
- and dog training commands.

However, on my device only dog training commands appear.

Things already tried:
- Reset All Settings
- Delete All
- Reboot
- Re-pairing collars
- Reconnecting through Garmin Express / Garmin Explore

No change.

Could someone with Alpha 300 firmware 8.40 please confirm:
- whether Applications / Utilities are still present on their device,
- or if Garmin changed this behavior in newer firmware?

Thank you.

during the recording of the track there are a lot of wrong waypoints showing on the display. Despite following the same way back the treck is far away from the way on.

3533431 — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 12:51:02 GMT

Montana 700: Off Course Alarm not triggering at set threshold (0.01km)

3287791 — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 20:10:29 GMT

Hi everyone, I’m having an issue with my Montana 700. Despite setting the Off Course Alarm (deviation alarm) to 0.01km, the device only triggers the alert when the distance is significantly greater than that. Has anyone else experienced this, and is there a way to make the alarm more responsive?

Montana 700/700i/750i Software version v24.70

Garmin-Christopher — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 21:14:36 GMT

Change Log

Fixed potential issues with Topo GB Pro
Fixed possible crash when using marine chart mode

Montana 700/750i Software version v24.50

Garmin-Christopher — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 16:50:28 GMT

Change Log

Fixed scanning lines on Trail maps in Outdoor Maps +

Montana 700 charging issues using AMPS mount

Mogu — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 09:07:49 GMT

Hi everyone,

I have a montana 700 that was working fine until some time ago. When placed in the AMPS mount in my motorcycle, I can see the battery icon charging, but the battery doesn't charge. In fact, it will get down to 0. If I charge the Montana vía USB, It charges well.

My AMPS mount is connected to battery and every other charger works fine (like the one I use to charge my smartphone while riding).

Any suggestion?

Loading Custom Maps from mSD

detectist — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 09:41:20 GMT

Hi all. newby here.

My Montana 750i does not show my Custom Maps loaded onto my 32gb mSD card. The name of the directory is Garmin/CustomMaps/. Files are KMZ (and KML) I loaded them via a USB connection to the computer. The KMZ open from the Montana in Google Earth Pro (GEP) but KML is not seen.

I wondered if I have to actually save the files through GEP but that seems silly.

My waypoints are also loaded on the mSD card in the proper folder Garmin/GPX and they appear fine on the Montana.

Any clues? Ta

Montana 700i/750i Software version v24.20

Garmin-Christopher — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 22:42:22 GMT

Change Log

Fixed possible issue viewing some custom maps in Map Manager

Montana 700 custom map missing after update to firmware v24.10

8483638 — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 13:59:45 GMT

I just updated my Montana 700 to firmware v24.10 and my custom map is no longer showing, the custom map option is also missing in the map manager menu.

My custom map has been working since I bought the device so it looks like the missing map and custom map option is due to the current firmware.

Montana 700i/750i Software version v24.10

Garmin-Christopher — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 22:27:48 GMT

Change Log

Added support for transferring and receiving waypoints in Garmin Mode
Fixed possible issue with automotive signs
Fixed possible Where To item duplication
Fixed Possible crash when downloading maps
Fixed Slovenian keyboard layout
Fixed possible issue syncing activities over Wi-Fi
Fixed possible slow map drawing with MPC Maps
Improved Applied Ballistics app
Updated Spanish translation when starting inReach tracking

Montana 750i: How Do I Stop Tracks From Showing on the Map Display?

5293031 — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 08:02:43 GMT

Since resetting my Montana 750i to fix a glitch, my map display is being swamped by a veritable spaghetti works of tracks, which I don't remember it doing previously. I want to continue to record tracks, but not have them (except maybe the current one) displaying on the map. As I said above, the map currently looks like a plate of blue spaghetti, hiding all the features beneath. I've tried to locate a solution in the product manual and by a Google search, but the only solution I've found is to either turn off tracking completely or to delete the tracks one by one, erasing them from both the map display and memory. This is not the solution I am seeking.

If anyone can suggest a solution that works, I'd appreciate hearing it. If there is no way to do this, I'd like to suggest it as a desirable new feature.

Thank you,

Terry

BaseCamp route not working as expected on 700i

5169797 — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 22:49:43 GMT

I have had my Montana for about 18 months and have only just started using it for hiking, after my HP IPAQ (running WinCE) died.

It has taken me sometime to understand BaseCamp; mainly due to the terminology used compared to the program I have used in the past.

To say the learning curve has been steep (and frustrating) is an understatement.

Anyway, I have created a route in BaseCamp and sent it to my 700i.

I have audio alerts enabled and "Direct Routing" enabled (since "Direct Path" as a course navigation method does not work as anticipated).

"Lock on Road" is also disabled. This "feature" was also the source of much frustration as the option to enable or disable it is not available in the GUI when "Direct Routing" is enabled. If "Lock on Road" was enabled when "Direct Routing" is enabled, the map continues to "Lock on Road", but now you have no way disable it!!! You have to disable "Direct Routing", disable "Lock on Road" (which is on another menu), THEN enable "Direct Routing".

With all that sorted, on my 700i I go to "Where To->Routes" and select the downloaded route. I see my route plotted on the map as a direct path between points. All good so far.

I then select GO. First off, I don't see a lead (pronounced "leed") line into the next waypoint. I have two of the data fields (on the map) set to "Distance to Next" and "Next Point" (so I can see which point I'm navigating to and how far it is) but I don't see an indication on the map as to the direction (i.e a lead line).

This is a big problem if the next point is no visible on the map (i.e the trail meanders through terrain away from the next point). This becomes a bigger problem if our route is a "loop" and we come to an intersection we will return via on our return trip. Which way do I need to go?? I can muck around with map zoom, etc to find out but it is much easier with a lead line to the next point.

As an aside, If I "Go" to a single waypoint outside of the route, I get a lead line.

Another issue is I don't get audio alerts when nearing a point. Once I get within the "proximity range" of a route point, it switches to the next point in the route but I get no audio alert. The only alert I get is when I am approaching the destination of the planned route. I frequently put the GPS in my pocket whilst hiking so alerts on waypoint change is critical to me.

I have a few other usability issues but will save them for another post.

Activity recording failing to record full detail.

6387674 — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 02:48:39 GMT

My Inreach only adds the tracking points, so once every 10 minutes. to the activity even though it's on High Detail. I worked initially but now is not, a software update maybe. Any idea how I can get it to record my activities in full detail again?

Garmin Montana 700 Battery pack bricked after updating.

Former Member — Sat, 11 Oct 2025 15:54:33 GMT

After I updated the software and firmware for my Garmin Montana 700, the AA battery pack no longer works with the unit. I have done all the troubleshooting through chat, and have been unsucessful after fixing the issue. The Device will not boot with the battery pack installed. I replaced batteries, cleaned terminals, tried soft resets, and have no success whatsoever. The unit still works with the provided battery that came with the unit. Has anyone else had an issues with updating their Garmin device that caused the battery to brick itself after doing so? I received no help from garmins chat support. They had me try and send my garmin file to their website, which is impossible, because the folder is 11gb in size, and you can only send 1200mb max file size. The support provided only suggested I buy an higher capacity battery, since the original works, and would not acknowledge the fact that this only happened after updating the device. Any help I could get from others with this issue would be greatly appreciated.

What is the biggest sd card for montana 750i

gdonaho — Thu, 25 Sep 2025 02:04:39 GMT

What is the biggest sd card for montana 750i

Unable to activate inreach

Ethan — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 05:24:24 GMT

So I got this new unit of 750i, followed the activation proceudre on messenger app, chose a subscription, filled my cc details, and went on to activate in-device. I never got charged after I chose my subscription. I've been waiting for 6 hours and the screen still reads "Activating Your Device". When I try to activate again on messenger app of explore.garmin.com, I got the error message

UNABLE TO COMPLETE ACTIVATION An update is already in progress for the device. Please contact Garmin Support and reference error 216.

Very frustrated with this broken activation procedure..

Update: I successfully activated inreach the next day after I received subscription confirmation emails from Garmin. It seems at the time I made the purchase it never went through, but somehow later it did!

Every time I sink the gps with Basecamp I get multiple copies of photos (I took with the 750). How to stop duplication?

Filmalaska — Wed, 03 Sep 2025 19:12:05 GMT

Every time I sink the gps with Basecamp I get multiple copies of photos (I took with the 750) put on the gps so now I have about 50 duplicates of each photo on the unit. And an alert telling me the photos exceed the maximum amount. Anyone know how to stop this duplication in settings????