Fenix 6 Series - 20.30 Public Release

Hello Fenix 6 customers,

20.30 is our public release that will be rolled out in phases starting this afternoon. We’ve posted it here for our forum users who wish to install it immediately.

Thank you to our beta testing community for your continued persistence in reporting issues observed with altimeter performance.  We know the issues have been numerous and are grateful for your feedback and continued effort to resolve specific use case problems.  We believe we’ve improved all known bugs with the altimeter performance.  However, we do see feedback on a few issues that mainly pertain to auto-calibrating to a higher value overnight or upon first calibration under certain conditions.  We believe these issues are related to bad calibration points that have occurred across the various beta updates.  If you are experiencing excessive elevation spikes or drops, please follow the guidance below to resolve this issue:

  • If the change occurs overnight, please manually calibrate to your correct elevation directly before you go to bed. (This step is important.  Calibrating in the morning will not resolve the issue)
  • If the change occurs during an activity, please manually calibrate to the correct elevation just before pressing the start button at your given location.

Thank you again to all who’ve helped improve this feature.  We understand the process can be challenging, but certainly value your input.

Please ensure that you are downloading the correct beta software for your specific device.

Instructions for installation are available below the change log on each of the above pages.

20.30 Change Log Notes (if updating from last public release candidate, v20.20):

  • Improved altitude calibration.

20.30 Full Release Change Log (Since v19.20):

  • Added ability to turn off recording an activity during a golf round.
  • Added an alert to notify user when battery is critically low during a music sync.
  • Added HRV Support from chest strap for Yoga and breathwork.
  • Added pop-up to Pulse Ox Measuring feature if the device detects too much movement and cannot get an accurate measurement.
  • Added support for new biking activity profiles: eBike, eMTB, Cyclocross, Gravel Bike, Bike Commute, Bike Tour, and Road Bike.
  • Added support for the HIIT activity profile and workouts.
  • Added support for the Pickleball profile.
  • Added support for the Padel profile.
  • Added support for the snowshoe activity profile.
  • Added support for the tennis activity profile.
  • Added new tips to indicate which activities support Incident detection.
  • Improved Explore Sync app waypoint load times.
  • Improved Lactate Threshold and Altitude Acclimation algorithms.
  • Improved measurement loading UI when taking an SpO2 measurement.
  • Update the altimeter’s auto calibration to be either be “On” or “Nightly”. Setting to “On” will set the device to periodically calibrate altitude throughout the day. Setting to “Nightly” will set the device to calibrate altitude at night and before the start of an activity.
  • Fixed issue with alarms intermittently not going off when the device is set in Max. Battery Mode.
  • Fixed display issues on the device after navigating to a point initiated by the Garmin Explore App.
  • Fixed issue where selecting a single point on a map that contained multiple items would not display the items properly.
  • Fixed issue that would corrupt open water swim activity files.
  • Fixed issue where PacePro bands would not be recognized by the device.
  • Fixed issue with activities reporting incorrect Activity Calories and Training Effect data.

Current beta peripheral software version numbers below. New versions are indicated in red.

GPS: 5.30
Sensor Hub: 11.01
ANT/BLE/BT (Pro models): 6.11
ANT/BLE (non-Pro models): 3.00
Wi-Fi (Pro models only): 2.60

Please note, the beta updates released on these forums are not compatible for APAC region devices.

Please send all bug reports to [email protected], and indicate which model of the Fenix 6 Series you have in the subject line.

We know this post states it is a public release, yet the URL states it's a beta.  This is simply a method of delivery for public beta.  We use the same channel and therefore the 'beta' term follows each of these links.  We only note it is a public release so that you are aware it's the version to go live to the public.  

  • By entering the auto mode, will the auto calibration be only at the beginning of the activity or also during the activity?

  • I try to use garmin explore app that should use same maps the DEM function is using. Otherwise, as I did yesterday, if you are not on the ground (Street, open field etcc..)but like me yesterday at home (3rd floor) I use the smartphone's GPS, "GPStest" Android app is simple and effective with all GPS constellations and if you ensure an excellent fix (ie 3 better 4 satellites) the result is super accurate. You enter it manually in your watch then. 

  • I would expect auto calibration with dem get position via GPS and altitude via Dem maps in fact. DEM is at ground level though so we should "tweak" by adding meters if we are adjusting at home..according to the floor we are...i also assume this not needed if GPS accuracy is good since dem should "understand" the quality of GPS fix that if excellent is better than dem and would need manual adjustment of floors. But.. Who knows?? The watch doesn't say a thing once adjusted via dem. So perhaps better to go out point the watch to the clean sky and use GPS i/o Dem and compare. 

  • OK. Thanks a lot for the information. I will try this. :)

    To be honest I never checked if my altimeter is right, because I never cared about this feature. But I was already wondering a few times how it is possible that (if walking a round-course) it can be that I start 50 meter lower than I stop. :D

  • Sorry, but "Calibrating in the morning will not resolve the issue" sounds strange, user doesn't know that and user will calibrate in the morning and think something doesn't works again

  • Garmin please,  add a fully manual altimeter calibration ....

  •  which is the reason from Garmin to change the altimeter calibration from previous Fw? I would like to understand it before install the new Fw. Thanks

  • Garmin please,  add a fully manual altimeter calibration

    I think that this is not a very correct wording. It is necessary to give the user the opportunity to disable automatic calibration.

    That being said, I believe that automatic pre-training calibration is very appropriate and useful.

  • The problem still exist in 20.30. My correct ground level altitude is 62 meters. I woke up this morning at 55 meters but the correct altitude should have been 66 meters because the watch (and phone) is on floor 2 at that time. Then i went on a short car ride to the childrens school and then back home again. Now the watch is telling me im on 43 meters altitude. Correct altitude at the moment is 66 meters 

  • So am I understanding it correctly that its going to work like this: I enter manual height before going to sleep once, and it will always set that height at night from now on? So I will get a miscalibration if I sleep somewhere else and don't adjust, but will get my correct height every time I sleep in that spot I set it up for?

    I never have it connected to my phone at night.