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.  

  • No, it did not happen before 20.x.

  • No, no activity at the moment. Im now on 11 meters... please send the problem to an experianced developer...

  • My DEM altitude is correct, but sometimes im on floor 1 and sometimes im on floor 2. So, my correct altitude should be about 63 and 66 meters depending on which floor im at the moment. DEM altitude is 62 meters.

  • Jeff, why not calibrating with Dem at least 3 times a day? DEM is the only thing that works properly in my country. Is DEM not built-in in the watch? Because GPS is so accurate that only now and then checking the known location with DEM would solve many drift problems automatically without battery drain. Unless DEM is not built in and you cannot stop gps to go wild everytime you the watch calibrates on DEM.

    Please tell us how this system works, so we at least know. Why a 745 has a more acurate altimeter when in use, as fenix 6?

  • I have also installed all the beta versions but I think I missed how to fix the error. Where can I find it?

  • My standard f 6 has the option for calibrating with DEM, however it does that with checking GPS, which could mean that DEM values are not built in. I guess the same goes for the pro models and here is the main problem with unstable altimeter.

  • It needs gps to find your location, then it reads DEM to find the altitude for this location

  • It's 24h now I'm with the 20.30 on Fenix 6 Sapphire. 

    I won't repeat my experience here that can be found in this thread.

    In the last 4hrs, after having DEM'd outside, I went for a walk then a short run and back home. Good numbers.

    Alti-Baro looks OK, I cross checked with tools I've got and local stations for Baro data. I'm back home and altimeter is back to 58mt as it should be. Baro at 1028 as it should be and trend aligned with local meteo stations in terms of forecasts and Baro data. Reliable so far. 

    I'll keep watching

    A suggestion for when this version will rollout... Alert the users to then reboot (long press Light) and manual adjust altimeter by using known source i.e. Garmin Explore (by adding floors etc since it gets the road level) or other reliable smartphone app like GPStest.

    I tell this since the flight of -115mt and Baro went crazy appeared not just after update (manual via USB connection) rather once I rebooted. 

  • Today I hiked and the starting point was at 1.130m.

    When the GPS was ready, it set the altitude data field to 315m for me. This altitude was the last one entered by me the previous day to calibrate the barometer at home.

    Shouldn't the watch make an altitude fix on its own? Sometimes worked, sometimes don't.

    I don't understand what the cause is.

  • Not necessarily. During activities for example it does not need extra gps etc. Because it already knows where you are. It should be calibrated to the lastn known location only.