Fenix 6 Series - 20.85 Public Beta

Hello Fenix 6 customers,

Our next beta version for the Fenix 6 series is now available! 

Please email the Garmin Outdoor Quality Team if you find issues in software after installing this update: [email protected]

If you’ve participated in the Fenix 6 Beta Program previously, you’ll notice a few changes from how we have managed this in the past. And further down the line, we’ll have some additional improvements to the Beta Program (more on that later!) Notably, this forum post is now the primary resource for reading the change log notes – they are not available on another webpage. (There will be more options for viewing change logs after we implement the additional improvements to our beta program.)

The links to download the software update are listed below. Select the link specific to your watch model. Please note that your computer will download a .zip file when you open this link. This zip contains the software update, as well as a folder with the file necessary for backdating software, and instructions for this process if you choose to do so. Remember, backdating software will reset all settings.

Use these links to download the zip for your watch to update to version 20.85:

Change Log for version 20.85 (changes since 20.82):

  • Added decimal precision to weight editing in Strength activity.
  • Updated inReach messaging to now allow the watch to send messages up to 160 characters in length.
  • Fixed an intermittent issue where the Daily Suggested Workouts would display an incorrect suggested workout.
  • Fixed an issue in Yoga and Pilates activities where ethe lap summary time would display an incorrect value.
  • Fixed an intermittent issue where the golf round summary would display an incorrect net strokes value.
  • Fixed a potential shutdown issue on the Altitude Acclimation widget.
  • Fixed an issue where the weight-entry screen would not allow 3-digit weight entries.
  • Other minor improvements and bug fixes.

Instructions for updating software:

  1. Download the .zip specific to your computer, using the links above.
  2. Connect the watch to your computer.
  3. Copy the included gupdate.gcd file (from the System_x.xx folder) to the Primary\Garmin folder on your watch.
  4. If there is a Sensor Hub_v*** folder, place the gupXXXX.gcd file into the \GARMIN\REMOTESW folder of the device. Please note, not all Beta releases will include an update.
  5. If there is a ANT_BT_BLE_v*** folder, place the gupXXXX.gcd file into the \GARMIN\REMOTESW folder of the device. Please note, not all Beta releases will include an update.
  6. Disconnect the watch from the computer and it will prompt you to update software.

After updating, your watch will be running the following software versions. These can be confirmed on the Menu – System – About pages. New versions are indicated in red.

System Software: 20.85

GPS: 5.30
Sensor Hub: 18.00 *If you have been participating in the Beta Program, you may already have this sw
ANT/BLE/BT (Pro models): 6.15 *If you have been participating in the Beta Program, you may already have this sw
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.

  • Yeah I'm also trying to understand what's happening here. When I first installed 20.82 beta, I had this issue with the restarts, and this was only fixed after I did a factory reset to my Fenix 6s Sapphire (and stayed with 20.82, as I did not roll back to 20.50). So now I can see a 20.85 beta is out, but it does NOT have this issue as "fixed" in the change log, while the stable 20.60 stable HAS it in it's changelog ? I'm really confused. Not to mention reluctant to install another beta, after the issues I experienced with 20.82 when I initially updated to it (before the factory reset).

    To be honest I would prefer going to a stable release but I guess I can't install 20.60 now that I'm on 20.82 beta, right ?

  • Unsure... Probably in the 20.85 zip the roll back to 20.60 is present? Can't download now, but usually it's there...

    Will it work from 20.82 directly or you would first need to go to 20.85?

    And... Would this be useful at all? As I would imagine that both 20.82 and 20.85 should already have what in 20.60... however... Would not be coherent with the issue you experienced with 20.82!

    A confirmation from Garmin would be nice, at this point.......... Just would like to avoid this happening to my watch, if a fix is already available just would need to understand which version is safe!

  • Change from "watch" to "computer".

    I'd rephrase it as 'Download the .zip specific FOR your watch, using the links above' - as to as you say could be confusing.

    Although I don't like 'for' linguistically either, although it solves the ambiguity.

  • In my 20.85 file (for Fenix 6X Pro) the backdate file is version 20.50 (not 20.60).

  • I see now that there is the option to roll back to ...20.50. So I guess I could go there and then wait for the 20.60 to reach my watch. Thing is that if you roll back you lose your settings, so that would be a 2nd factory reset for me in a few days and I really don't think I can waste any more time for this again (you know setting everything up again / although I could backup those .fit files to restore them. That's what I did with the factory reset after the issues I had with 20.82 but not everything is being restored with this method).


    I guess I should wait for the May release of the 20.8X stable.

  • o now I can see a 20.85 beta is out, but it does NOT have this issue as "fixed" in the change log, while the stable 20.60 stable HAS it in it's changelog ?

    As always, subsequent updates include all previous changes. So fixed in 20.60 means also fixed in 20.85.

  • Yeah but it's still a bit strange in this case...

    20.82 beta was released previous than 20.60 stable, which is already strange per se, and should have been mention of this in change log but it's not there (possibly included in the "other improvements and bug fixes", however looks important enough to be mentioned explicitly ad there are people that needed to get an replacement watch for this...)

  • Installed without problems on my Fenix 6X Pro Solar. Nice to see that the Device Usage widget is back.

  • Ow... And I was thinking of skipping this one??

  • Yep I've seen it. Report to the beta team