Is Garmin aware that the hard reset method does not fix the boot loop?

I see the advice regarding the boot loop issues (jJanuary 28 2025) at the top of the page has changed to advise connecting to Connect or Express, and if that fails, doing a hard reset.

I cannot get my watch to connect to anything - it won't boot, so option 1 (Garmin Connect or Garmin Express) are not options for me. Both pieces of software think there is no watch, because the watch won't start up.

So, with a heavy heart I went to do a hard reset. For the Fenix 7 that is power off (Light button for 30 seconds) then hold Start and Back when you power it back on. When it beeps once, release start. When it beeps a second time, release back.

I've done al that. The watch beeped when it was supposed to.

It still boot loops. It sill won't connect to anything.

I am concerned that the tone of the advice is that a hard reset will definitely fix it.

Could someone from Garmin confirm that they are aware that this doesn't always work?

Top Replies

Garmin-Laurie 3 months ago in reply to Stephen94 +1 verified

Hello. I am sorry to hear you are still experiencing this. Garmin is aware of a temporary outage that may have caused the watch to be stuck in a boot loop, or the start up screen. If you are having this…
porania 3 months ago in reply to 8296514 +2

Did you try the advice posted here: https://forums.garmin.com/outdoor-recreation/outdoor-recreation/f/fenix-7-series/402163/fenix-7-reboot-loop-asking-for-help/1890494#1890494 (for me, the trick was to keep…

All Replies

0 axtionman 3 months ago

Doesnt work for me too

0 axtionman 3 months ago

Doesn't fix it for my Fenix 7 either. Stuck in boot loop.

0 axtionman 3 months ago

Doesnt work for me too

0 axtionman 3 months ago

The factory reset doesn't fix it for my Fenix 7 either. Still stuck in boot loop.

0 KrapfenKringel 3 months ago

Why is the watch suddenly doing this that Garimin has to post a special notice, what happened?

0 8296514 3 months ago

I'm in the same boat. No reset option will work. Watch while boot-looping is not identified by bluetooth in phone apps nor by usb connection to PC.

0 Mark C 3 months ago

I was having the same issue on my 7x. I just found this on reddit and it works, you need to download openmtb on your computer and delete the file from the watch, factory reset does not clear the file. The incompetence of the Garmin software team is simply amazing.

www.reddit.com/.../

0 porania 3 months ago in reply to 8296514

Did you try the advice posted here: https://forums.garmin.com/outdoor-recreation/outdoor-recreation/f/fenix-7-series/402163/fenix-7-reboot-loop-asking-for-help/1890494#1890494 (for me, the trick was to keep the Start button pressed all the time while connecting via USB)

0 3657904 3 months ago in reply to porania

I don't have a PC - only a MacBook - will try later but when I did try similar it started to boot as soon as I plugged the cable in.

0 Stephen94 3 months ago in reply to porania

it worked for me, keeping the start button for a while. But I had to use a PC, I didn't managed to make it work on my Macbook with OpenMTP