SW 16.22 (CIQ System sw 7.0 added, CIQ API 5.0.0), but in 2025 February cannot install/set ciq contents

Perfect, will try this, thank you!

Hello brother, can you teach me how to operate it? I can't install the watch face and field in the iq2.0 version of the iPhone. I have an Android phone, so I want to try my watch system 16.22.

Flavien_Fcubed said:

I successfully installed apps using Garmin Express yesterday so yes,

My finding is that you can install some CIQ contents using GE, but only those which had earlier installed at least for one time and later removed from the watch.. This group of contents are listed within GE with a cloud logo next to them similarly to Garmin native contents which are not active on the watch.

All the other contents which can be found only via  Get More Apps function of GE using a browser and going to the store behave the same way as using GC app.

So far I ha no problem with none of the update of those contents which could be installed by GE or previously via GC, or via a sideload. 

I am still on 16.22 and definitely want to stay there and not risking to upgrade to the newest firmware.

However, with a very old version of the Topoactive maps on my watch, I needed to update them.

Therefore, today I risked updating the maps through Garmin Express and made sure to delete the GUPDATE.GSP before unplugging the watch.

However, upon restart, I was greeted by a firmware update message in my watch. In horror, I once again checked that the GUPDATE-file is NOT on my watch (and it wasn't). And I pressed the Install Now Button.

Very fortunately for me, after the process the watch told me, "You successfully installed firmware 16.22" - puh . Everything still works fine, just the Topoactive maps are now updated as intended.

Is there a known way to avoid the firmware installation attempt altogether? Perhaps deleting some other file in addition to GUPDATE.GSP before unplugging?

By the way: Garmin Express also showed me some updates of CIQ-Apps that are installed on my watch. But I avoided trying those out .

Sometimes when you update "smaller" sw items, like Time Zone Map sw or Map Region Groupinf File etc. your watch does as if a new System Sw (=firmware) would have been installed and confirmed its sw version.

If you do not see GUPDATE.gcd at the time of unplugging more or less you can be relaxed that you did not ruin anything.

As I wrote somewhere, maybe not in this thread, even after your computer downloads a System sw version you can disable it denying the rights in the security tab of properties. If you do it with the whole Firmware folder then your computer will be not able to download the System sw and you get a red cross in GE showing that System sw was not downloaded to your computer.

But even in this case you have to manually check the Garmin folder on your watch.

GregorS said:

By the way: Garmin Express also showed me some updates of CIQ-Apps that are installed on my watch. But I avoided trying those out

As some might remember, I got a test unit running and since I'm done (in more than one sense) with 21.19/22.06 I use it testing what is still possible with 15.77 and how 17.28 can be an alternative as for the greater amount of CIQ content still available. So it wasn't a risk and I gave that a try. It worked - much to my surprise. Ofc. I can't guarantee that this will be the case for all apps but for all 15 of mine the update went trough ok and I can see that is has a new version (e.g. WFs having the features of the latest version).

Very interesting, indeed. However, I still worry too much to try it out

Tisztul_A_Visztula said:

My finding is that you can install some CIQ contents using GE, but only those which had earlier installed at least for one time and later removed from the watch..

You are still on 16.22? I had the same experience with 17.28 just 2 weeks ago. 16.22 should be almost the same CIQ level, right? 

However you never risk anything if you try that even on 15.77 as I observed. You still can choose the Apps which were on your system before at some time but content no longer compatible in anyway will be deleted after disconnecting from the PC. So no risk in trying. 

Tisztul_A_Visztula said:

other contents which can be found only via  Get More Apps function of GE using a browser and going to the store behave the same way as using GC ap

Well, that depends seemingly. While with GC I couldn't install any content (no matter how old) with always the same Banner (Update your device...), I could install some content using the Browser via GE. Obviously GC isn't even checking whether the app is compatible to your system or not while in browser via GE there is a check.

So we are learning more every day which helps to still have a working system with at least some CIQ. ;-) 

I like that very much, thank you very much for your research, I'm well aware how much time it costs.

GregorS said:

still worry too much to try it out

I wouldn't try either with my live system still on 15.77 and showing available updates in GE as well. 

But since i have the test system anyway... Also I'm completely done with 21.19 and 22.06 in every way and might as well use it now to accumulate some knowledge. So in the probable case that the moment will come when I have to factory reset my live system (now being stable for almost 2 years) I'd know what options I have. In this moment it wouldn't matter to try updating the apps  since then it wouldn't be a problem to reset once more anyway. ;-) I do hope that this moment is a long time away in the future though.

Erik T7 said:

in the probable case that the moment will come when I have to factory reset my live system

If this ever happened to me, i.e. I am forced to install a non-stable newer firmware version, I definitely will leave Garmin.