Canonical: Fix Fēnix 8 (AMOLED) extreme auto-dimming — coordinated reports & action

Hi everyone — this is the canonical thread to collect short, low-effort reports about the Fēnix 8 AMOLED extreme auto-dimming issue and coordinate a single, documented request to Garmin.

Short problem: In low light many Fēnix 8 owners report the display auto-dims so much it becomes nearly unreadable even when brightness is set to maximum. Garmin’s current reply has been “by design.” We believe this can be fixed via firmware (manual brightness override / raise minimum brightness).

Goal: Gather simple reports to demonstrate scale, then send a consolidated request to Garmin Support. If needed, create a petition and run a short social push (#FixFenix8Brightness).

Two easy ways to help — pick one (do not need to do both):

A) Quick & preferred (takes <10s) — post one short line here:

That’s enough to be counted — photos and firmware are not required. If you prefer anonymity just write Anonymous.

B) Optional (1–2 min) — structured report + optional photo/video — fill this quick Google Form (optional):
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeE9Ngye0eWSI-PH99lkD7lK7L7fopIJyrwY1fFNChMaJ9KWQ/viewform?usp=header
The form allows optional photo/video upload and automatically stores entries in our sheet. Filling the form is optional — posting one short line in this thread is sufficient.

If you already reported to Garmin, optionally add Sent to Garmin: YES after your line.

Example reply (copy/paste):
fenix 8X — Screen nearly unreadable in dim room even at max brightness. Sent to Garmin: NO

What we (organizers) will do next:

After ~2 weeks we’ll compile short replies and form responses into a summary list.
If there are many reports, we’ll send a consolidated feature request to Garmin Support with representative photos/videos.
If Garmin’s response is unsatisfactory within ~14 days, we’ll start a petition and coordinate a one-day social push (#FixFenix8Brightness).

Privacy note: We will not ask for serial numbers or personal data. Photos and firmware are optional. The aim is to show scale, not collect identities.

If moderators can pin this thread as canonical, please do — it will keep everything in one place. Thanks

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0 9934856 2 months ago

fenix 8X — Screen nearly unreadable in dim room even at max brightness. Sent to Garmin: YES. Firmware: 9.90.

0 gryphyn 2 months ago

Screen is way too dim in dim rooms. The time is barely readable and forget about trying to read any of the smaller fields. We paid for the watch and should have full control of how bright we want it. Sent to Garmin: YES

0 doctorjude 2 months ago

Garmin Venu: allows users to disable adaptive screen brightness with a single tap

Every smart phone on the planet: allow users to disable adaptive screen brightness with a single tap

Garmin's flagship Fenix 8 AMOLED: user given no option to disable adaptive screen brightness. Must accept whatever brightness level the software determines is ideal, regardless of conditions, or in my case, regardless of extrinsic factors, like users with visual challenges who require greater screen brightness to visualize the watch data. Thanks for the downgrade, Garmin.

Sent to Garmin: *** yes.

0 JuhaV 2 months ago

fenix 8 51mm amoled — Screen nearly unreadable in dim room even at max brightness., firmware 15.33, Sent to Garmin: NO

0 PTschofen 2 months ago

In dark environments or at night, the display is too dark and practically unreadable, especially the small option displays. I use the Iron Grit display, which should be adjustable, but it's only adjustable in daylight. I've had my Fenix 8x AMOLED for almost a year now, and I've complained about this from the beginning, but unfortunately, no change so far. I've already contacted support about this, and the employee said he's aware of the issue and will pass it on to development. I don't understand why Garmin is the only one who can't solve this, and why only the Fenix 8 AMOLED has this problem. It's the most expensive watch of all comparable models. Some of my friends have an Apple Watch, and it's much brighter.

Sent to Garmin: Yes

0 SnedviC 2 months ago

fenix 8 47mm — Screen nearly unreadable in dim room even at max brightness. Sent to Garmin: YES

0 E d'eau 2 months ago

fenix 8 51mm amoled — Screen nearly unreadable in dim room even at max brightness., firmware 15.33, Sent to Garmin: NO

0 stbi00 2 months ago

Fenix 8 51mm amoled — Screen nearly unreadable in dim room even at max brightness., firmware 15.33, Sent to Garmin: NO

0 ShawnPDX 2 months ago

Fenix 8 47mm amoled — Screen nearly unreadable in dim room even at max brightness., firmware 17.27, Sent to Garmin: NO

0 8917073 2 months ago in reply to ShawnPDX

Fenix 8 47mm amoled — Screen nearly unreadable in dim room even at max brightness. firmware 15.33, Sent to Garmin: NO