I’ve been following Garmin for years, but only recently decided to buy one. Unfortunately, I’ve had to return it multiple times. The hardware is not the issue—it’s largely as expected. The problem is the software, which has been extremely disappointing. I chose Garmin because I like the MIP color display and solar charging, and the Garmin Fenix 8( I bought tactix 8) series with its microphone, speaker, and inductive buttons really appealed to me. What I don’t understand is how a company of this size, now on its eighth-generation product, can still have software in this state.
Below, I will go through the issues I’ve encountered one by one. I can’t comment on the accuracy of activity tracking, but most of the problems I’ve faced are frustrating software bugs.
1. Garmin Connect app management can trigger a watch reboot
In the Garmin Connect app, users can manage which apps appear in the watch’s app list. If I attempt to enable all available apps, the watch consistently reboots when I tap the “+” icon on the last app.
I have already contacted customer support and provided video evidence. I was told someone would follow up, but I never received any response. This issue still persists on firmware version 21.39.
2. “Trolling Motor” app does not appear correctly
I do not actively use the trolling motor app, but I noticed inconsistent behavior. When entering edit mode in the app list, the “Trolling Motor” app appears. However, after confirming the changes, it does not show up in the actual app list.
I am unsure whether this is related to the issue described above.
3. Bluetooth calling and audio crackling
There are noticeable crackling and distortion sounds, especially right after a call connects. Occasionally, this also happens during calls.
Based on reports from other users, this issue may also affect music playback, particularly after firmware 21.39. In my case, I did not notice this issue on earlier firmware versions.
4. “Coming Up” app instability
The “Coming Up” app (a first-party Garmin app intended for basic task/to-do functionality) is highly unstable. After a few interactions (scrolling or tapping), the app freezes and causes the watch to reboot almost every time.
Upon reopening, a Garmin IQ error icon (exclamation mark) is displayed. This behavior appears to be consistent and reproducible.
5. Firmware update inconsistency (OTA vs actual version)
During initial setup, the watch shipped with firmware 15.32. When attempting to update via OTA, the device repeatedly indicated that it was already on the latest version, even though 21.39 was available.
Customer support was unable to resolve this. Eventually, after connecting the watch to a PC, the OTA update was somehow triggered (Garmin Express itself did not perform the update).
Additionally, the Garmin Connect website also incorrectly reported that the device was on the latest firmware.
6. Touchscreen unresponsiveness during calls
During phone calls, the touchscreen occasionally becomes unresponsive. The only workaround is to exit the call screen using physical buttons and then re-enter the call UI, after which touch functionality resumes.
7. Music transfer and format limitations
I encountered repeated errors when transferring music via Garmin Express. The transfer process stops after a few files and reports an error, requiring multiple retries to complete.
Additionally, the watch does not clearly specify supported audio formats. For example, 96 kHz audio files play at incorrect speeds. Neither Garmin Express nor official documentation provides clear guidance on format limitations.