Garmin Edge 840 does not connect to Garmin Express

AlexSmallet
1 month ago

I just received the device today. It synced with the Garmin Connect on my iPhone automatically and asked for software upgrade. Then I wanted to connect it with Garmin Express on my mac, but it won't find the device. I use the latest Garmin Express 7.24.0.0 and Software version 24.55 on the Garmin 840. I have other Garmin Devices connected to this machine OK, i.e. - Edge 830, Forerunner 920XT, Varia Bike Radar, and Garmin nuvi. All devices work OK via USB. Any idea what can be wrong with the 840?

  • 0 1 month ago in reply to Martin Borsje

    Mac's are limited to only one program talking to an MTP device at a time. Do you having any other MTP program running at the same time as Garmin Express. E.g. OpenMTP

  • 0 1 month ago in reply to Pai2Uk

    Update from my side: Tried to connect again today and having same issues as other users. Garmin Express is not seeing device in USB MTP mode. no green light and search not finding the device. No other MTP software running like openMTP

    I disconnected all the external drives again (Not sure this is related ?) 

    Rebooted Mac

    Once it restarted, put the device into USB MTP mode

    Opened Garmin Connect 

    Everything is working now as expected and I checked I could add/remove maps. 

    (Note to Garmin, after the maps are updated, the connection is lost and you have to power cycle the device and re-enter USB MTP mode again to continue) 

    Firmware 25.25

    OSX 15.2

  • 0 27 days ago

    I found workaround that addresses the issue at least for me for EDGE 840:

    1. Stop Garmin Connect from running in the background on the Mac

    2. Connect Garrmin EDGE in normal way (without switching MTP Mode) through USB cable (in my case EDGE was in OFF mode)

    3. After EDGE is connected completely (EJECT SIGN on Connection screen is visible) start GARMIN CONNECT

    After that my EDGE is visible to my Mac and Map update is possible. 

  • 0 27 days ago

    I'm running MacBook Air M2 (Mac OS 15.2) and have Garmin EDGE 840 (25.25)

    I found workaround that has helped me to sync device and update device without switching MTP Mode (I've tried MTP Mode but it didn't work for me). My solution was:

    1. Stop Garmin Connect completly (it cannot run in the background)

    2. Connect Garmin Edge (in OFF Mode) to Mac and wait so it will start and will display cable connection screen with EJECT Button in RIGHT BOTTOM corner.

    3. START Garmin Connect

    In my case the Garmin Connect App finally was able to sync with EDGE. Map update was possible. 

  • 0 27 days ago in reply to awaite

    Update: I was able to transfer the files from my 540 to the 840 using my son’s windows computer. Zero issues, super easy so it seems the issue is purely with the Mac and not specific to my device. 

  • 0 27 days ago in reply to Pawel_R.

    That worked for me too. Thank you. 

  • 0 26 days ago in reply to Pawel_R.

    Pawel's instructions also worked for me (I use Macs). However I also have found that using Garmin Express on a computer seems to be unnecessary as the iPhone app can apparently perform all functions that Garmin Express can. Are there any functions that require Garmin Express to be run on a computer (Mac or PC), versus just using the iPhone Garmin app?

  • 0 26 days ago in reply to slichten626

    You are correct that system and app updates are working well with just mobile phone. At the same time I've never updated maps on my Garmin cycle computers using my iPhone. I think map update can be only done with PC due to size of file.  On top of this using PC the update process is usually faster and more stable. 

  • 0 26 days ago in reply to Pawel_R.

    You can do map updates via WiFi in Map Manager in the device systems settings. There are a couple of things though.

    1) You need to use an old WiFi access point because the device does not support WPA3 protocol.

    2) The device will go to sleep during update because the files are very large. This is clearly a bug, but there is a workaround - you need to disable auto-sleep in your current activity settings.

  • 0 26 days ago in reply to AlexSmallet

    It does sound like using the computer with Garmin Express is better suited to GB+ updates versus directly to the Garmin 840. But it sounds like it can be done either way. In any case, I can use Garmin Express again on my Mac with the 840 simply by following Pawel's instructions, which in fact are basically the same as Garmin's guidance except that Garmin doesn't caution the user to be patient and wait until the device has attached properly to the computer, which actually can take a minute or two, and then Garmin Express can be run from the computer. Since the 840 doesn't appear on the desktop anymore as removable storage like the old 520 Edge used to (I still have that 520 Edge), one can't copy files from it. But there is a solution to that also: a free piece of software called openmtp allows one to do that.