Why can't I update the maps on a brand new Edge Explore 2?

DezB99

First time connecting my new device and oh my, what a wind-up! 

Update it says, so I click update... Not enough memory it says, manage maps to create space. I manage maps, unclick the ones I don't want. It goes through the process (unplug and replug in the device?!) and says completed, like its removed the maps. I go back to the update screen and I have the maps I've just removed still ticked and I can't update the western Europe that I want. I try the same thing 4 times. The same every time.

I go onto the device and go into the maps settings and disable the (unclearly named) maps I don't want.

I go back into Garmin Express and still it won't let me update the maps.

Thinking about sending it back tbh. The menus are so un-user-friendly (I've worked in IT for 35 years!). Why do I have 3 profiles including Indoor, when I'll never use the device indoors. (Can't remove it, only rename?). 

But if someone can advise how I update the maps, I would be most grateful.

  • 0

    Ensure that both Garmin Express and the device are up to date (Garmin Express v.7.29.0 / Edge Explore 2 v.30.23). Outdated versions can sometimes cause update issues or prevent storage options from being recognized correctly.

    Check if there is sufficient free internal storage on the Edge. In particular, delete:
    old or unnecessary maps (Folder: INTERNAL STORAGE\GARMIN; delete the IMG files there—Important!!! Be sure to back up the folder contents first!)

    Garmin Express often requires a large amount of free space on the PC for map updates—sometimes up to 20 GB on the system drive. If your computer's storage is nearly full, the update may fail at that stage.

    If Garmin Express offers the option to install a smaller region instead of the full map during the update, select that option. This is often the easiest solution when storage space is limited.

    Reconnect the device and restart the update.

  • 0 in reply to Tom4711

    Thanks for the reply. In the end resorted to ChatGPT to provide answers. The manual for the device doesn't even include the word "maps"!

    I had 60GB+ free on my laptop and was trying to remove maps using Garmin Express to make space for the update. The application just didn't do anything.

    ChatGPT's advice was to download 3rd party maps (I already had) and delete (backup) the Garmin installed maps (.img files) through Windows.

    Pretty insane with a brand new device. Will check for any other updates.

    thanks

  • 0

    It seems this isn’t just an Explore 2 problem. https://www.reddit.com/r/GarminEdge/comments/1uoww1x/edge_540_updated_software_but_not_enough_memory/

    Garmin, what’s going on? First, the maps update completely killed users’ devices, and now this.

  • 0

    Just dropped the 2026 maps, and it seems they’re updating without any issues.

  • 0

    Having exactly the same problem here with a brand spanking new Edge MTB. Uncheck the maps i don't want, check the Western Europe map and it goes through the motions, tells me its complete. Disconnect and reconnect and I'm left with exactly the same maps i started with, and not even for my region of Europe FFS! Yet I plug in my 10 year old Edge Touring and it updates perfectly, what a pi$$take...

  • 0

    Dropping in my experience with Garmin Express v.7.29.0 on MacOS / Edge Explore 2 v.30.23

    • Loaded up Garmin Express, Process ended with cryptic error.  Tried again, Same error.  Realized storage on device was now full.
    • Check Map Info on device and found that all of the 2026.11 were showing up and 2022 maps were still present.  But Garmin Express didn't recognize them as installed.  Storage showed full of "other" instead of "maps"
    • Did some digging in the forums/reddit and found other people having similar experiences.
    • Used OpenMTP application to backup and then delete "gmapprom.img" & "gmapprom1.img" which were the originally loaded 2022 maps for North America and Central America
    • Now Garmin Express recognized the 2026.11 maps as correctly installed and there was enough available space available for additional maps.
    • I was paranoid about the files not being completely loaded after the initial errors, so I used Garmin Express to uninstall and then reinstall the 2026.11 maps.  Now the Map Info screen is also showing Garmin GeoCode and DEM maps.  So looks like the installation was fully successfully.

    Overall, very annoying, it seems like Garmin needs to work on the coding on this app to predict when the new TopoActive maps are going to take up too much space, and allow option for removing the 2022 maps.

  • 0 in reply to 3763322

    I have the same issue and deleting "gmapprom.img" & "gmapprom1.img" did the job so thanks for sharing.

    Abit of a con though as unless you use Garmin express you would never know theres not enough room for the maps to update.

    im hoping now the update will resolve an IQ issue uve had where the map goes blank apart from an icon

  • 0 in reply to 3763322

    How do you "check map info on device"? Where is that in the menu? I also don't have gmapprom*.img on the device

  • 0 in reply to flocsy🤠

    To check the map info/versions n an Edge, generally you will select "Configure Maps" (or "Map Information" on some models) under settings. That screen will show what maps are currently installed.

    To find the gmapprom file(s), open on your computer and those files should be in the main Garmin folder.

  • 0 in reply to Garmin - DK

    That was not very useful, this is after all the Edge Explore 2 forum, but now I went into every sub-menu and I found it well hidden in a very unusual place:

    Settings > ACTIVITY PROFILES !? > Off Road > Navigation > Map > Map Information

    So I see only the 2026 maps (some .10, some .11) nothing looks like a leftover from earlier years:

    Also I don't have any file like gmpapprom:

    So I guess I was just unlucky and the 4 maps I had earlier (Europe: East, Central, West and Middle East) grew in the latest update and they are now too big to be able to have all 4 of them at the same time installed?