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Watch broken by updates?

When I first started using this watch I had zero issues.

Then a software update caused the watch to disconnect and reconnect to bluetooth causing the watch to vibrate.

Thinking that I had a notification I would look to see the Phone Disconnected message. My Pixel 4 XL literally in my pocket while this occurs.

Then today I saw a software update, clicked accept.

It was on the update screen or download screen, a gear with an arrow pointing downward. After a few hours it still had not changed so I contacted support and explained that the watch was frozen and unusable.

They walked me through troubleshooting, hold down power button for 45s wait 1 minute power back on. Still wouldn't boot, stuck on triangle screen.

They had me connect the watch to a Windows computer and attempt to delete files, but the watch would not show up as a storage device, it also could not be used with Garmin Connect software, as it showed my watch as disconnected, and prompted me to add a newly discovered watch. I clicked to add the new device and it showed a FW version of 4.0.0 and a serial of 0.

At this point they offered to replace the watch but I'm completely floored and would like a refund after reading about all the problems people are having.

0 Catalin over 4 years ago

Day by day I am more and more convinced of the uselessness of my Garmin watch

0 2126816 over 4 years ago

They offered me a shipping label and reassured me that problems that cause RMA aren't common.

If you don't see another post here its probably because the replacement hasn't broken

0 9429610 over 4 years ago

My watch ran an update yesterday (9/11) morning & hasn't reliably stayed connected since then. Had to remove & re-add it to the Garmin app to get it to connect at all, now it disconnects repeatedly until it stays disonnected - won't sync automatically at all.

So, I think there's a problem with the update that was pushed out 9/10-9/11. Whatever it was broke something. For you, unfortunately, it broke hard. Good luck on the replacement!

(FWIW this is why I sync mine to Strava, so my exercise [though not other health data] exists somewhere else.)

0 2152174 over 2 years ago

My watch is dead......worked perfectly for two years. I got three updates in two days and now it will not power on....can not restart, reboot, or anything.....useless. I have sooo many options these days but stuck with Garmin. No idea what to do.

0 derekaug over 2 years ago in reply to 2152174

My wife's vivoactive 4s just died today after an update. Not responding to anything (plugging in, button holding, etc). This is here second vivoactive 4s that has died in similar fashion. This one we bought refurbed in June, so it's out of warranty and I'm doubtful anything will be done to resolve it - seems fishy that it randomly died after an update.

0 2152174 over 2 years ago in reply to derekaug

I plugged my in for 24hours. Then tried every button/hold combo I could. Was going to give up but the little triangle appeared and I got into some system screen. Couldn't get anywhere useful but managed to restarted from there twice.....then it worked. Still not sure it is fixed. Definitely a software issue. My watch stopped on a standard software update.

Update....had my Vivoactive back up and running for one whole day. Now it is dead again. Garmin....please help. I did nothing but auto update. I was on the road and now finally home and hooked up to my computer....still nothing working. My computer is not recognizing the watch so it can not run updates etc....I baby my watch...I can not buy these these if they break in 2 years because your software breaks it.