vivoactive 5 10.20 - unstable connection and hung

Since 3 days ago after I get the 10.20 software, the connection to my phone has been deteriorated. Constant connection drop, and multiple time the watch pop up the pin and ask to reconnect. 

Removed the watch from garmin connect, reset the watch, connection is still hit and miss. Notification come in late as well.

It wasn't a problem before 10.20 software update.

  • The other day I got the same pairing request for my JBL speaker though the speaker was not around me and was definitely not in pairing mode. I assume this is not only Garmin's issue but Google's with Android 14. I see similar complaints in reddit with other devices too.

  • Yeah, when my watch asks to pair, the notification on my phone is not the name of the watch, but the name of the last device paired with the phone (in my case it was my carkit). 

    I found the pairing goes alot smoother if I ignore the initial pairing request, open available bluetooth devices from the phone's menu and just click the watch to pair there. It never fails to pair from there and it doesn't require the entire setup through Garmin Connect either.

  • I have been having the same problem with my Vivoactive 5 since around July 21. The watch keeps connecting and reconnecting from my phone even when I am in the same room as my phone. Its very annoying and seems to run my watch battery down quicker. 

  • I have a Pixel 8 pro and I am experiencing this problem. The watch "unexpectedly loses connection" to the P8P and needs to be paired again. Really annoying!

  • For giggles I had my watch check for an update today, and it actually did detect one. Updated it this morning; it still says v10.20, so maybe it's just a hotfix of sorts. Who knows, maybe they've adressed the problem.

  • Hi guys, i bought the watch on 30.July. i updatet the watch and i have no issue with the connection.

    --> BUT my battery drain is awesome! form 100% to 20% over night! 

    Help

  • Same here. Pixel 8a. Is anyone from Garmin interested in this issue? I am suffering for weeks now

  • I have this issue as well. I signed up for the beta and got v 11.10 but the problem is still happening. So it doesn't look good for a fix anytime soon. 

  • Well, it's disheartening that it's happening with the beta.  I'm on the verge of re-buying either the VA5 or buying the Venu 3s, but I'm concerned now.  Yes, Garmin is working on a fix.  I worked with them to submit time stamps and logs as far as the disconnects.  I don't think the problem has anything to do with Android 14, as my VA5 worked fine on it before the 10.20 update.  

    Interestingly, the VA5 and the Venu 3S are both on 10.20, and my mother in law just got her Venu3s, is on an Android phone (Samsung) and has not yet told me she's having any issues.  I do see in the V3s forums though, that those owners are having the same issues we are.

  • For what its worth, since every time this happens to me it says something about being unable to pair with a bluetooth headphone that I once had paired to my phone (an Aftershokz Aeropex) and not the VivoActive 5, I wondered if maybe I factory reset my phone so there'd be absolutely no record of ever having been paired with the Aeropex anymore, maybe that would change things. Well, it did, but not in a good way. This time when it happened it told me it was unable to pair with "null". Sigh. Well, at least it no longer blames the Aeropex anymore, but it didn't change the loss-of-pairing behavior. My phone is a Pixel 8 Pro, for what its worth. Is this happening to anyone who does NOT have a Pixel? Maybe its a Pixel issue.