Can't remove incompatible Connect IQ apps transferred over from 955 to the 970

5271441 18 days ago

I just upgraded to the 970 from the 955. It transferred over my apps and settings (but not data fields or watch faces though). Anyway, I noticed in Connect IQ it showed a 7 app count installed but tapping into the list it only showed 4. After some digging I noticed a few apps on my watch that when opening say "App does not support this device." These are the ghost apps I couldn't find in Connect IQ. Additionally they show with a blue "IQ" icon on the watch instead of the app's icon. There is no option I can find anywhere to uninstall or remove the affected apps, whether in the watch interface or in Connect IQ. They are taking up valuable space in my 32 app limit which I'd like to recover for other apps and data fields. Please help. Is there a workaround for this?

0 Jo952 18 days ago

Same ghost Connect IQ app issure here. Forerunner 955 - > Forerunner 970

0 AudriusU 18 days ago

Same for FR965 -> FR970, three apps hanging. On the phone, Connect IQ says there are 4 installed apps on watch, yet My Device Apps screen shows only Connect IQ Store app as installed. On the watch I see these apps as "App does not support this device" with no sensible way to uninstall them.

0 FlowState 13 days ago

You should be able to uninstall these apps using the Connect IQ store app on the watch itself (as seen in 4216370's screenshot). I say this because I've seen a similar problem with my FR955 where sideloaded apps are not displayed in the Connect IQ mobile app, but are shown in the on-device app and can be uninstalled that way. And in general, as far as I've noticed, any time there's been issues with the CIQ mobile app not showing certain apps or not being able to uninstall certain apps, the on-device CIQ store has been unaffected.

If the on-device CIQ store app isn't pre-installed, you can get it here: apps.garmin.com/.../7cd38736-510a-4480-8801-0dfe2f5944af

EDIT: on second thought, I guess not :/

0 AudriusU 13 days ago in reply to FlowState

Unfortunately the built-in ConnectIQ Store app does not show ghost apps neither. In the shots below, HassControl is compatible with 970 and works OK, but myHomeControl and Rainy are not, and are left dangling:

Installed

Dangling apps appear to stay here as stray app pointers in GARMIN/Apps/OUT.BIN (seems to be proprietary binary data containing references to apps), but no corresponding files in GARMIN/Apps/DATA, hence no way to uninstall or fix them otherwise:

0 FlowState 13 days ago in reply to AudriusU

AudriusU said:
but no corresponding files in GARMIN/Apps/DATA,

To be clear, the files in \GARMIN\APPS\DATA represent persistent storage for apps, they're not the apps themselves. Similarly, files in \GARMIN\APPS\SETTINGS are app settings.

Executable app files have a PRG extension (like 776F13E.PRG), but you'll never see them on a modern Garmin watch, as Garmin has been "hiding" app PRGs for a while now. (They're moved to storage which isn't accessible to end users by any means.) On a much older watch, \GARMIN\APPS would've been full of PRG files that you could copy or delete at will.

So actually, you wouldn't be able to uninstall the Connect IQ store or HassControl by deleting those files in your screenshot either; at best you would just delete the app settings and persistent storage.

AudriusU said:
Unfortunately the built-in ConnectIQ Store app does not show ghost apps neither.

Hmm, sorry to hear that and sorry to give you bad advice. This whole thing seems like a bug/oversight on Garmin's part.

I guess if you scroll to a ghost app like myHomeControl (for example), and hold UP for the menu, you don't get the option to "Delete from Device", right?

If not, I can't think of any other way to remove these, except to connect your watch to a PC/Mac with the cable and try Garmin Express..

0 AudriusU 12 days ago in reply to FlowState

FlowState said:
I guess if you scroll to a ghost app like myHomeControl (for example), and hold UP for the menu, you don't get the option to "Delete from Device", right?

You are 33% right - I deleted Sailing app this way (1 app out of three dangling). Other two apps have only "Reorder App" and "Remove App" options, no "Delete from Device", just like built-in apps. "Remove App" deletes app entry from a list, which can be re-added again.

FlowState said:
If not, I can't think of any other way to remove these, except to connect your watch to a PC/Mac with the cable and try Garmin Express..

Garmin Express shows only compatible apps as well, ghost apps are invisible.

Today an OTA upgrade v6.17 came in, dangling app issue did not change though. I have contacted app developers asking to add FR970 support, I guess issues will get resolved then.

Thanks @FlowState for your ideas and insights.