Garmin software update renders several smartwatches nearly unusable

Several Garmin Forerunner models have been plagued by flaws following a recent software update. After installing software version 27.09, many users have reported massive issues with their Garmin Forerunner 165, Forerunner 265, and Forerunner 965 (available here on Amazon). Far from minor bugs, these problems severely limit the watches’ functionality, effectively crippling many of their smart features. It remains difficult to gauge how widespread the situation is, as some users reportedly experienced no issues at all with the new software. Restarting the watches seems to help in certain cases, but not consistently. One Reddit user also noted experiencing lag after the update.

According to a specific post, the Garmin Forerunner 165 can no longer track sleep data, making it impossible to evaluate sleep quality and duration. The step counter has also stopped working, and heart rate monitoring has become unreliable or fully inconsistent. Whilst not entirely unusable, the Forerunner 165 appears to have lost a substantial chunk of its smartwatch capabilities. For example, users can’t accurately assess their workouts without dependable heart rate data. Garmin has been notified of these issues, though an official fix – such as a firmware update – has yet to be announced. Runners preparing for a race may feel the impact of these problems more than the average user.