Garmin is one of the most popular smartwatch brands, especially among Android users and especially among Android users who live active lifestyles. The company’s smartwatches make up some of the better options for consumers who don’t want to go with Samsung, OnePlus, Xiaomi, or other options made by existing smartphone OEMs.
However, Garmin users are far from having a great time at the moment. If you noticed your Garmin watch stopped working recently, it’s not only a “you” problem. Different Garmin smartwatch models across the world have stopped working, and it’s not an exaggeration to say that its customers are very mad about it.
Garmin Users Are Facing Blue Triangles and Frozen Start-Up Screens
If you have a Garmin smartwatch, you might have noticed a day or two ago that it just decided to stop working. Maybe it got stuck in a boot loop, or maybe all you see on the screen is a blue triangle; either way, you can’t actually use your smartwatch in any productive manner. The good news is that, no, you’re not alone.
Garmin smartwatches across the world are having the same issues, with many of the company’s models simply refusing to boot into a usable state. For people who rely on their smartwatches on a daily basis, it’s not hard to imagine how frustrating this is for customers. Some of that frustration has been very evident on social media platforms.
Just looking at the symptoms of the issue, it is likely a result of a botched software update that was automatically downloaded and installed on the affected devices. Software updates that brick devices aren’t entirely new, but that doesn’t mean they’re wanted.
What Can I Do to Fix This Problem?
People aren’t just mad at Garmin for letting this happen in the first place but also for what was perceived as a sluggish response to the issue. On checking Garmin’s X profile, its posts were filled with comments decrying the issue, yet there wasn’t an official post addressing it. The company initially stated for users to reset their devices, but obviously, that’s not what most want to do.
However, the company has finally come up with what should be a permanent fix for the issue, covering multiple models. Some will involve some degree of data loss, while others won’t. However, for users of the Fenix 8, one of the company’s most popular models, as well as the Lily 2 Active, you can follow these steps:
- Hold down the power button on your smartwatch until it turns off.
- Press the power button to turn the device back on.
- If the watch turns on as expected, sync it with the Garmin Connect app for mobile or the Garmin Express app on a computer.
However, if the recommended fixes still don’t get the job done for you, it might be time to contact Garmin’s official support for further assistance.
Which Garmin Smartwatches Are Affected?
If you have a device in any of the following Garmin smartwatch lineups, your device could be susceptible to this software issue:
- Garmin Approach
- Garmin Epix
- Garmin Fenix
- Garmin Forerunner
- Garmin Instinct
- Garmin Vivoactive 4 and Vivoactive 5
- Garmin Venu 3 and Venu 3S
