Garmin GPS Watches Are Bricking and Nobody Knows Why

Garmin’s sport watches appear to be experiencing an issue getting stuck in a boot loop following a recent software update. The issue appears widespread, with watches from the Venu 3 to the Forerunner 265 all impacted by the “blue triangle” error. It is unclear exactly the cause of the issue, but members of Garmin’s community forums speculate a recent update was corrupted.

In a notice posted to its website, Garmin acknowledges the issue and advises owners to “press and hold the power button until the device turns off, then power it back on, and sync with the Garmin Connect app or Garmin Express.” If that fails to resolve the issue, the company has a support page with further instructions to address the problem on each of its specific products.

Garmin’s instructions seem to suggest that devices will need to be factory reset if a power cycle does not work. Reconfiguring a watch from scratch would be inconvenient, so it might be worth waiting to see if Garmin can issue an update that resolves the issue. If you cannot wait too long, you might just have to go through the hassle.

There is no guarantee that Garmin’s suggested solutions will work. If you manage to find a solution that works for your watch, feel free to leave it in the comments.

Despite Apple’s dominance in smartwatches, Garmin has managed to carve out a niche for itself making quality watches targeted at super athletes. Its sport watches, like the recently released Fenix 8, are built to withstand wear and tear, can last weeks on a charge, and include comprehensive fitness tracking features not found on the Apple Watch. Some question whether all of Garmin’s sensors are as accurate as those offered in the Apple Watch, but in general, Garmin watches are the go-to for athletes looking for access to extensive data on their workouts and vitals. The company also makes other GPS-based products, like an autopilot system for boats.