Garmin is rolling out a fresh beta software update to three popular older mid-range smartwatches: the Venu 3, Venu 3s, and vivoactive 5. The beta release, version 17.05, follows the last stable update from November 2025 (version 17.01), which addressed a Garmin Messenger pairing problem and corrected an EasyCard icon issue.
What’s interesting about beta 17.05 is that the listed change log doesn’t make it sound new. In fact, it mirrors the notes from the earlier 17.01 stable release and the 17.02 beta from early December 2025. But real-world feedback suggests there’s more going on behind the scenes.
According to user reports, this new beta appears to fix a frustrating music-related bug that recently affected the vivoactive 5. People said they were unable to download playlists for offline listening in music apps such as Spotify and YouTube Music. Downloads would get stuck with the progress bar sitting at 0%, and in some cases the watch could freeze or crash. After installing beta version 17.05, multiple users have indicated that playlist downloads are working properly again, suggesting Garmin quietly addressed the issue even if it isn’t clearly reflected in the official notes.
For anyone enrolled in Garmin’s beta program with a Venu 3, Venu 3s, or vivoactive 5, the update can be installed directly on the watch by navigating to Main menu, then Settings, then System, then Software Update.
One important detail for Venu 3 owners: the ECG feature is disabled while running this beta software, which is a typical limitation during Garmin’s beta testing period.
