Garmin is gearing up for a new stable release for its latest Instinct line, but eager testers can jump in now with a fresh beta. Instinct E, Instinct 3, and Instinct Crossover owners enrolled in the Beta Program are receiving Beta Version 12.18, which zeroes in on a key reliability fix for inReach Remote connectivity, including devices like the inReach Messenger satellite communicator.
The timing suggests Garmin is still refining the v12 software track for Instinct models. After rolling out stable updates for several Forerunner watches, including the Forerunner 570, Forerunner 970, and even the older Forerunner 255, the company is continuing to iterate on Instinct firmware with multiple v12.xx test builds since the arrival of System Software 10.36 in mid-September. Based on Garmin’s usual cadence—testing several betas before pushing a consolidated stable build—expect the next stable Instinct update to land closer to the holiday season.
How to get it: If your Instinct E, Instinct 3, or Instinct Crossover is enrolled in Garmin’s Beta Program, Beta Version 12.18 should arrive automatically through Garmin Connect Mobile or Garmin Express.
Beyond the inReach fix, here’s the current set of changes and improvements rolled into the most recent Instinct 3/Instinct E/Instinct Crossover builds, reflecting what’s in place as Garmin transitions toward the next stable release:
– Added support for Health Status, surfacing health data changes and overall wellbeing in the Garmin Connect app
– Added support for editing custom and proximity alerts from Garmin Connect Mobile
– Added support for updating sensor software over BLE
– Improved Area Calculation app interface
– Fixed interval alert behavior for the quick timer
– Fixed an issue where the Messenger glance could be added twice
– Corrected missing or incorrect units in Messenger message details
– Fixed a potential issue where the course elevation plot appeared flat
– Fixed an issue where optical heart rate could not be enabled by a power mode if the system setting was off
– Added a Steps data field
– Added a Pulse Ox watch face data field option
– Added a Recovery Time watch face data field option
– Fixed potential battery drain when using Connect IQ watch faces
– Fixed an issue where a software update would not immediately appear after Check for Updates
– Fixed issues with the Weather app when accessed from the app list
– Corrected DogTrack distance when using Metric units
– Fixed a problem where watch face charts could show old data
– Fixed calendar watch face data field showing events from future dates
– Resolved a potential graphical glitch on the Morning Report watch face
– Added support for HRM Pace & Distance over BLE
– Added a UTC data field option to more watch faces
– Added a barometer data field option to the default watch face
– Fixed Morning Report and Workout animations (45 mm only)
– Fixed a crash when viewing daily suggested workouts
– Corrected the load ratio graph indicator
– Added an additional watch face design
– Various UI fixes and improvements
– Fixed an issue where the analog hands could become stuck after completing an activity
– Fixed various sensor menu issues
– Fixed the golf club sensor info page
– Fixed missed call animation
– Fixed barometer chart scale
– Fixed Kill Switch countdown
If you rely on inReach functionality with your Instinct, Beta Version 12.18 is worth grabbing right away for the connectivity fix alone. For everyone else, the growing list of quality-of-life tweaks and added data fields points to a more polished stable release on the horizon.
