Garmin has started rolling out a fresh beta software update for several of its popular smartwatches, including the Instinct Crossover AMOLED and models in the Instinct 3 lineup. The latest release, Beta Version 15.13, arrives shortly after the previous v15.12 beta and focuses on improving reliability for Garmin Pay users.
The update is being delivered globally as an over-the-air download to participants in Garmin’s Beta Program. According to the rollout details, Beta Version 15.13 reached around half of eligible devices within the first few hours, so many users may already see it available on their watches.
If the update has not appeared automatically, users can check for it manually. To do this, open the main Settings menu on the smartwatch, go to System, select Software Update, and then choose Check for Updates.
The key improvement in Beta Version 15.13 is a fix for a possible crash that could happen when adding a bank card to Garmin Pay. This issue affected Instinct 3 series smartwatches, and the new beta is designed to remove that problem, making the mobile payment setup process smoother and more dependable.
Although this beta release includes only one change compared with v15.12, it adds to a broader list of improvements introduced since Garmin’s most recent stable Software Version 14.15. These updates are aimed at refining everyday usability, activity tracking, language support, and specific features for Tactical models.
The broader changelog for the Instinct 3 and Instinct E series includes improved gear suggestions for Hike activities, a fix for a possible treadmill distance calibration issue, and a correction for a crash that could occur when adding a card to Garmin Pay.
Garmin has also fixed an issue where the date could appear incorrectly on certain watch faces in some languages, though this applies specifically to Tactical models. Another language-related fix addresses a problem where sleep data might not display correctly in the morning report.
For Tactical users, Garmin has added support for Xero range sensor data in the Applied Ballistics app. The update also restores the Auto Select Satellites option in Power Manager, fixes the dog pointer direction in the DogTrack glance, resolves an issue where a Connect IQ data field could be obscured, and corrects a problem where a watch face data field could appear blank in certain languages.
While Beta Version 15.13 is not a major feature update, it is still an important release for users who rely on Garmin Pay. A smoother card setup experience can make a noticeable difference, especially for smartwatch owners who use contactless payments during workouts, travel, or daily errands.
As with all beta software, users should keep in mind that these builds are intended for testing before wider stable release. However, Garmin’s quick follow-up update suggests the company is actively addressing user-reported issues and continuing to polish the Instinct smartwatch experience.
