Garmin has started rolling out a new stable software update for several of its premium smartwatches, expanding the release beyond just the Fenix 8 and Fenix 8 Pro. This latest build is now headed to the Fenix E, Quatix 8, and Tactix 8 as well, giving more high-end Garmin owners a fresh set of fixes while the company prepares its next major update.
Interestingly, this release isn’t the final step in Garmin’s newer v21.xx development. Instead, Garmin has shifted back to its v20.xx software track with System Software 20.29. It replaces System Software 20.24 and becomes the third update in the v20.xx branch since System Software 20.19 arrived back in November. For users waiting on Garmin’s next big stable upgrade, this update is designed to keep things running smoothly in the meantime.
System Software 20.29 brings three key bug fixes for eligible devices, including the Enduro 3, Fenix E, Fenix 8, Fenix 8 Pro, Quatix 8, and Tactix 8.
One of the most important fixes targets the Tactix 8, where a bug could cause the watch to crash while saving Dive activities. For users who rely on diving features and activity tracking, this should improve stability and prevent frustrating interruptions after a session.
Garmin also addresses issues that affected everyday usability on certain models. The update resolves a problem where airport lists were not displaying correctly, and it fixes another bug that caused the Contacts button to appear incorrectly or not show as expected on some watches.
As with many Garmin updates, the rollout is gradual. The company says System Software 20.29 is currently available to about 50% of supported devices, so if you don’t see it immediately, it may take a few days to arrive on your smartwatch.
If you want to check manually, open your watch’s settings and look for the software update option, or use Garmin’s companion software on your phone depending on your model.
