Garmin Forerunner 970 and Forerunner 570 receive major Beta Version 18.23 update with crash fixes and performance improvements
Garmin is rolling out a fresh beta software update for two of its latest running-focused smartwatches, the Forerunner 970 and Forerunner 570. The new firmware, Beta Version 18.23, is now available globally as a free over-the-air download for users enrolled in Garmin’s Beta Program.
This update brings more than a dozen fixes and refinements, with Garmin focusing heavily on improving stability, voice features, audio behavior, activity saving, and training performance. For users who experienced random reboots, crashes, or unresponsive controls on earlier firmware, this release should be a welcome improvement.
Beta Version 18.23 follows Garmin’s previous v18.xx beta releases, including versions 18.12, 18.14, and 18.19. Although the version number jumps ahead by several revisions, Garmin has bundled 14 notable changes into this release.
One of the biggest areas of improvement is device stability. Garmin says the update resolves several problems that could cause the Forerunner 970 or Forerunner 570 to crash or reset. These issues could occur during incident detection, while saving an activity, after receiving an audio spectator message, when opening the morning report, or simply at random during normal use.
The update also improves workout accuracy by addressing a bug that could lead to pace or speed dropouts, particularly during interval training. This fix is especially important for runners who rely on consistent real-time pace data during structured workouts.
Voice and audio features also receive attention in Beta Version 18.23. Garmin has fixed problems where the device might fail to detect the Wake Word, stop responding after the Wake Word is triggered, or fail to play certain voice outputs after an audio spectator message. The update also corrects an issue where audio spectator messages might not play properly while music is paused.
Music controls should feel smoother as well. Garmin has fixed a bug that caused the volume slider to bounce around and become unresponsive, which could make adjusting audio levels frustrating during a workout.
Garmin also says it has corrected an issue where the morning and evening reports would not time out as expected. Alongside these larger fixes, the update includes minor system improvements and updated translations.
Users enrolled in the Garmin Beta Program can manually check for the update directly from their watch. To do this, open the main menu on the Forerunner 570 or Forerunner 970, go to Settings, then System, then Software Update, and select Check for Updates.
According to Garmin, Beta Version 18.23 has already been made available to all eligible beta users. However, the company has not yet confirmed when the v18.xx software branch will move from beta testing to a stable public release.
Full list of changes in Garmin Beta Version 18.23:
Fixes a crash that could happen during incident detection.
Fixes an issue where the morning and evening report would not time out.
Fixes a reset that could occur after receiving an audio spectator message.
Fixes a reset that could happen when saving an activity.
Fixes a reset that could happen while viewing the morning report.
Fixes pace and speed dropouts, especially during interval training.
Fixes an issue where audio spectator messages might not play while music is paused.
Fixes an issue where the device could fail to detect the Wake Word.
Fixes an issue where the watch could stop responding to commands after the Wake Word is triggered.
Fixes an issue where other voice audio could fail after receiving an audio spectator message.
Fixes sporadic device reboots.
Fixes an issue where the music volume slider could bounce around and become unresponsive.
Fixes other minor issues.
Updates translations.
With this release, Garmin continues to polish the Forerunner 970 and Forerunner 570 experience ahead of a future stable update. For runners, cyclists, and fitness-focused smartwatch users, Beta Version 18.23 appears to be a meaningful step toward better reliability, smoother training data, and fewer interruptions during daily use and workouts.
