Garmin has started rolling out a stable software update to its Forerunner 570 and Forerunner 970 smartwatches, bringing fresh features, meaningful usability tweaks, and fixes that should improve battery life and overall reliability. Software version 15.16 appears to close out the long-running 15.xx beta cycle that kicked off in mid-September 2025.
What’s new and improved
– Health Glance for sleep: A sleep-focused Health Glance, first seen on the Venu 4, is now available, making it easier to check overnight stats and recovery at a glance.
– Rolling pace data field: Runners can add a rolling pace field to better track real-time effort over short windows.
– Finer-grained notifications: You can now control alerts on an app-by-app basis, cutting down on distractions during training and daily use.
– Morning and Evening Reports in one place: Both summaries can be viewed directly from the Notification Center for quicker access.
– Faster dismiss and exit controls: Press the down key to close training alerts, or simply cover the screen with your palm to exit a smart notification.
Bug fixes and performance boosts
– Battery drain resolved: Addresses reports of faster-than-expected battery usage to help extend time between charges.
– Fewer crashes and blank screens: Fixes unexpected reboots and an issue where the display could go blank without warning.
– Forerunner 970 mapping fix: A specific fix restores proper behavior for the “Search Near” function on maps.
Availability and how to update
The update is now widely available for both models. To check manually on your watch:
Main Menu > System > Software Update > Check For Updates
Quick tips after updating
– Revisit notification preferences to take advantage of the new app-level controls.
– Add the rolling pace field to your running data screens for more actionable pacing insight.
– Check your Morning and Evening Reports in the Notification Center to streamline your daily routine.
With version 15.16, owners of the Forerunner 570 and Forerunner 970 get smarter sleep insights, better control over alerts, more flexible run data, and fixes that should noticeably improve battery life and stability—great news whether you’re training for a race or just want a more reliable everyday smartwatch.
