Garmin addresses Fenix 7 battery drain in firmware update 18.15
Garmin has released a new firmware update, version 18.15, for the Fenix 7 series, Epix 2 series, Enduro 2, Quatix 7, and Marq 2. This new software comes in response to user reports of increased battery drain following a previous update.
The update aims to resolve a specific issue that caused potential increased battery consumption after completing an activity with GPS switched on. The issue has been around for weeks.
Some users of Garmin watches employed various workarounds to mitigate the issue while awaiting an official fix. This included rebooting their devices after each workout or performing a non-GPS activity immediately following their main exercise. Others chose to temporarily disable features like Incident Detection or Garmin Share to conserve battery life.
In any case, the official fix is in now. Fingers crossed… However as this is a Beta version, you need to be enrolled in the Garmin Beta programme in order to install it. And you need to initiate the download manually, from your watch.
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In addition to tackling the battery drain problem, the new firmware includes several other improvements and bug fixes. Users will now have the ability to set heart rate zones by beats per minute (BPM), offering more precise control over their training metrics. The update also resolves potential shutdown issues, both during boot and when modifying heart rate zones using Garmin Connect Mobile.
Garmin has also addressed some navigation and compatibility concerns. Firmware 18.15 corrects an issue where maps displayed doubly thick lines in certain situations, potentially improving the clarity of on-screen navigation. Additionally, a fix for the trolling motor pairing sequence has been implemented, which may be particularly useful for users who integrate their Garmin devices with marine equipment.
For users who sync their watch data with external applications, the update resolves an issue that caused Basecamp to fail to recognize the device. This improvement should streamline the process of transferring and analyzing activity data for those who rely on this software.
You can view the full change-log of version 18.15 on Garmin’s website.
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My Fenix 7 pro has updated to firmware version 18.5 but it still doesn’t fix the issue of the battery drain.
Before updating to version 18.4, the battery drained by 3% per day. After the update, the battery drained by 5-6% per day. Recently, I decided to try the beta update to version 18.5. The battery drained 8-10% faster per day. All this is from normal daily usage, not using or recording any activities.