Garmin Fenix 8 Pro users report watch crashes during music playback
A number of Garmin Fenix 8 Pro users are reporting consistent crashes when listening to music. The issue appears to happen when skipping to the next track using headphone controls, across multiple streaming services and firmware versions.
Music skipping leads to system crashes
The problem seems to be triggered by a simple action: pressing the “next song” button on connected headphones. Whether the audio is streaming via Amazon Music, Spotify, Deezer, or played from local files, the result is often the same. The watch crashes or restarts mid-activity. Users have experienced this both during runs and while navigating, with headphones from different brands.
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In the Garmin forums, reports come from owners using Shokz, Beats Pro, Suunto Wing and others. While some headphones fare better than others, even switching models hasn’t fully solved the problem for many. In some cases, the crash is triggered immediately. In others, it takes a few track skips before the device becomes unresponsive.
Issue spans apps, headphones and firmware versions
One user highlighted that even offline MP3s stored on the device can cause a reboot when skipping tracks. Another pointed to hiccups when using PacePro and LTE LiveTrack simultaneously. However, the common denominator in nearly every report is interacting with playback while on the move.
Firmware versions mentioned range from 18.51 up to 20.15, with many users seeing no improvement despite updating. Some have contacted Garmin support and were advised to sync with Garmin Express, although that step hasn’t resolved the issue for most.
Interestingly, at least one user claims that the problem stopped after updating to firmware version 20.18. But, for now, this is part of the beta channel, not yet publicly released. It’s unclear if this version includes a targeted fix or whether the improvement was coincidental.
Garmin support has responded in the forums, suggesting users sync via computer and report issues if they persist. They also encouraged upvoting of support comments so users can be contacted directly. This suggests the company is aware of the problem and may be working on a resolution.
Still, for now, affected users are left with a frustrating choice. Avoid using headphone controls entirely, or risk the watch crashing during a workout. For a high-end sports device, that’s not ideal – especially given the popularity of streaming apps and wireless audio during runs.
Hopefully, the fix seen in 20.18 holds up and makes its way into the next public firmware release. Until then, those relying on music playback during activities might want to skip the skip button.
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