Garmin rushes out Fenix 8 fix after display complaints

Garmin has pushed out another update for the Fenix 8 family just days after version 22.43 caused display problems for some owners. Software 22.44 is a small hotfix, but it deals with a bug that could leave the screen stuck on and use more battery than expected.

The trouble started with supposedly stable software 22.43, whose short changelog only mentioned general security improvements. Soon afterwards, feedback on Garmin’s support forum suggested that the display controls were no longer behaving properly.

The display would not stay off

Owners found that enabling Battery Saver could actually switch on the always-on display. In some cases, it could not be switched off again even though AOD was disabled in the watch settings.

The problem also appeared during longer activities. Displays remained illuminated throughout workouts, while wrist gestures continued waking them despite the relevant settings being switched off.

That is pretty much the opposite of what Battery Saver is supposed to do. A screen that refuses to switch off also creates an obvious battery concern during long runs, hikes and other activities where charging is not an option.

The behaviour was not identical on every watch. While some displays remained permanently illuminated, other feedback suggested that the always-on display could switch itself off after only a few seconds.

The Display Off shortcut was also affected. Watches displayed a message confirming that the screen had been switched off, but it remained illuminated anyway.

Feedback covered the Fenix 8, Fenix 8 Pro and Tactix 8. That suggests this was a firmware problem affecting several closely related models rather than a faulty individual watch.

Version 22.44 is already rolling out

Garmin has now acknowledged the problem and confirmed that version 22.44 contains the fix. Its official rollout announcement says the update addresses unexpected display behaviour and inconsistent gesture response.

The update covers the Fenix 8 Pro and MicroLED models, standard Fenix 8, Fenix E, Enduro 3 and Tactix 8. Garmin said the staged rollout had reached 50% when it announced the release, although owners can check manually under Watch Settings, System, Software Update and Check for Updates.

There has also been feedback about sensor and touchscreen glitches following version 22.43. Garmin has not said that 22.44 fixes those problems, so the new release should not be treated as a general cure for every recent complaint.

This is another small corrective release for Garmin’s latest outdoor watches. The company previously used version 22.39 to tackle Fenix 8 Pro battery drain, while the latest releases can be followed through our firmware and software update tracker.

For anyone whose display refuses to switch off, version 22.44 is worth installing straight away. Everyone else can probably let the staged rollout reach their watch normally.