Garmin’s latest Forerunner beta packs 18 changes, but only about 20% of eligible Beta Program users have been prompted to install it so far.
The update, Public Beta Version 18.14, is rolling out for the Forerunner 570 and Forerunner 970, according to Notebookcheck. It is not a feature-heavy release. Garmin is using this build to clean up bugs left in earlier v18.xx software, including issues tied to music playback, alarms, workouts, activity saving, crashes, and touch behavior.
Garmin v18.14 beta targets Forerunner 570 and Forerunner 970
The new beta follows Public Beta Version 18.12, which moved the Forerunner 570 and Forerunner 970 onto v18.xx builds at the start of July. That earlier release was described as a pre-rollout update and brought dozens of changes, including new voice control functionality.
Version 18.14 is a different kind of release. Nearly all of the listed changes are bug fixes, which makes this a maintenance build aimed at making the watches behave more reliably in daily use.
Garmin has not pushed the notification to every beta tester at once. The company said in forum posts that roughly 20% of Beta Program participants have received a download notification.
Users who do not want to wait for the phased prompt can manually check from the watch:
- Main menu
- Settings
- System
- Software Update
- Check For Updates
That manual path matters because Garmin’s staged rollout means two users with the same eligible watch may not see the same update prompt at the same time.
The fixes cluster around music, workouts, alarms and touch control
The 18-change changelog shows where Garmin is concentrating its cleanup work. Audio behavior is a major focus, with fixes for volume changes, music status, playback controls, and speaker behavior after headphones disconnect.
Garmin also targets activity-related failures. The changelog says the update fixes a reset when saving an indoor rowing activity and a crash during indoor climb activities.
Several fixes address mismatches between what users set and what the watch actually does. That includes an alarm set to vibrate only playing a tone, alert volume not matching the alert volume setting, and training days on the watch not matching the days shown in a Garmin Coach plan.
“Reduces false unlocks when using the touch lock feature.”
That line is one of the more practical fixes in the release. False unlocks are not a headline feature problem, but they can become irritating fast on a watch used during workouts or water sports.
Garmin also says the update fixes an issue where touch could be enabled in water sports while a custom focus mode is active. That is a narrow bug, but it points to the kind of edge-case behavior beta builds are designed to catch.
| Area affected | Garmin v18.14 change |
|---|---|
| Music playback | Fixes playback status, previous-button behavior, music over spectator messages, and volume jumps after alarms |
| Activities | Fixes reset when saving indoor rowing and crash during indoor climb |
| Alarms and alerts | Fixes vibrate-only alarms playing tones and volume mismatch issues |
| Training plans | Fixes rest-day selection and Garmin Coach day mismatches |
| Touch controls | Reduces false unlocks and fixes touch behavior in water sports with custom focus mode |
| Localization | Updates translations |
This is not a redesign of Garmin’s smartwatch software. It is a cleanup release for users already on the beta track.
For readers following device-update coverage across wearables and phones, MLXIO has also tracked recent firmware-focused stories including Google Pixel July Update Kills Bootloop Nightmare on 21 Pixels and 19MB Update Makes Amazfit Cheetah 2 Ultra Harder to Quit. The Garmin release is narrower in scope: two Forerunner models, one beta build, and a changelog dominated by bug fixes.
Installing Garmin Public Beta Version 18.14
Eligible users enrolled in Garmin’s Beta Program should either receive the update notification or trigger the check manually through the watch settings path. Notebookcheck’s report does not cite a companion-app requirement for this release.
The safest practical step is to read Garmin’s release notes before installing. The changelog confirms the target models and the specific fixes included between v18.12 and v18.14.
Because this is beta software, users who rely on a Forerunner watch for training logs, race preparation, navigation, or health tracking may prefer to be cautious. Garmin’s own phased rollout also suggests the company is not yet pushing the build to every participant at once.
The source material does not state a required battery percentage, installation time, or whether Garmin has listed known issues for this build. Those details remain outside the reported changelog.
Still, the manual update route gives beta users a choice. Wait for Garmin’s prompt, or pull the build now and accept the usual beta trade-off: faster fixes, with less certainty than a final public release.
Garmin has not set a stable-release timeline
Garmin has not said, based on the available source material, when Public Beta Version 18.14 will move beyond the Beta Program. It has also not stated whether all Forerunner 570 and Forerunner 970 owners will receive the same build as a stable release.
The next signal will come from beta feedback. Users should watch for reports of new bugs, hotfixes, revised changelogs, or a wider rollout notice from Garmin.
For now, v18.14 is best read as a reliability pass after the larger v18.12 update. If the build performs cleanly in testing, Garmin will have fewer obvious blockers before broadening availability — but the company has not provided that schedule yet.
Key Takeaways
- Forerunner 570 and 970 users may see improved reliability rather than major new features.
- Only about 20% of eligible beta users have been prompted, so availability may vary by device.
- Users can manually check for the update if they do not want to wait for Garmin’s staged rollout.
