Garmin Launches WhatsApp Integration for Watches
Garmin today announced a new WhatsApp integration that lets you write and reply to WhatsApp messages/threads directly on the watch. Integration is done through the new Connect IQ app, which can be loaded onto the latest Garmin watches.
I’ve had a chance to give it a whirl, so I thought I’d explain what works (and what doesn’t). With that, let’s dive into it.
Download and install:
The first step is to see if your watch is listed. In short, if your watch was released in 2025 or 2026, you’re good. But unless it was the Fenix 8 in 2024, you might be out of luck. Here’s a list to start with (which I don’t expect to extend to older devices):
D2 Air X15
Enduro 3
Fenix 8 Series
Fenix 8 Pro Series
Fenix E
Preceding 570
Preceding 970
Tactix 8 Series
Venu 4 Series
Episode X1
Vivoactive 6
Once you get through that gate, the installation process is very quick. On your phone navigate to the Connect IQ app, and you’ll see WhatsApp at the top of the list. Or, use this link. Within that, it will install it on your watch. It’s placed in the same place as other full apps/gaming apps (like Garmin Share), rather than a widget/lookup.
Once installed, you will open it. Also, it’s located in the same place as you go to start a sports career, but scroll down:
From there, it will ask you to connect it using a QR code. It’s interesting that you’ll do this twice, it seems like you’re double verifying who you are:
Once that’s done, you’ll be signed in, and you’ll see it as a connected device within the WhatsApp app on your phone.
With that, we can start using it.
Using WhatsApp:
Once open, you’ll see the 10 most recent chat contacts, and within that, each other’s 10 most recent messages.
You can open a chat to read text messages, and reply/write a new message.
When you do that, you’ll see the option to type a message using the small keyboard, or, choose from a list of six quick replies.
Meanwhile, when new messages come in, they will appear first as a WhatsApp message like before. Besides, there is now an option to turn it on:
If you select Open, it will open the message inside the WhatsApp app on your watch, where you can see the full message and reply accordingly. This works well, although it’s a two-step process that takes a while.
When it comes to message content, only incoming text appears. All other images are ‘not supported’ including images from my phone, stickers, GIFs, and images taken from the camera within the WhatsApp app (I’ve tried, in case it’s different):
To me, this is like a huge disappointment. Given that Garmin watch users on iOS can’t see standard text/iMessage images (due to current Apple restrictions), this would override that. After all, Android users can do that without a problem on Garmin watches (including answering). But here, the lack of pictures is a big gap in my opinion. Or, maybe I like pictures.
Finally, another gap is that this does not work over LTE in Garmin’s Fenix 8 Pro series of watches, which have a built-in cellular connection. All of this *requires* your phone to be connected to your watch and nearby, otherwise it just hangs/is round. However, this can be useful for answering quick texts in the shower (eg yes/no), which is often the only time I answer something on my watch (especially my Apple Watch). Otherwise, I’ll do it automatically on my phone.
Finish:
Having some level of WhatsApp integration with Garmin has been requested for a long time, and now it’s here. I suspect that the usefulness of this will depend somewhat on how much you use WhatsApp (compared to traditional messaging apps, especially on iOS), and how you use WhatsApp. If you’re used to having series with lots of images, you might not find this important. Although if you want quick text responses, this can be useful if your phone is a little out of reach (like in the backpack when hiking, or when you shower, maybe at the swimming pool at the end of the trail line, etc…).
I hope/hope that this is just the first step in this integration, and that other restrictions will be lifted. I would like to see this work with Garmin’s LTE connection, as having apps that work beyond that would undoubtedly be the company’s future. After all, that’s what consumers expect.
Still, it’s good to see a move to these types of integrations that favor smartwatch side features, just as it’s good to see some new features that favor sports integration.
With that, thanks for reading!
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