Garmin benefits as YouTube Music added
Surprisingly, I’ve always rated Garmin as the watch brand offering the best music support. Its buttons are a handy way to select and control music in many, but not all situations. But definitely in those sporty situations!
Garmin also supports most music streaming platforms, whether Deezer, Amazon or Spotify. The audio content is not technically streamed, rather the songs from the streaming service are downloaded onto your watch and can be played without needing a phone. You can also drag MP3 audio files onto your watch and play them.
There was only one thing missing and that was support for YouTube music. You can guess what’s coming…..
(no it’s not Apple Music)
YouTube Music CIQ App
The new CIQ app provides access to over 100 million songs, personalized playlists, and podcasts. For this to work on your watch, you will need a high-end watch, like my Forerunner 965, or the specific Music variant of other watches, such as the Forerunner 255 Music. Check the link below for the app and its compatibility with your watch.
Download the CIQ app, connect the YouTube Music SUBSCRIPTION service and off you go.
More: Garmin.com
Re Apple Music: IMO, Apple will be unlikely to add Apple Music to ‘niche’ devices outside of its ecosystem. It’s possible though as Apple Music is already on Android, Sonos, Amazon Echo, etc
Last Updated on 28 January 2026 by the5krunner
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Still without Apple Music support🥲
i dont think that will ever come
And still Apple Music has more subscribers than YT Music
https://www.sidify.com/topic/comparison-of-apple-music-and-youtube-music.html#:~:text=Apple%20Music%20vs.-,YouTube%20Music%3A%20Popularity,are%20approximately%2077%20million%20subscribers
yes.
but apple wont do it for other reasons
You’ll never see Apple Music on any device other than an Apple product unless the DOJ successfully prosecute an Anti-Competition case against them. The same applies for iMessage.
Just to clarify, I think the heading is wrong… it’s not that “Garmin Adds YouTube Music” but that “Google Adds YouTube Music to Garmin”. That is, the CIQ app has been published by Google, not Garmin. Though I’m sure Garmin helped 😉
yes, ty
As a long term Garmin and Apple user, still don’t know where Garmin is going to. Last soft updates crashed many things, in watches and edges as well. But we have youtube music – what it is for? Even spotify – who take just garmin watch on a long trip/long run or bike without phone, to listen music from garmin. The bluetooth connection with air pods pro 2 is just terrible, even with other headphones as well. Without phone you are not connected with anyone – live track not exist. So, to be fair, you still need to take a phone with you. And if i have one, a just play music/spotify/apple music etc. from phone, not from garmin. If i need smartwatch, a just take apple watch ultra 2 with e-sim, and do my training without phone.
I find it hard to argue with your logic !
> The bluetooth connection with air pods pro 2 is just terrible, even with other headphones as well. Without phone you are not connected with anyone – live track not exist. So, to be fair, you still need to take a phone with you
My Bose Sports sound great with the Fenix. I’ve got a feeling Apple intentionally cripple the sound of the Air Pods with non-Apple devices. They’re just that sort of company.
Re taking the phone with me? Heck no. That’s the only time I get to shut the rest of the world out! I would like the option of enabling texts via LTE though, so perhaps on the Fenix 8.
I’m quite indifferent towards these streaming platform music apps on Garmin, since I don’t generally subscribe to them and they need a subscription to be used. However, if Garmin ever ditched local playback of music files, podcasts etc. I’d be pretty annoyed and likely hate them.
i’m a local playback person too by default. i only use spotify as we have a family account and then i listen to the same old songs
i’d be annoyed too i guess
There’s a lot Garmin could do to improve the playback of manually-added music, podcast and audiobook files, IMO. Including, but not limited to:
1. Changing the podcast browser, so that going back a level in the list doesn’t send you back to the top of the list.
2. Better organisation of podcast files – some are currently grouped into folders, while others are not.
3. Adding the option to pause playback when a lap announcement or other alert occurs. Lowering the volume is alright for music, but for audio books and podcasts you lose some of what’s being said.
I appreciate that music and podcasts are secondary to the main function of a sports watch – but if they’re going to have them they may as well implement it properly 😊
Can we petition Spotify to add the ability to automatically sync the latest unlistened to podcast for all subscribed feeds?
So frustrating to go through one by one and download.