Garmin Connect: Mass Watch Unpairing – Thousands Likely Affected

Update 1 Feb 2026 with FIX

If your Garmin watch suddenly vanished from the Connect app after the latest update, you’re not alone. Fear not, there are fixes worth trying.

Today and yesterday, thousands of Garmin owners had that sinking feeling. the one you get when a routine, background app update breaks everything. You just know at least an hour or so of your life is going to be wasted trying to fix it.

Following the rollout of Garmin Connect version 5.21 on iOS, reports have flooded into Garmin’s support forums from owners whose smartwatches have mysteriously disappeared from the app. Devices that had been reliably paired for months—or even years—are suddenly showing as disconnected, and the usual “turn it off and on again” approach does NOT work.

Garmin customer and forum member, emX0R, traced the issue to the combination of Garmin Connect version 5.21.0.28 and iOS 26.2.1.

I am having same problem. All my devices are lost from GC, I cannot even pair them back no matter what I do
— @emXoR

The frustration is pretty clear and in your face right across the Garmin community. One paying subscriber didn’t mince words: “As a Garmin Connect+ subscriber, I would expect Garmin to properly test their app updates before launching,” @Raskoblomov posted in the same thread.

And it’s not just the forums lighting up. When I mentioned the issue to a mate of mine and industry insider, @CH, they replied with the kind of weary recognition that only comes from lived experience: “On a different note, I updated my Garmin app last night, and this morning none of my devices were connected. I had to repair them again to the app.”

Their verdict on the situation?

This will certainly *!&^ off a lot of Garmin owners.
— @CH

Hard to argue with that.

What’s Actually Going Wrong?

The issue appears to be hitting a wide range of Garmin models, from the Forerunner 965 to the Enduro 3 and Fenix 7 series. For affected owners, the experience is particularly annoying because the watch still shows as “Connected” in iPhone’s Bluetooth settings, yet the Garmin Connect app simply doesn’t see it.

“In the Bluetooth settings in iOS, the watch has status ‘Connected,’ but Garmin Connect cannot see it,” confirmed forum member jv20, adding that the newly released version 5.21.1 hasn’t fixed the problem either.

Several customers have noticed an issue in their phone settings—the app no longer displays Bluetooth permissions correctly, which may explain why it’s struggling to recognise paired devices.

Garmin hasn’t released an official statement addressing the widespread reports, though that may change as more people escalate their cases through support channels.

How to Fix It (What’s Actually Working)

Edit: Garmin states the issue is fixed but may require a complete reset, as described below.

We are aware of an issue that caused some devices to disconnect from the Garmin Connect app after updating to version 5.21 on iOS. This issue has now been resolved in version 5.21.1. If your device is still disconnected, please follow the steps in the linked FAQ below to restore the connection. [Garmin]

This is the most reliable way to restore a Garmin watch that unpaired from Garmin Connect on iPhone.

Step 1: Remove the watch from the iPhone Bluetooth

1. Open Settings >Bluetooth  on your iPhone
2. Tap the info ⓘ icon on the Garmin device.
3. Forget This Device (you must do this, and it must disappear from the list)
4. Toggle Bluetooth off, then on
5. Restartthe  Garmin watch and iPhone

Step 2: Put your Garmin watch into pairing mode

1. Open the watch> Settings > Connectivity
2. Select Phone/Bluetooth
3. Choose Pair Phone/Pair Mobile Device

Step 3: Add the watch in Garmin Connect

1. Open Garmin Connect> More (bottom right)> Garmin Devices> Add Device> Find Nearby Accessories
2. Confirm the 6-digit code shown on your watch and complete the signup process

The Workaround While You Wait

For those who can’t get Bluetooth working at all, there’s a backup plan—if your Garmin watch has Wi-Fi capability. Some owners have successfully synced activities via their watch’s Wi-Fi connection, bypassing the Bluetooth issue entirely. It won’t help with real-time notifications, but at least your training data won’t be stuck in limbo.

Should You Hold Off on Updating?

If you haven’t installed Garmin Connect 5.21 or 5.21.1 yet, it might be worth waiting until Garmin acknowledges and addresses these issues. Those running older versions of the app report no problems whatsoever.

The good news for those already affected? Your data isn’t gone. Activities recorded on your watch are simply waiting for the connection to be restored. Once you get things paired again—whether through the troubleshooting steps above or a future app fix—everything should sync through.

For now, affected customers are left relying on each other’s forum tips and a healthy dose of patience. Here’s hoping Garmin pushes a proper fix soon.

Source: Garmin Forums

Last Updated on 1 February 2026 by the5krunner

the5krunner

tfk is the founder and author of the5krunner, an independent endurance sports technology publication. With 20 years of hands-on testing of GPS watches and wearables, and competing in triathlons at an international age-group level, tfk provides in-depth expert analysis of fitness technology for serious athletes and endurance sport competitors.