If you’re waiting for a new Garmin watch face or app, expect it up to two weeks late, and Garmin has given no date for that to improve. Faces and apps already in the store install as normal.
Submissions have been stuck in “Pending” on Garmin’s Connect IQ store since early October, although the store says a review takes up to three days. The delay covers watch faces, data fields and device apps.
What it means if you own a Garmin
- Seasonal designs are the worst hit. One developer has a batch of Halloween watch faces waiting, and a Halloween face approved in November has missed its moment.
- New paid faces are also caught up. One developer says buyers keep asking when they can buy a face that has been pending for a week.
- Another developer described a watch showing a “payment required” banner for a face that the buyer could not reach in the Connect IQ store.
- Updates are waiting too, so a bug fix for a face you already use may also be held up.
What it means for developers
Most of the recent threads in Garmin’s Connect IQ Store forum are about stalled reviews. They come from developers in several countries, and most give app IDs and submission dates.
- One developer has more than 16 watch faces waiting.
- First-time developers are stuck with their first submission, which leaves them with no store presence at all.
- The main thread on the delays, started on 6 October, has 22 replies and around 1,400 views.
Developers say the wait is costing them sales and momentum. Emails to Garmin’s app admin address and the developer contact form get only automatic replies. One developer said newer submissions seem to be approved quickly while older ones stay stuck.
At least two developers say their paid-app merchant accounts went from “Active” back to “In Review” without notice. Developers need a merchant account to sell through the store, and it costs an annual, non-refundable fee of $100. Martin Kopecky, who publishes as Proficode, says Garmin approved his account by email on 1 October, that it showed “In Review” again from 8 October, and that it was back to “Active” on 15 October. A paid watch face he submitted on 2 October was still waiting for review when he last posted, on 15 October. Several developers contrasted the fee with the lack of support.
Garmin’s explanation
Brandon from Garmin’s Connect IQ team answered on the forum on 16 October. He said the delay is not a bug and that Garmin has had “an enormous influx of app submissions in the last month”, with no sign of it slowing down. The team is working through approvals as quickly as it can, and the store has only had delays like this before around long holidays such as Christmas. Garmin has marked the developer’s bug report as acknowledged, but it has not explained the merchant account resets or given a date for clearing the backlog.
Some developers blame the flood on accounts that release two or more near-identical watch faces every day. My guess is that AI design tools and scripted uploads are behind much of the flood. One asked Garmin to limit how many new releases an account can submit each day. That would shorten the queue for everyone else, and it would also stop near-copies from burying new designs in the store’s “Recent” list.
Quick answers
Why are new Garmin watch faces delayed?
Garmin says it has had an enormous increase in Connect IQ submissions over the past month, and new releases are waiting longer for review as a result.
How long does a Connect IQ store review normally take?
Garmin’s store says a review takes up to three days. Developers report waits of up to two weeks in October 2026.
Why can't I buy a watch face shown on my watch?
If it is a new paid release, it may still be waiting for review. A delay to the developer’s merchant account can also stop sales.
Does it cost developers money to sell on Connect IQ?
Yes. Garmin charges an annual, non-refundable fee of $100 for a merchant account.
Last Updated on 16 October 2026 by tfk the5krunner
Small things I always use
- Garmin 90-degree charging adapter: Charges your Garmin from any USB-C cable. Essential when travelling. I use one.
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On the bike
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- Helmets: Specialized S-Works Evade 3 for road riding, and Rudy Project Wing for TT-style races. I use both.
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Health, recovery and sleep
- FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus: Shows how my blood sugar responds to diet.
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- Kineon MOVE+: Red light therapy for niggles. It works.
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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. ID
