This omission was always going to be fixed. But it is now fixed! Fenix 9 and Fenix 9 Pro owners can install Google’s YouTube Music app and download playlists and podcasts to the watch, about two months after the watches launched.
- The YouTube Music listing on the Connect IQ Store now includes the Fenix 9 in 43 mm and 47 mm, the Fenix 9 Pro in 43 mm, 47 mm, and 51 mm, and the Pro Solar in 47 mm and 51 mm.
- The app is published by Google and was last updated on the store on 20 October 2026.
- Downloading content and ad-free listening on the watch require a YouTube Music Premium or YouTube Premium subscription.
- Google describes the app as offline listening for music and podcasts, including personalised playlists, activity-based mixes and the user’s own playlists and liked songs.
What it means for athletes
A Fenix 9 owner who already pays for YouTube Premium can now leave the phone at home and run or ride with Bluetooth headphones and a downloaded playlist. Until this week, the app was missing from the newest Fenix, though it ran on older Garmin watches, one of the gaps listed in the Fenix 9 bug tracker.
The full hardware details are on the Fenix 9 and Fenix 9 Pro spec pages, and the best Garmin Fenix guide compares the range.
Quick answers
Does YouTube Music on Fenix 9 need a subscription?
Yes. The Connect IQ listing says downloading content and ad-free listening on the watch need a YouTube Music Premium or YouTube Premium subscription.
Can Fenix 9 stream YouTube Music without a phone?
The app is built for offline listening. Playlists, albums and podcasts are downloaded to the watch first and then play through Bluetooth headphones.
More Fenix coverage is on the Garmin Fenix hub, and other popular watch apps are in the top 100 Connect IQ apps.
Last Updated on 23 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.
- Body Glide: The blue anti-chafe stick swimmers and runners carry. I use it.
- Speedo earplugs: Fewer ear infections and no cold-water dizziness. I use them.
- Dryrobe Advance: My winter changing robe for open-water swims. I use one. A cheaper option is the AONYIYI changing robe.
- Maurten: Race fuel that stays easy on the stomach. I use them.
- Beet It Sport nitrate shots: Beetroot shots I take in the days before a race. I use them.
- Garmin charging puck: The quickest way to top up before a session. I use one.
- Injinji: Toe socks that stop rubbing, so you run more. I use them.
- Ultimate toe protectors: Stop black toenails on long runs. They work. I use them.
- Compressport R2 v2 calf sleeves: My calf sleeves of choice. I use them.
- Cellucor C4: My pre-workout before hard sessions.
- TPU tubes: Schwalbe Aerothan, Tubolito and Pirelli SmarTube. Light, tiny spares. I use all three.
- G8 insoles: Adjustable insoles that are good. I use them.
- Cycplus Cube: A 97g electric pump that gets a road tyre rideable in two minutes. I carry one. 5% off with code THE5KRUNNER.
Watches and sensors
- Polar H10: My daily driver for waking HRV.
- Polar Verity Sense: My backup arm-worn HR sensor.
- Nomad bedside charger: Charges my iPhone and Apple Watch overnight. I use it, and many of their bands.
- Train.Red: The best muscle oxygen sensor I’ve used.
- Tymewear: Accurate heart rate and reliable ventilatory zones. I use it to pace endurance rides over an hour.
- Garmin Forerunner 970: A pro-grade triathlon watch. I use this.
- Apple Watch Ultra 4: My daily smartwatch. No phone needed on rides.
- Garmin Fenix 9 Pro: I’ve just bought one.
On the bike
- Continental GP5000 for everyday riding, and Aero 111 on the front for special occasions.
- Helmets: Specialized S-Works Evade 3 for road riding, and Rudy Project Wing for TT-style races. I use both.
- Ravemen FR300: A front light that mounts under your Garmin or Wahoo. I use one.
- Wahoo TRACKR Radar: I use it on one bike and Varia on the other. They perform the same.
- Garmin Varia RTL515: Radar that warns you of cars from behind. I use this model.
- Wahoo ELEMNT Roam 3: The bike computer that’s easy to use. I use mine on most rides.
- Favero Assioma Pro RS2: Accurate power pedals that swap easily between bikes. I use this model.
Home and indoor training
- NPE Runn: Makes my basic treadmill smart, sending more accurate speed and distance to my watch and Zwift. I use it.
- Google Wifi: Keeps Zwift connected in my pain cave. I use it.
- Apple TV 4K: Zwift on the big screen. I use two.
- Google Nest Doorbell (wired, 2nd gen): My video doorbell, running in both Google Home and Apple Home. I use it.
Health, recovery and sleep
- FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus: Shows how my blood sugar responds to diet.
- hDrop: Measures my sweat loss in summer and indoors.
- Fourth Frontier Zone: Checks my heart under load in hard sessions.
- Oura Ring 5: My partner’s recovery tracker of choice.
- Eight Sleep: A cooling mattress cover my partner and I use nightly.
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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. See the gear tfk uses. ID
