Third-party Connect IQ apps can now record from a Garmin watch’s microphone and play sound through its speaker, using the new Audio module in Connect IQ SDK 9.3.
- Garmin’s Audio module documentation, generated on 19 October 2026, adds separate Capture and Output APIs for recording and playback.
- Apps can record in WAV or Ogg, as uncompressed LPCM or Opus, at 8 to 44.1 kHz in mono or stereo, with an optional noise reduction and echo cancellation filter.
- Recording needs a new AudioInput permission, and playback needs an AudioOutput permission; the docs also list an error when an app tries to record while it is in the background.
- Playback covers clips packed in the app, audio the app generates and streamed audio, with play, pause, seek, and volume controls from 0 to 100.
- Garmin lists the Audio module for watch apps, glances and audio content provider apps, so watch faces and data fields cannot use it.
- Supported models include Fenix 9 and Fenix 9 Pro, Fenix 8 and 8 Pro, Fenix E, Enduro 3 and 4, Forerunner 970, 570, 170 and 70, Venu 4, Venu X1, vivoactive 6, MARQ Gen 3 and Approach S72. Edge 1060 is not on the list.
What it means for athletes
Apps from outside Garmin can now take voice notes or play their own audio cues on the watch, rather than relying on Garmin’s voice features. Recording only works while the app is open on screen, so an app cannot listen in the background.
Nothing changes on the wrist until developers ship updates built on SDK 9.3, and new submissions face the current Connect IQ store approval delays. Existing popular Connect IQ apps need an update to use the microphone or speaker.
Quick answers
Which Garmin watches let Connect IQ apps use the microphone?
Garmin lists the Audio module for Fenix 9, Fenix 9 Pro, Fenix 8, Fenix 8 Pro, Fenix E, Enduro 3 and 4, Forerunner 970, 570, 170 and 70, Venu 4, Venu X1, vivoactive 6, MARQ Gen 3, Approach S72 and D2 Mach 2 models. Apps still need to check which audio hardware each watch has.
Can a Connect IQ app record audio in the background?
No. Garmin’s documentation returns an error if an app tries to record while it is in the background, and the app must also be granted the new microphone permission.
Related: Garmin adds themes and opens 3 features to apps, and the best Garmin watch guide.
Last Updated on 24 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.
Reader-Powered Content
This content is not sponsored. It’s mostly me behind the labour of love, which is this site, and I appreciate everyone who supports it.
Support the site: Follow (free, fewer ads) · Subscribe (paid, ad-free) · Buy Me A Coffee
Written by real people, with AI assistance. Fact-checked and verified for originality. See the Editorial Policy. FTC: Affiliate Disclosure — some links pay commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
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
