| General | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Garmin |
| Type | Lifestyle and fitness smartwatch |
| Series | Venu |
| Released | 22 September 2025 (announced 17 September 2025) |
| Price at launch | GBP 469.99 / USD 549.99 |
| Predecessor | Venu 3 |
| Successor | Not yet announced. See Release Radar. |
| Sizes | 41mm (small), 45mm (medium) |
| Colours | Silver, Slate, Lunar Gold, with optional leather band variants |
Specifications and features as at launch.
Jump to: Expert opinion | What’s new | Specifications | Battery life | Features | Activity profiles | Software updates | Further reading
Expert opinion
Venu 4 folds Forerunner 570-level training analytics and dual-frequency GPS into a lifestyle case, but drops mapping entirely, leaving only a breadcrumb trail synced from Garmin Connect.
The metal case, LED flashlight and on-demand ECG bring Venu 4 close to Forerunner 570 capability at the same £469.99/$549.99 price, while the two-button, touch-first interface favours everyday wear over glove-friendly operation outdoors. Battery life of up to 12 days in smartwatch mode outlasts the similarly priced Apple Watch Series 11 by a wide margin, though the watch has no LTE option and no built-in maps at any price.
What’s new versus the Venu 3
Hardware
- Case construction changed to stainless steel and fibre-reinforced polymer, replacing Venu 3’s full polymer case
- Multi-band GNSS with SatIQ, the first time this has appeared on a Venu
- Storage doubled to 8GB
- Weight increased by 9g on the 45mm and 6g on the 41mm as a result of the metal case
Software
- Health Status
- Lifestyle Logging
- Garmin Fitness Coach
- Spoken Watch Face
- Colour Filters
- Wheelchair mode
- Garmin Share
Specifications
| Display | |
|---|---|
| Size | 1.4 inch (35.3mm) diameter |
| Type | AMOLED, optional always-on mode |
| Resolution | 454 x 454 pixels |
| Lens | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Touchscreen | Yes |
| Physical | |
| Case size | 45mm (41mm also available) |
| Thickness | 12mm |
| Weight | 38g case only, 56g with included band |
| Case material | Stainless steel and fibre-reinforced polymer |
| Bezel material | Stainless steel |
| Water rating | 5 ATM |
| Strap width | 22mm, quick release |
| © the5krunner. Link required. | |
| Sensors and positioning | |
| GPS | Multi-Band GNSS with SatIQ. GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, BeiDou |
| Heart rate | Garmin Elevate wrist sensor |
| Other sensors | Pulse Ox, barometric altimeter, compass, gyroscope, accelerometer, ambient light |
| Connectivity and storage | |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi |
| Storage | 8GB |
| Music | Spotify, Deezer, Amazon Music |
The 41mm case shares the same specifications and sensors as the 45mm, at a smaller 1.2 inch (390 x 390 pixel) display and lighter weight.
Battery life
| Mode | Battery life (45mm) |
|---|---|
| Smartwatch | Up to 12 days (4 days always-on) |
| Battery Saver Smartwatch | Up to 25 days |
| GPS only | Up to 20 hours |
| All systems GNSS | Up to 19 hours |
| All systems GNSS with music | Up to 9 hours |
| All systems GNSS, Multi-Band | Up to 17 hours |
| All systems GNSS, Multi-Band with music | Up to 9 hours |
| © the5krunner. Link required. | |
The 41mm runs to 10 days in smartwatch mode (3.5 days always-on), with shorter GPS runtimes across every mode.
Features
Feature explanations are covered in the relevant the5krunner Garmin features hub.
Health
- Body Battery
- HRV Status
- Garmin ECG app
- Smart Wake Alarm
- Morning Report
- Evening Report
- Wrist-based heart rate
- Women’s Health Tracking
- Nutrition tracking via Garmin Connect
- Health Snapshot
- Breathing Variations
- Meditation
- Jet Lag Adviser
Fitness
- Workout Benefit and Recovery Time
- Training Readiness
- Training Status
- Fitness Age
- Wheelchair mode
- Strength Training
- Workout Creation
- Animated On-Screen Workouts
- Mixed Session
- Golf Activity
- Cycling sensor compatibility, including Rally power meter pedals and Varia radar
Running and Triathlon
- Multi-Band GPS
- Wrist-based running dynamics
- Wrist-based running power
- Courses
- Track Running
- PacePro pacing strategies
- Triathlon and multisport profiles
- Rucking activity
Connect
- Garmin Connect app
- Connect IQ Store
- Smart Notifications
- On-wrist texting
- Works with WhatsApp
- Music: Spotify, Deezer, Amazon Music
- Garmin Pay
- Safety and tracking with live location
- Sports Scores
- Garmin Share
- Google Maps app
Convenience
- Watch face customisation
- Font sizes
- Colour Shift
- Colour Filters
- Timer and stopwatch
- Focus Modes
- Calendar
Activity profiles
| Category | Profiles |
|---|---|
| Running | Running, Outdoor Track Running, Trail Running, Ultra Running, Obstacle Racing, Treadmill Running, Indoor Track Running, Virtual Running |
| Cycling | Biking, Road Biking, Mountain Biking, Gravel Biking, Bike Commuting, Bike Touring, eBiking, eMountain Biking, Indoor Biking, Cyclocross, BMX |
| Swimming | Pool Swimming, Open Water Swimming |
| Multisport | Triathlon, Duathlon, Brick, Pool Triathlon, Swimming/Running, Mixed Session |
| Gym and fitness | Strength, HIIT, Cardio, Elliptical Training, Stair Stepping, Floor Climbing, Indoor Rowing, Jump Roping, Walking, Pilates, Yoga, Indoor Walking, Mobility, Meditation, Breathwork, Boxing, Mixed Martial Arts |
| Outdoor | Hiking, Rucking, Mountaineering, Horseback Riding, Golfing, Disc Golf, Archery, Adventure Racing |
| Other | Winter sports: Skiing, Snowboarding, XC Classic Skiing, XC Skate Skiing, Ice Skating, Snowshoeing. Water sports: Stand Up Paddleboarding, Rowing, Kayaking, Fishing, Snorkeling. Team sports: Basketball, Volleyball, Field Hockey, Ice Hockey, Football, American Football, Lacrosse, Rugby, Ultimate Disc, Cricket, Softball, Baseball. Racket sports: Tennis, Pickleball, Badminton, Squash, Table Tennis, Padel, Platform Tennis, Racquetball. Motorsports: Motorcycling, Overlanding, Motocrossing, ATVing, Snowmobiling. Other: Inline Skating, Gaming. |
Garmin Venu 4 software updates
The current Garmin Venu 4 software is version 18.29 and 18.30. Garmin is still updating the Venu 4, with 2 software releases since May 2026. This section is updated when Garmin releases a new version.
| Current version | 18.29 and 18.30, released 8 September 2026. |
| Public beta | No beta newer than the current version. |
| Last update | 18.29 and 18.30 on 8 September 2026. |
Features added since May 2026
- 18.29 and 18.30, 8 September 2026.
- Voice command enabled with the “OK Garmin” wake word
- Suggested quick workout added for running
- XC Ski Indoor activity added
- Volume control now carries context
- Flashlight shortcut cycles through on, off and strobe modes during an activity
- A detected fall sends a message and your location to assistance contacts
- Fewer false unlocks when touch lock is in use
- 17.33, 27 May 2026. Silent mode shortcut added. Approach CT1 golf sensor support added.
Full version history, 4 releases including betas and fixes
| Version | Type | Date | What changed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18.29 and 18.30 | Stable | 8 September 2026 | Voice command enabled with the “OK Garmin” wake word. Suggested quick workout added for running. |
| 18.14 | Beta | 15 July 2026 | Automatic detection of cycling FTP available as a setting. Button tones default to off while headphones are connected. |
| 18.12 | Beta | 2 July 2026 | Hands-free voice control activated with the “OK, Garmin” wake word. Quick workout suggestion added for running sessions. |
| 17.33 | Stable | 27 May 2026 | Silent mode shortcut added. Approach CT1 golf sensor support added. |
Version history is recorded from May 2026. See also known problems and fixes and Garmin’s release notes for the current version.
Further reading
Related watches
Looking at alternatives to the Venu 4?
- Predecessor: Garmin Venu 3, the previous generation, now usually cheaper.
- Also consider: Apple Watch Series 11, a similarly priced smartwatch with deeper phone integration and built-in maps.
