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| The Forerunner 170 has now received its second beta update. |
The Garmin ecosystem is showing no signs of slowing down this month. Just when runners and fitness enthusiasts thought they had caught up with the latest stable firmware, the company has already moved on to the next phase of testing. Hot on the heels of the recent stable System Software 9.21 release, Garmin is now seeding a brand-new beta build to its popular mid-range running watches.
If you own a Forerunner 70 or a Forerunner 170 (currently available for $349 on Amazon), you might want to check your settings menu. The new Beta Version 18.27 is currently making its way through the Garmin Beta Program channels, bringing a handful of quality-of-life improvements and critical bug fixes to the devices.
Here is everything you need to know about the latest software rollout, what it fixes, and how you can get it right now without waiting for the staged release.
The Transition from Stable to Beta
It has been a busy week for Garmin’s software engineering team. As we covered recently, the company pushed out System Software 9.21 as a stable update for the Forerunner 70 and 170 series. That particular update was noteworthy because it introduced several changes that were missing from older builds, bringing the watches up to speed with the broader Garmin lineup.
However, in the world of wearable tech, the development never stops. The transition from a stable release to a new beta cycle allows Garmin to test upcoming features and fixes with a wider user base before committing them to a final, stable build. That is exactly what is happening now with Beta Version 18.27.
Breaking Down the 18.27 Rollout
According to the official announcements on the Garmin forums, Beta Version 18.27 replaces the previous testing build, Beta Version 18.19. This new update is being distributed via a phased rollout, a common practice for Garmin to ensure server stability and catch any catastrophic bugs before a full release.
Currently, the update is reported to have reached approximately 30% of smartwatches enrolled in the Garmin Beta Program. If you are part of the program but haven’t received a notification yet, don’t panic. Garmin typically takes a few days to complete a full beta rollout. However, if you are the impatient type (and most runners are), there is a way to jump the queue.
To skip the company’s phased rollout and manually force the download, you can navigate to your watch and follow this path:
Menu > Settings > System > Software Update > Check For Updates.
If you are not currently enrolled in the Beta Program but want to be, you will need to sign up via Garmin Connect. Once enrolled, your device will be flagged to receive these pre-release builds.
For a detailed breakdown of this specific rollout, you can check the official changelog threads below:
- Forerunner 70 Series Public Beta 18.27 Announcement
- Forerunner 170 Series Public Beta 18.27 Announcement
What’s New in Beta 18.27?
While this is a "point" release rather than a massive feature drop, it is an important one for user experience. Beta 18.27 focuses heavily on fixing nagging bugs that have been plaguing users, particularly regarding display behavior and audio alerts.
According to the official changelog, Beta 18.27 contains half a dozen overarching changes. While one of those lines generically mentions fixing 'various' unspecified issues, the rest of the list is quite specific.
Here is the full changelog detailing the differences between Beta Version 18.19 and 18.27:
Fixes a potential issue with the display that could cause unexpected behaviour and inconsistent gesture response.
This is a big one for daily usability. Many users rely on the gesture to wake the screen during a run or while lifting weights. If that response is laggy or inconsistent, it disrupts the workout flow. This fix aims to make the display wake-up snappy and reliable.
Fixes an issue that could cause the always-on display setting to fail to take effect.
There is nothing more frustrating than configuring your watch to keep the screen on, only for it to go dark. This fix ensures that when you adjust your Always-On Display (AOD) settings, the watch actually obeys your command immediately.
Fixes an issue where alert tones could fail to play during an incident detection.
Safety features are paramount. Incident Detection is designed to alert emergency contacts if you take a hard fall. However, if the alert tone fails to play, the user might not be aware that a countdown has started to send an emergency message. This fix ensures the audible feedback works as intended during critical safety events.
Fixes an issue with button tones failing to sound.
For those who like the tactile and audible feedback of pressing the buttons on the watch (especially the Forerunner 170’s touch/button hybrid interface), this restores the "click" sound that lets you know a press has been registered.
Fixes other minor issues.
The standard catch-all for backend optimizations and small glitches that don't warrant a full paragraph.
Updates translations.
Ensures that all the menu text is correctly localized for international users.
Why These Fixes Matter
While this beta doesn't introduce a new sport mode or a revolutionary mapping feature, it is a "quality of life" update. Fixing the always-on display and gesture response is crucial for usability, especially in winter when runners are wearing gloves and rely on the watch waking up quickly to check pace or heart rate. Furthermore, the fix for incident detection audio is a subtle but vital safety improvement; you want to know your watch is actively trying to get help if you cannot physically interact with it.
The Bottom Line
If you are currently running the previous Beta 18.19, upgrading to 18.27 is a no-brainer. It addresses specific annoyances that have been reported in the community. For those on the stable channel, seeing these fixes in beta suggests that a robust, polished stable release is likely on the horizon in the coming weeks.
The Forerunner 170 remains one of the best values in the running watch market right now, especially with its AMOLED display and advanced training metrics. If you haven’t picked one up yet and are looking to upgrade your gear, you can check the current pricing and availability here: Garmin Forerunner 170 on Amazon.
As always, we will keep an eye on the Garmin Beta Program forums and report back as soon as this update hits a full rollout or graduates to a stable status. Stay tuned, and happy running.