GPSrChive Discussion Forum

It has recently been brought to our attention:

Garmin have phased out adding and managing new Connect IQ apps through the desktop Garmin Express software alongside the retirement of the desktop/web Connect IQ store around late 2025. While Garmin Express still allows you to sync queued updates or uninstall existing apps, installing new apps must now be done via the mobile Connect IQ Store app.

While these new restrictions and limitations have resulted in many Garmin product owners expressing their frustrations and dissatisfaction, it is actually much worse than it first appears.

Garmin products that are paired with both the Explore mobile app and Messenger mobile app can no longer be simultaneously paired with the Garmin Connect mobile app, which is required to access the Garmin Connect IQ Store mobile app.

This effectively disables any and all Connect IQ capabilities and features for devices using these mobile apps.

Even worse, many Garmin handheld devices instruct the user to first pair with both the Garmin Explore mobile app and the Garmin Messenger mobile app before many device features can be activated and/or enabled.

Garmin have deliberately put many users in the position of having to choose between features on their devices, effectively locking them out of using all of the features their Garmin navigator was advertised to include and support.

If you find yourself in this frustrating situation, please contact Garmin to express your extreme displeasure:

Contact Garmin

Email:

• outdoor.helpdesk@garmin.com
• product.support@garmin.com
• application.support@garmin.com

Phone:

• US: (913) 397-8200
• US Toll Free: (800) 800-1020
• Canada: (866) 429-9296

To what Garmin devices does this apply? My GPSMAP H1 connects fine with Explore, Connect, and Connect IQ apps (on iOS). And using Connect IQ app I can install and update Connect IQ widgets, data fields and apps.

For me, the Connect IQ app actually works better than using Express. Express on macOS has a long standing bug where it will say an update for a Connect IQ app is available even though the latest version is installed.

A small nuance discovered after additional testing today with several Montana 7x0i and GPSMAP H1i devices:

It seems each device can only be paired to two apps at any given time. For inReach model owners that wish to use both the Explore mobile app and the Messenger mobile app (newer models instruct the user to do just this when powered on for the first time), they will not be able to pair with the Garmin Connect mobile app or the Connect IQ Store app.

If the inReach device owner first pairs with the Garmin Connect mobile app (this provides Connect IQ Store access also), they can then also pair with either the Garmin Explore mobile app or the Garmin Messenger mobile app, but not both.

Description above has been updated to reflect these details.

To me it sounds more like a bug than a deliberate change. Why would Garmin disallow pairing with Explore, Messenger, and Connect if that’s the only way to install Connect IQ apps? We all know how good Garmin’s software quality is /s

Unfortunately I don’t have an inReach capable device compatible with Connect, so I can’t test myself, but as mentioned earlier it works fine with my GPSMAP H1.

JungleJim wrote: Fri Aug 21, 2026 6:20 am Unfortunately I don’t have an inReach capable device compatible with Connect, so I can’t test myself, but as mentioned earlier it works fine with my GPSMAP H1.

That's because you only have two apps paired, which is the maximum allowed.

For users with inReach devices that require pairing both the Explore app and Messenger app to enable/activate all available features, they will not be able to pair also with the Connect app, and therefor have no access to the Connect IQ Store.

I have tested now with a Montana 750i, Montana 760i, two GPSMAP H1i Plus devices, and several other inReach models, all with the same result each time.

GPSrChive wrote: Fri Aug 21, 2026 11:19 pm

JungleJim wrote: Fri Aug 21, 2026 6:20 am Unfortunately I don’t have an inReach capable device compatible with Connect, so I can’t test myself, but as mentioned earlier it works fine with my GPSMAP H1.

That's because you only have two apps paired, which is the maximum allowed.

Technically I have three apps paired: Explore, Connect and Connect IQ, but you’re right I don’t have Messenger and Explore paired to my device.

JungleJim wrote: Sat Aug 22, 2026 6:56 am Technically I have three apps paired: Explore, Connect and Connect IQ, but you’re right I don’t have Messenger and Explore paired to my device.

The Connect IQ Store app is never paired to your device - It is only available after the Connect mobile app is paired to your device.