Garmin Fenix 8 — broken touchscreen functionality with software 13.35 — temporary workaround and additional information
On March 7, 2025, Garmin released software update 13.35, which introduced a bug that disables touchscreen functionality under certain conditions.
Issue Summary
I wrote about this on March 8th, 2025.
Here’s a quick recap: If you disable Sleep Mode before the scheduled Focus Mode: Sleep mode ends and have the Touchscreen Disabled option enabled for Sleep Mode, the touchscreen will not re-enable as expected.
Even rebooting the watch won’t restore touch functionality if the device is still within the Sleep Mode time window. However, once you exit this time slot or manually adjust the schedule in settings, the touchscreen starts working again after you reboot the watch.
The Workaround
I’ve identified a workaround that can restore touchscreen functionality.
I’ve identified a workaround that can restore touchscreen functionality:
- Open the Settings on your watch or in the Garmin Connect app.
- Navigate to Focus Modes > Sleep > Display & Brightness.
- Adjust the following settings:
- Touch → Set to On
- Touch Lock → Set to Don’t Change
This will keep touchscreen functionality enabled even during Sleep Mode. While this isn’t ideal, you can manually toggle the touchscreen on or off at any time using the shortcut: Bottom Left Button + Start Button (Top Right).
Morning Report Behavior
One of the more peculiar aspects of this issue is how the touchscreen behaves when the Morning Report is active. Even if you attempt to enable the touchscreen using the shortcut keys (Bottom Left Button + Start Button (Top Right)), it remains unresponsive while the Morning Report is displayed.
This means that during your morning routine, if you rely on touchscreen interactions, you may find your watch unresponsive until the Morning Report is dismissed. This can be frustrating, especially if you're used to checking stats or interacting with widgets right away using the touchscreen.
However, once you exit the Morning Report, the shortcut key method works as expected, and the touchscreen functionality is restored. While this behavior may not affect every user, those who frequently check their stats or notifications in the morning will likely find it inconvenient.
Update Since March 8, 2025
Since initially reporting this issue, I have been actively following discussions on the Garmin Forums. Several users have reported experiencing the same problem, confirming that it is not an isolated case.
A recent forum post from another user revealed that Garmin is aware of the issue and has acknowledged the bug. However, according to this report, Garmin does not plan to release a fix until the May software update. This means that users will have to rely on temporary workarounds for at least another couple of months before an official patch is rolled out.
Additionally, I have noticed that Garmin has not released any new beta versions since the 13.xx update. This is somewhat surprising, as one might expect a quick beta release to address such a significant bug. The lack of new beta versions suggests that Garmin may be taking longer than usual to implement and test a solution.
For now, if you are experiencing this issue, the best course of action is to apply the workaround described earlier. While it is not a perfect fix, it will allow you to regain touchscreen functionality when needed. Hopefully, Garmin will provide additional updates or an interim fix before the planned May release.
In the meantime, I will continue monitoring the situation and will update this post if any new developments arise. If you've encountered this issue and have additional insights, feel free to share them in comments to increase visibility and push for a quicker resolution.
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