Garmin Vivoactive 4 - Firmware version 7.80

Garmin released the latest firmware version 7.80 for the Vivoactive 4 series smartwatches on 29 November 2022. The latest firmware version 7.80 replaces or supersedes Vivoactive 4 software or firmware version 7.20. Firmware 7.80 is the stable release version for the Vivoactive 4 smartwatches.

It may be pertinent to mention that the software updates for Vivoactive 4 are no longer being actively released by Garmin. The last update happened in November 2022.

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Salient points

Vivoactive 4 firmware version 7.80 has been rolled out automatically in a phased manner.
The latest firmware had been pushed out to the eligible Vivoactive 4 devices by 1 December 2022.
Firmware version 7.80 will upgrade the firmware on Vivoactive 4 from version 7.20 to 7.80.
Firmware version 7.80 is available for Vivoactive 4 and Vivoactive 4S smartwatches.

Vivoactive 4 Firmware 7.80 – Changelog

The following change has been incorporated in the firmware version 7.80 for the Garmin Vivoactive 4 smartwatches:

Made improvements to GPS ephemeris data
Fixed an issue with acquiring GPS
Fixed an issue with the first pairing attempt after powering on
Fixed Connect IQ security issues
Improved the ability to swipe through options in the watch face editor pages

Install firmware 7.80 on Garmin Vivoactive 4

The latest firmware version 7.80 for Garmin Vivoactive 4 can be installed on the device automatically. You have options to install the firmware through the Garmin Express application or the Garmin Connect app.

We prefer the Garmin Express application to update the firmware 7.80 on the Garmin Vivoactive 4 edition smartwatches. The process is simple and brisk.

The Garmin Connect app uses the smartphone’s Wi-Fi connectivity to download the update and apply it to the watch. The update gets pushed out to the smartwatch using the Bluetooth pairing between the smartwatch and the smartphone.

Both options to update the firmware on Vivoactive 4 smartwatches are discussed below:

Update Vivoactive 4 firmware to 7.80 using Garmin Express

Garmin Express is Garmin’s application for the PC platform. You need to install it on your Windows PC or Mac computer. Post-installation of the Garmin Express application, the application pulls the updates from the Garmin website. It will push the update out to the smartphone configured in the Garmin Express application.

Garmin Express is a proprietary application that can be installed on any computer. It is available for Windows and macOS computers.
Garmin Express for Windows or macOS computers can be downloaded from this page on the Garmin website.
Once you have downloaded Garmin Express, you can install it on the computer by executing the file.
Validate if Garmin Express is working cleanly. You will need to add your device (Vivoactive 4) to the Garmin Express application.
Garmin Express helps in pulling firmware updates, map updates, Golf course updates, and uploading your activities to the Garmin Connect app.
Once you have linked your Vivoactive 4 to the Garmin Express application, open the Garmin Express application.
Connect your Vivoactive 4 to the computer using a USB cable. The USB cable was shipped alongside the smartwatch when you first bought it.
Allow Garmin Express to validate the current firmware version on Vivoactive 4. Allow it to pull the latest firmware version 7.80 for Garmin Vivoactive 4 from the Garmin website.
Once the software has been downloaded on the Garmin Express application, it gets pushed out to the connected Garmin Vivoactive 4 device.
This will initiate the firmware installation on your Vivoactive 4 smartwatch.
Please allow some time for the firmware to be installed automatically on your Vivoactive 4 device.
You can verify if the latest firmware has been installed on the Vivoactive 4 device by going to Settings —-> System and finding the firmware in the About Device section.

Install Firmware 7.80 on Vivoactive 4 using the Garmin Connect app

The Garmin Connect app is Garmin’s app. It provides an interface between Garmin servers and the paired smartwatch. All downloads automatically get downloaded onto your smartphone.

The Garmin Connect app is available for the Android and iOS mobile operating systems.

Garmin Connect is an app that can be installed on the smartphone paired with the Vivoactive 4 smartwatches.
Garmin Connect for Android phones can be downloaded from the Google Play Store page for Garmin Connect.
Garmin Connect for iOS devices can be downloaded from the Apple app store page for Garmin Connect.
Install Garmin Connect app on the smartphone paired with Garmin Vivoactive 4. Once the app is installed, link or connect the Vivoactive 4 with the Garmin Connect account.
Do ensure that the Bluetooth connection between the Garmin Connect app and Vivoactive 4 is good. Also, do ensure that you have adequate battery charge on the Vivoactive 4 and paired smartphone for the firmware update process to complete flawlessly.
Garmin Connect validates the current firmware version on your Vivoactive 4 device. If a software update is available through the Garmin servers, Garmin Connect will download the firmware files from the Garmin servers automatically.
After the software has been downloaded on the phone through the Garmin Connect app, it gets pushed out to the Vivoactive 4 device over a Bluetooth connection.
Once the firmware has been installed on the Vivoactive 4, you can verify the current version of software or firmware by going to the Settings —-> System and About Device section on the watch. It would tell you the version of firmware installed on the Vivoactive 4 smartwatch.

Battery drain after firmware update

There is a chance that your Vivoactive 4 battery may drain faster after updating the firmware on the smartwatch. This seems to be a known issue.

It can easily resolved by performing a soft reset. To resolve battery drain issues on the Vivoactive 4, you may follow the process below:

Perform a soft-reset of the Vivoactive 4 smartwatch. In other words, reboot or restart the Vivoactive 4 smartwatch. Most battery drain issues arising out of firmware updates of the Vivoactive 4 get resolved with a soft reset of the smartwatch.

If the soft reset of the smartwatch does not resolve the battery drain issue on the Vivoactive 4, you will need to perform a hard reset or factory reset. Before proceeding with a hard or factory reset, you must back up the smartwatch settings and user data. All user data and settings are lost after a factory reset. We suggest backing up the watch data using the Garmin Connect app to prevent data loss. Once the hard reset is complete, you can sync your smartwatch with the Garmin Connect app to restore data from the backup.

If the hard reset also fails to resolve the battery drain issue, we suggest contacting Garmin customer support for further help.

Manual download of firmware files

The manual download of firmware 7.80 for Vivoactive 4 is not possible. The update can be installed using the Garmin Express or the Garmin Connect applications only.

A manual download of the beta firmware version is possible. For this, you will need to participate in the beta program for the Vivoactive 4 smartwatch.

Rollback of firmware

You cannot rollback the firmware once it has been automatically updated to the latest firmware version 7.80. If you are running into issues post-installation of the firmware version 7.80 on the Vivoactive 4 smartwatch, your best option is to contact Garmin support.

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Helen Kurt

Helen Kurt is a geeky nerd who loves to cover the wearables space. She has over 5 years of experience in the smartwatch domain. You can reach her on email at [email protected].