Garmin just gave Android users the free smartwatch upgrade they’ve been waiting for

This one’s big. Garmin has just made Google Maps (!) available on some of its most popular wearables, bringing long-requested, turn-by-turn navigation straight to your wrist.

This follows a string of announcements from the brand, including the launch of the paid subscription service Connect+ in March, and the recent reveal of the Quantix 8 two weeks ago.

The latest software update allows you to get directions directly on your Garmin watch, eliminating the need to reach for your phone, provided you're using an Android device.

In a 100 yards, turn left

The newly released Google Maps app can be downloaded from the Connect IQ Store and works with select Venu, Forerunner, Vivoactive and Fenix watches.

Once paired with an Android smartphone, users can type a destination into the Google Maps app on their phone and receive navigation prompts directly on their Garmin watch.

You’ll get gentle vibrations and on-screen prompts for each upcoming turn, plus the option to view the next three turns at a glance, ideal for pedestrians weaving through city crowds or cyclists rolling through new terrain.

And yes, you can still track your workout in the background while navigating.

Your run, walk or ride will log as usual with heart rate, distance and more, syncing to Garmin Connect and Google’s Health Connect platform.

Double trouble

While Garmin’s built-in mapping and breadcrumb navigation features are excellent for outdoor and adventure use, street-level turn-by-turn navigation for casual everyday use has always been a gap in the experience, especially for urban walkers and cyclists.

By integrating Google Maps via Android, Garmin opens up a far more user-friendly, globally trusted navigation tool.

It doesn’t replace the brand’s premium offline TOPO maps, but it adds serious convenience for city navigation, route exploring and daily commutes.

Who can get it and how

The app is free and available now through the Connect IQ Store, Garmin’s marketplace for third-party apps, widgets and watch faces.

Compatibility covers a wide range of recent Garmin smartwatches, though you’ll need an Android phone to make use of the new Google Maps integration. iPhone users are out of luck (for now).

This is a very welcome – and very overdue – update that finally makes Garmin wearables feel a little more “smartwatch” and a little less “sports watch” in everyday life.

It doesn’t change the game for endurance athletes or hikers, but for the rest of us who just want to get to the pub without getting lost, it’s a massive quality-of-life upgrade.