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Garmin has announced that it is bringing the ability to access WhatsApp on select Garmin smartwatches, making it the first third-party messaging app to be available on the platform.
The app is free to download right now from the Connect IQ Store. It will work a bunch of popular Garmin devices including select fēnix, Forerunner, Venu, and vivoactive models.
WhatsApp on Garmin smartwatches
Garmin and Meta seems to have built a capable WhatsApp interface for the small screen. This is because Garmin claims that with the app, users can:
- View recent chats at a glance, right from your wrist
- Read and reply to messages using a built-in keyboard
- Send emojis and reactions quickly without typing
- See up to 10 messages of chat history on screen at a time
- See incoming calls with the option to decline them
According to the company, all messages and calls remain protected by end-to-end encryption, which is the same security standard as the phone app.
This means that users’ private conversations stay private, regardless of which device they are reading them on.
Which Garmin watches support WhatsApp
The WhatsApp app is available on select models across four of Garmin's most popular product lines:
- fēnix series
- Forerunner series
- Venu series
- vívoactive series
If you own one of these, head to the Connect IQ Store to check compatibility and download the app for free.
How to download WhatsApp on your Garmin smartwatch
Getting WhatsApp on your Garmin watch is easy:
- Open the Connect IQ Store — accessible through the Google Play Store or Apple App Store on your phone
- Search for WhatsApp
- Download and install it to your compatible Garmin device
Until now, Garmin smartwatches have largely kept their distance from third-party messaging apps.
Previously, WhatsApp made the app available on watchOS 10 or later for Apple Watch Series 4 and newer as well as on Android via the Google Play Store.Garmin's VP of Consumer Sales and Marketing, Susan Lyman, called the collaboration a sign of the growing strength of the Connect IQ ecosystem, adding that it gives customers "another meaningful way to stay connected — whether they're training, exploring, or simply on the move."
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