The Garmin Apps and Watchfaces I Actually Use in 2026
In the end of 2024 I wrote my first post about apps and watch faces I do use – “The Garmin Apps and Watchfaces I Actually Use“. From a hardware point of view, nothing has changed – I still use my Garmin Venu 3 (and am going to use it for a few more years, despite the limitations that I met). But on the third-party software front, some changes have happened. Therefore, I decided that it is a proper time to review this topic. Just to be clear, here I do not cover preinstalled apps, like a timer or an alarm clock, which I use daily. Let’s go.
My goto watch faces
I have 15 watchfaces installed (last time it was 10), but my goto watchfaces are only 2 and not the ones I mentioned in the original post:
Analog: Ultra V2 – GB
Digital: Portal GB
Both from the same developer – GreenBlack. Both, as far as I know, are clones of stock watchfaces: of Samsung Galaxy Watch and of Garmin Fenix respectively.
Applications
Garmin Calculator
I use it once or twice per year. But these two times, I’m happy that I have it.
Compasses
Compass (ABC) and my ABC
No changes here; I have both installed. I cannot remember using them as a compas, but to check an altitute, because Garmin provides me this data only when I’m tracking a hike or as a watchface widget (altitude is not that important for me).
Sun (and moon) Information
Again, no changes. Garmin did not enhance the weather app for Venu 3 with sunset and sunrise information (as far as I know, the Venu 4 weather app shows them). “Sun & Moon Times” and “Sun Times” close the gap. I usually use “Sun Times” (right photo).
UV Index
Not anymore. There were some technical issues with the data sources it uses. As a result, UV Index became unreliable and unstable for me, and I uninstalled it. The Garmin Weather app is still bad for UV index checking, at least the weather app, which shipped with Venu 3.
I have configured the “Ultra V2” watchface to show UV index. Not an indeal solution (no forecast), but at least something.
WeekCalendar
I need this monthly view to check what day of a week a particular date will be or how many weeks are still left in the current month. Galaxy Watch has this view out of the box. I believe every device that has calendar functionality must have that view. Garmin, unfortunately, does not offer it. WeekCalender fills this gap. This is probably the third-party app I use most often.
Komoot
To the surprise of many people, after being acquired by “Bending Spoons” (see “The Future of Komoot: Time to Look for Alternatives?” for details), the development of komoot was not just continued, but even boosted. At the same time, monetization is not forced. Nice.
I still in the “team Komoot“, and use it when I go hiking.
Walk with Frodo
Not anymore. I finished the tour, “destroyed” the ring, and uninstalled the app.
Goolge Maps
Google Maps is the new app on the list. Not because I changed my mind, but because Google released it after my original article was written. I use Google Maps time to time for walking navigation in a city. The results are not inconsistent: sometimes they are good, sometimes not at all. I described everything in the article “Google Maps on Garmin: Useful or Useless?“.
