Smartphone Link

Garmin

About this app

Smartphone Link works with select Bluetooth® enabled Garmin navigation devices, including most products from the following product categories:

• Garmin Drive™, Garmin DriveSmart™, Garmin DriveAssist™, Garmin DriveLuxe™ automotive navigators
• Garmin RV and Camper navigators
• zūmo motorcycle navigators
• dēzl truck navigators
• some nüvi automotive navigators (3597/3598/2x17/2x18/2x97/2x98/2x67/2x68/2577)

Check garmin.com/spl for a detailed list of compatible Garmin devices.

Some models require a software update, available at garmin.com/express

Smartphone Link allows you to connect a compatible Garmin navigator and your Android smartphone. Once linked, the compatible Garmin navigator uses your existing mobile data plan^[1] to share information with your Android smartphone, including contacts, search results, favorite locations, your driving destination, and even your parking spot. With Smartphone Link, your compatible Garmin navigator can also access Garmin Live Services^[2] for useful, real-time driving information.

What Are Garmin Live Services?

Garmin Live Services provide the most up-to-date “live” information to your Garmin navigator using your existing mobile data plan. There’s no need for an additional data connection. Some services are included when you connect to Smartphone Link. Other services within the app are available through optional paid subscriptions offering premium content and enhanced features. To receive data relevant to your location, Garmin Live Services require your current GPS location be shared with Garmin and Garmin partners.

Included Live Services:

• Address sharing - Send locations and online search results from your phone to your compatible Garmin navigator, and navigate there

• Garmin Live Traffic
Avoid delays and find detours with the best-in-class real-time information. Garmin Live Traffic is updated every minute and receives more than 1,000 messages every update cycle

• Live Parking^[3]
Save time, and take the stress out of parking. View helpful parking information, including pricing and availability trends for on-street public parking, as you approach your destination.

• Weather - View forecasts and current conditions

• Last Mile - Remembers your parking spot and shows your destination, so you can find your way on foot and back again

Premium Live Services, available for a one-time^[4] purchase within the app, include:

• photoLive traffic cameras^[2]
Look up live photos from over 10,000 traffic cameras to see traffic and weather conditions

• Advanced Weather^[2]
View detailed forecasts, current conditions, and animated radar images, plus receive severe weather alerts

• Dynamic Off-Street Parking^[2]
Find parking close to your destination, including the number of spots available and current cost


^[1] Contact your mobile service provider for more information about your service plan’s data and roaming rates.
^[2] Restrictions apply. Not available in all areas. Subscriptions required.
^[3] Parking data is available for most city centers. For coverage details, visit Parkopedia.com.
^[4] See https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=111441 for terms, conditions and limitations.

Note: Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.

Smartphone Link offers a variety of live services for your Garmin navigator. To ensure that you can access these services across all your Garmin devices, we use your Google Play Store e-mail address to uniquely identify you. We will not use this e-mail address for any other purpose.

Ratings and reviews

Works well as far as it's been used with the Dezl 780 primarily for traffic. Wish it could auto connect with any registered phone in range instead of having to manually change phone connections; auto reconnection to same paired phone is seamless. Traffic reports are generally accurate & quick to update, but will occasionally misread lane closures/construction as a full road closure & try to route around which is unnecessary. Considering the cost of these units, I think "advanced weather" functionality should be free like it is on Rand McNally devices; basic weather reports accurately anyhow. Most irritating is the constant "access permission" request notification on every device connection event & multiple times thereafter if you don't connect. I don't pair my phone through unit so have no need to connect to phone contacts.

Unfortunately this app is currently very problematic. It drains the battery at the rate of >25% per day no matter what. I have all of the background options turned off. I can reset my phone and never touch the icon and it will drains constantly. There is nothing to "force stop" because I never run it. I have to uninstall and re-install if I want to use a feature like Live Track when riding my motorcycle.

The app is great when I'm using the Garmin but when I'm not using it, it runs continually on my phone. I only use the Garmin for occasional work trips, so I dont need it to run all the time. I turned off every permission possible in the settings and it still showed "active" on my phone using my battery and data ( I think). The only way to keep it from running 24 hours a day was to uninstall the app :(

What's new

We have further improved the stability of the app. Enjoy your drive!