# Garmin's September update turns on OK Garmin, and it can cost days of battery

Source: https://idevice.com/garmin-s-september-update-turns-on-ok-garmin-and-it-can-cost-days-of-battery
Published: 2026-10-19

> If your Garmin's battery estimate fell after the September update, turn off OK Garmin. Voice commands still work with a button press.

Owners on Garmin's support forums say turning on the new "OK Garmin" wake word cuts their watch's estimated battery life by roughly 35% to 50%, [Gadgets & Wearables reported](https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/10/17/garmin-ok-garmin-voice-battery-drain/). The feature came in Garmin's September updates for the Fenix 8, Forerunner 570 and 970, Venu 4 and several other models, and it's switched on automatically once the update installs. [Forerunner 970](https://idevice.com/smart-watches/garmin-forerunner/roadmap/forerunner-970) owners describe estimates falling from around 15 days to nine. On the Fenix 8, two weeks became seven or eight days. Garmin's own documentation says the wake word reduces battery life, since the watch has to listen for the phrase all day, but it doesn't say by how much.

To get the days back, [go to Settings > System > Voice](https://www.androidauthority.com/ok-garmin-voice-battery-drain-3725194/) and turn off "OK Garmin", and turn off the Phone Assistant wake word too if your estimate doesn't recover. Owners say that restored most of the lost battery, sometimes straight away. Voice commands still work, you just start them from the watch's controls. These are battery estimates rather than measured runtimes, and some Fenix 8 owners have had battery trouble since the update that has nothing to do with voice. If you rarely talk to your watch, turn it off.

## Sources

- [Gadgets & Wearables](https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/10/17/garmin-ok-garmin-voice-battery-drain/) (Gadgets & Wearables)
- [Android Authority](https://www.androidauthority.com/ok-garmin-voice-battery-drain-3725194/) (Android Authority)