It is astonishing how bad the Garmin software ecosystem is. I spent the better part of a day on this, including several chats with Ed at Garmin support and this still is not solved.

Setting up the Connect IQ app on my phone

The battery app requires Connect IQ -- which shows my 66i as "not connected". Check my "pairing in 2026" page for how this finally got worked out.

Installing the app

The app I used to have is "Simple Battery". This can be spliced into a data field. The SHN Battery is a "widget" that you access by fiddling with the power button, which is not at all what I want.

I launch Connect IQ and search for "battery". I find "simple battery" about number 3 on the list. I click the blue Install button and it says "queued". It will get installed on the next Sync. I go back to Connect, find the devices screen and press on the blue circle/arrow to trigger a sync. This didn't seem to accomplish anything.

Back to Connect IQ. Near the upper right is a circle arrow. I click it, and it gets busy for a while. But nothing happens. I power off the 66i while watching the Connect IQ device screen. It says not connected while powered off, then connected again when the 66i powers back on. Still only Wikiloc on my 66i.

Back to Connect to trigger a sync. I get a spinning blue arrow and it is taking a long time. Connect IQ shows a queued Wikiloc update (I never use this app). The spinning arrow does finally complete, but it took several minutes. And my Connect IQ app never showed up.

I tried clearing cache and storage for Connect IQ, but ended up back to having a Wikiloc update queued as well as Simple battery queued. There seems to be no way here to unqueue things -- or to start the download.

It may be possible to download to the 66i using a USB cable. You download the app from apps.garmin.com, sign in, and follow instructions. I have looked here, and this is not what I am looking for.

• apps.garmin.com

Installing the app - part 2

Ed at Garmin support seemed to think that I could fix this by using a USB cable to connect the 66i to my windows PC where I can run Garmin Express. The basic idea is to remove Wikiloc -- we will see if this is possible.

• Uninstalling Connect IQ content
• useless link

Connect the device to a computer via a USB cable.
Open Garmin Express.
Select the device.
Select IQ Apps.
Select White X inside a gray circle to the right of the app you want to remove/uninstall.
Sync the devic

• Garmin Express in 2021
• Trying to update in 2025
• Garmin Express in 2025

I power down the 66i, connect the USB cable, and plug it into a USB port on my PC. The 66i lights up with "Garmin" and a USB symbol displayed. After somewhat of a wait, a file browser connected to the garmin pops up. There is no icon for Express. I type "express" into the windows search gadget and it finds "Garmin Express". This launches Express.

It knows about both of my 66i units. It tells me a new Express version (7.29.1.0) is available and offers to install it. I say no. It has a little green indicator next to "66i (2)", so I am betting that is the unit I have plugged in. I select it. It offers to sync via Wifi, which makes no sense with a USB cable connected. I say no. Now all the questions seem over and it says the 66i is connected.

A big tile says "IQ Apps" -- I select it and it shows wikiloc and simple battery. As per the instructions above, I "Select the White X inside a gray circle" to the right of wikiloc. It says "removed".

Back at the main screen, it tells me that a map update is available that may take an hour to install. I say "do it" just to see if anything can get installed. It says it is downloading files and predicts about an hour to finish.

Indeed it took about an hour. When it finished, I click the sync button, which goes very fast. I check the "IQ Apps" tab and it shows only "simple battery". So this looks good. I exit Express and unplug the 66i, which powers off.

Now I power up the 66i. It takes some extra time "loading maps". I go to the Connect IQ page in the main menu of the 66i, and it still only shows Wikiloc. I

I launch Connect IQ on my phone. I now shows nothing queued and says "2 installed". I go to "My Device Apps" and it shows only Wikiloc. I go to the devices page of "Connect" on my phone. I use the blue spinner to tell it to "sync now". It spins for a long time (and says "Connected".

I am tempted to try using Connect IQ on my phone and tell it again to install "simple battery". But I resist that temptation. If the blue spinner ever stops, I am going to go back to the PC and see if I can use Express to delete simple battery if I need to, and to then install it. The spinner does finish.

I am back to the IQ apps tile in Express on the PC. It shows only simple battery. I click the grey X to remove this. I go back and click the sync button which goes very fast. The "IQ apps" now shows me nothing and offers me the store.

I find and select "simple battery", then click on the cloud with arrow icon which says "sending to device" then "installed" I go back to the main screen and do a sync. Then exit express.

The Connect IQ thing in the 66i does not show it, nor does the Connect IQ app.

I'll try yet another app. GPS Position looks harmless and is recommended. I search for it in Connect IQ on my phone and click "Install". It says queued. And it shows up as queued in the device page in the Connect IQ device page. But as usual, nothing is happening. I go back to Connect and try a "sync now". It goes very fast. I try it again and it ain't so fast. Just on a hunch, I turn phone Wifi off. Still spinning. After waiting 10 seconds I turn Wifi back on. We have been spinning for 5 minutes, so I power down the 66i. That immediately stops the spinner and the status changes to Not connected.

On the PC, Express shows me both GPS position and simple battery as installed. I tell it to uninstall both, then I tell it to install both. I do a sync. All fast and seemingly predictable.

Now in the 66i I see "GPS" in the Connect IQ list. Maybe simple battery just never shows up here.

I go to the Compass screen, type menu, select "change data fields". Under "Current status" I find "battery level". I select it and a battery graphic now shows up where the top right thing used to be.

I'll swear this used to give a number/percent, not a graphic. Indeed this is true. I go back to repeat the selection. Instead of looking under Current status, I select the last choice, which is Connect IQ. In there I find "simple battery" and when I select it I get a number (currently 98).

Conclusion