What is Garmin Smartphone Link?
Smartphone Link is an app that works with select Bluetooth-enabled Garmin navigation devices, including automotive, motorcycle, truck, and camper navigators. The app allows you to connect your compatible Garmin navigator and iPhone, using your existing mobile data plan to share information between the two devices. Smartphone Link also provides access to Garmin Live Services, which offer real-time driving information.
- Connects compatible Garmin navigator and iPhone
- Shares information between devices, including contacts, search results, favorite locations, driving destination, and parking spot
- Uses existing mobile data plan
- Access to Garmin Live Services, including:
- Address sharing
- Garmin Live Traffic
- Live Parking
- Weather
- Last Mile
- Premium Live Services available for one-time purchase, including:
- photoLive traffic cameras
- Advanced Weather
- Dynamic Off-Street Parking
- Continued use of GPS running in the background can decrease battery life.
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 iPhone®. Once linked, the compatible Garmin navigator uses your existing mobile data plan[1] to share information with your iPhone, 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.
By Iphonerocks00
Updated June 2018: After several years of this app being buggy and working only temporarily after needing to be unpaired and then repaired to your Garmin device, it is now working very well reliably every time with my iPhone. I have submitted many tickets and Bluetooth logs to Garmin in hopes of getting this fixed and I am so pleased that it is now working well please keep it that way and don’t mess it up. This is a must-have for any Garmin compatible device user! The coverage is much greater than FM reception areas which are limited to only urban cities. I get coverage with this well outside of the city boundaries. A+. Other features such as local parking and traffic cameras are a big plus also. Yay for Garmin getting this fixed in June 2018. I only wish it would launch automatically on the phone when you get in the car.
By Mr Optimist.7
Yes. Please keep it updated as newer versions of iOS are released. Otherwise garmin gps seems useless in simple tasks as transferring address from phone to Gps unit. Thank you so much for fixing the bugs and taking me into confidence that my future investments with Garmin are secured. App works great with the phone. My $350 were worth to buy the product. It could even be better in looking up addresses or once the address is copy paste from google maps, it should be able to find in the phone app. Request: Please issue an update for Garmin nuvi 2589LMT series to be able to stream audio music from phone to Gps unit as it does in phone calls. It really feels dated that it doesn’t do so.
By Bitter frequent user
Reading through reviews it seems many people may be technically challenged.. I haven’t had any connection issues through 3 different Iphones. Never had any issues using in town to get where I need to go. Weather and traffic updates, sometimes too frequent, are accurate. Took up a job and found a limitation with the app I would love to see overcome. The ability to lookup a location in a distant city. Currently I am saving the address to a contact in my phone as “work site” and sending to my garmin. May seem like a lot of work but its actually easier in the moment and typing on a phone is far more desirable than the GPS unit itself. So a basic location, name, or address search function that works similar to the built in search on the GPS would be great. Thanks for all your work!