Garmin Expressfor Mac

Garmin Express is a utility software with the main function of managing the maps held within each device, and this company is well-known for its GPS products. They also produce devices for sportspeople, with GPS tools aimed at golfers, runners, and cyclists.

Good functionality let down by reliability issues

Make sure your Garmin device has up-to-date maps, so it doesn't get you lost

This software automatically monitors and downloads maps to your desktop. When you plug in your Garmin device, it will then sync your device and transfer over these up-to-date maps.

This company has added some extra useful functions. You can register new products from within the app, and update firmware. You can also back up user data, including saved addresses and routes, that are held within your device.

The software does have a massive footprint on your hard-drive, with some users reporting that it takes up 20 GB of space. Map downloads to your desktop can fail if you do not have enough disk-space, often with an unhelpful error message. We would recommend making sure you have lots of disk-space to avoid these issues.

USB connectivity can also be a bit flaky, which can lead to problems syncing data with your device. It is best to use a USB port located directly on your desktop, rather than on a USB hub, monitor or keyboard.

Where can you run this program?

Besides the MacOS versions of this software, there is also a Windows application available.

Is there a better alternative?

No, because owners of Garmin products will need to keep their maps current, they will need to use this software.

Our take

When it works well, this utility does make it easy to keep your Garmin products up-to-date. The software does feel a bit 'incomplete.' Expect failures (with cryptic error messages) if your computer doesn’t have a lot of free disk-space.

Should you download it?

Yes. If you own Garmin products, the software will help you keep it up-to-date, but make sure you have plenty of disk space and a good USB cable to minimize download and sync failures.