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Going live
Going live moves an app from your test account to your live one. Each app's Go live tab lists eight checks, each with its fix. The Go live button turns on when all eight pass.
The eight checks
| Check | Why | Where to fix it |
|---|---|---|
| Garmin's trader verification is done | Taking any payment, even tips, makes you a trader to Garmin. Paid apps stay blocked until the trader is verified. | Garmin's developer site. Then tick it done on the Go live tab. |
| The store listing says it needs payment | An app needs payment when any primary feature costs money. Garmin may reject or remove a paid app that doesn't say so. | Your store listing's Monetization field. Then tick it done. |
| The test passed | All five steps on your own watch: registered, page opened, paid, unlocked, refunded. | The app's Test tab. |
| A support email | Buyers see it on the payment page and on their receipt. | The app's Settings tab. |
| Terms, refund and privacy links | Garmin asks for a refund policy, and buyers' law asks for terms. Full https:// addresses only. | The app's Settings tab. |
| A live payment connection | Real buyers pay your live Stripe, PayPal, Polar, Razorpay or Paystack account. An app that picked its processor needs that one live. | Payments |
| Our terms and data processing agreement | You accept them once. The agreement covers the buyer data we keep for you: see Your data and your buyers' data. | The Go live tab. |
| Room on your plan | Starter sells up to 3 paid apps. The Pro and Studio plans have no limit. | Compare plans |
What going live does
- Real buyers pay your live account from then on. Test purchases stay in test mode.
- Your plan starts when your first app goes live. Until then nothing is charged, and there's no card to add.
- Going live is a sensitive action. If you signed in more than 10 minutes ago, it asks you to confirm it's you again.
Taking an app off sale
Take it off sale from the same tab. New buyers can't pay. Every watch that paid stays unlocked. You can put it back on sale any time.
The store listing
Garmin has rules for apps that take payment outside its store. The Go live tab's listing helper does most of the work for you.
The Monetization field
Set your listing's Monetization field to say the app needs payment. Garmin then shows a "Payment Required" banner on the listing. The helper tells you the setting to pick.
The description
- Features only. Plain text, with no
<or>anywhere in it. - The helper gives you the text to paste. Its first line links to your app's questions page (refunds, and what's free). Your Premium features follow.
- The rest lives on the pages buyers see. Garmin asks you to say from the outset if free use is limited, to state a refund policy, to get consent for any renewal, to avoid bait-and-switch, and to name what the app depends on, such as a phone. Your price, terms and refund policy show on the payment page, and the questions page covers the rest.
Privacy
An app that collects user data needs a privacy policy saying the data goes to you, not to Garmin. Your app sends the watch's device ID to our server for Premium, so mark the listing as collecting user data and say so in your privacy policy.
Watch faces
On a face, viewing the time is a primary feature. Garmin advises no paywall over the time, and a link to your questions at the top of the description. The library keeps the time on top: see Watch faces and data fields.
Garmin may reject or remove a paid app that isn't marked as needing payment, and mislabelling can lead to suspension. Set the Monetization field before you go live.