Suunto Software update Q1 (2.53.42)

[Dimitrios Kanellopoulos]

Staged update starting on April 7th, 2026 for Suunto Vertical 2, Race 2, Race S and Race

This update brings new features and bug fixes

Navigation and maps

• Track back navigation to return to the start along the recorded track
• Offline maps now include contour lines with elevation labels, place names and special location icons (not available for Suunto Race)
• Climb guidance now supports distance and climb based zooming
• Climb guidance shows section when fully zoomed in
• Customizable bottom “tooth” area with tap to switch data fields across map, climb guidance and navigation displays
• Smart turn-by-turn zooming and notification
• Off-route guidance with distance and direction back to the route
• Improved off-route detection
• New options to manage turn-by-turn and climb guidance notifications

Training and sports

• Recovery heart rate measurement immediately after exercise
• Pool swim drill mode for structured swim training
• Broadcast heart rate to external devices
• Touch screen option available in sport mode
• Use the lap button to control and fine-tune pool swim interval timing
• Auto laps can now be muted during intervals

Daily use and customization

• Support for mixed unit systems
• More flexible notification and sound settings for daily use and sports
• Alarms can be set for specific days of the week
• More responsive altitude updates in daily use
• Sunrise time displayed in morning report
• Number picker now loops
• Indonesian language support

Information about other devices
• Suunto 9 Peak Pro
Due to hardware limitations, Suunto 9 Peak Pro will not receive further software updates adding new features. Its last feature update was released in January 2026. However, the device will continue receiving new watch faces and compatible SuuntoPlus Apps.
• Suunto Vertical
Suunto Vertical is not included in this update. We are working on enabling new software features for this device in the future, although at this time we cannot confirm when they will arrive or what they will include. The watch will continue receiving new watch faces and SuuntoPlus Apps whenever compatible.

[Dimitrios Kanellopoulos]

Joaquins release notes might also share more info so here they are (currated by him)

This update introduces 40 new additions across features, settings, and improvements

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Smart Navigation

• Smart OFF ROUTE
  Intelligent off-route alerts based on speed, direction and distance.
• Off-route guidance
  Distance and direction to the closest point on the route.
• Track Back
  Automatic route creation based on breadcrumb navigation.
• Smart Autozoom Turns
  Dynamic zoom when approaching a turn based on distance, direction and speed.
• Climb Guidance zoom options
  Ability to select the zoom type in Climb Guidance: by distance, segment or waypoint.
• Smart consecutive turn management
  The next turn is not displayed until the current one is completed if turns are closer than 20 m.
• Customizable map data field
  Up to 5 configurable data fields on the map and Climb Guidance screen
  (HR, power, distance, etc.).
• Enable / disable ascent and descent notifications in Climb Guidance.
• Enable / disable turn-by-turn navigation.
• Enable / disable Smart Autozoom Turns.

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Suunto App & Watch

(Requires the latest version of the Suunto App)

• Automatic rerouting from Suunto App during activities using Suunto App offline maps.
• Offline routing in Suunto App using GPX files.
• Updated elevation model when creating routes, improving ascent and descent accuracy.

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Maps 2.0

(Race S – Race 2 – Vertical 2)
(Requires updating the watch offline maps. The update will roll out gradually and users will be notified in the Suunto App.)

• Maximum map detail at 500 m zoom level
• City and town names
• Important place names
• Peak names
• Altitude labels on contour lines
• POIs displayed on the map
  (bars, hospitals, water fountains, parking, etc.)
• Updated new OSM data

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Swimming

• New feature: swimming drills
• Manual Lap button allows adjusting the interval timing during pool workouts

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Training & Metrics

• New HRR metric (Heart Rate Recovery)
  Measures heart rate recovery during the activity and after the activity to help assess cardiovascular response and training intensity.
• Heart rate broadcast function
  Share heart rate via Bluetooth.
• Ascent target during activities
  (Only in basic, non-customized sport modes: you must remove them from the sport mode list in the Suunto App and select them directly on the watch)

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Daily Smart Experience

• Independent alarms per day
• Independent vibration and sound settings for each alarm
• Separate configuration for notifications and sounds for daily use
• Independent configuration for mobile notifications and system notifications
• Mute mode for daily use (silence sounds)
• “Go Around” numbers in value selection
• Navigation menu improvements
• Mixed metric and imperial configuration
  (for example distance in miles and temperature in Celsius)

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Sport Mode Experience

• Ability to enable touchscreen during activities
• Option to disable autolap notifications
  (for intervals created on the watch)
• New icon for the data field
  “% incline last 100 m”
• Independent notification and sound settings for sport mode
• Do Not Disturb and Mute modes will not affect sport modes, which keep their customized configuration.

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Improvements

• Sunrise time displayed in Morning Report
• New instant altitude algorithm in the altitude widget

[aiv4r]

@Dimitrios-Kanellopoulos RIP (kind of) Vertical 1 Other than that update looks great, looking forward to try things!

[Dimitrios Kanellopoulos]

@aiv4r I dont think its RIP. We could could not deliver the update in a stable way there. And for that we could not stall the updates for the other watches.

[isazi]

This is a good time to remember people that if you have issues and properly report them, they can be fixed in time for next release.

[Elipsus]

As the owner of a 9PP, I must say I was impressed how many new features the watch got since I got it in 2023.
It had to end sometimes, but still, that’s more software support than my previous phone had lol.

Considering the watch still looks like almost brand new, and that the design is still unmatched, I will definitely keep it for a few years more (I do have to change the battery tho)

[Horizontal_2]

Not a big issue. Just interesting

Had to install the Outback Adventure on the Vertical 2. I think to solve the problem of the default watchface on the anniversary edition.

Is it known if the battery drain issue with the Vector is solved?

[isazi]

@Horizontal_2 in my opinion should be better with this firmware, but I believe by design some watchfaces consume more battery than others.

[Manuel Extreme]

It is now also possible to enable/disable audio notifications for workouts and vibration. Great!

[gerasimos]

@aiv4r amoled clarity screen wins in this major update… i

[Mitch9]

Wow, really amazing update with lots of new features! Sadly not (yet) for my SV1! Thanks anyway!

[Tieutieu]

Not very surprised that my SV1 don’t get same update for now. I hope it will get climb 3.0 updates that are very cool and bring back the current segment zoom level that was missing especially when there were waypoints on route.
Let’s try this update on my SRs, a lot of cool things ! Well done !

[aiv4r]

@Dimitrios-Kanellopoulos Ahh good to read that. Because this sounded like - “maybe maybe but most likely not”

@Dimitrios-Kanellopoulos said in Suunto Software update Q1 (2.53.42):

We are working on enabling new software features for this device in the future, although at this time we cannot confirm when they will arrive or what they will include.

[Manuel Extreme]

Now the only thing missing is the ability to set pace zones and threshold heart rate for swimming (currently, TSS(s) load on Suunto is calculated in an unknown way…)

[EzioAuditore]

@Dimitrios-Kanellopoulos Great job Mitso and all the Suunto team

[Théo Tuphé]

Just for info, pace and power zones are still reset when rebooting the watch

Great update tho !

[Highlands]

@Dimitrios-Kanellopoulos Awesome update. Thank you very much

[snow*]

Dimitrios-Kanellopoulos One step beyond

Edit: I updated the device on my way home and have just been for a run around the neighbourhood. So far, so good: no technical issues and all the settings have remained the same (options, S+, etc.). I can’t comment on the battery yet; it’s still too early to tell.

[isazi]

@Théo-Tuphé you mean after a firmware update? Because rebooting the watch should not do that

[Théo Tuphé]

@isazi Didn’t test after rebooting after updating the watch (by holding upper button on Suunto Race S) but before the update yup it resetted pace and power zones, and after updating the watch, the zones were reset again