This new Garmin feature is a game-changer for clumsy oafs like me

Unhappy man checking his GPS sports watch
(Image credit: Getty)

Garmin has announced a small but potentially game-changing software update that could save you a whole lot of hassle during runs if you suffer from butter fingers. Lap Undo is currently rolling out to several Garmin Forerunner devices via a beta update, and will hopefully arrive on all the company's GPS watches by the end of the year.

Lap Undo is part of software beta version 18.12, which is available for the Garmin Forerunner 955, 965, and 255. As Notebookcheck notes, the Forerunner 265 is seemingly excluded for the time being, for reasons unknown.

The update includes some interesting additions, such as a new jump rope profile to keep track of your skipping workouts, and a database of 400m running tracks all over the world so your watch will automatically detect when you arrive for a training session and plot your laps accurately.

However, the feature I'm most excited about is the ability to 'undo' a press of the lap button. You see, I'm quite clumsy, and I've lost count of the number of times I've accidentally hit my watch's bottom left button during a run, messing up my splits and rendering the post-workout breakdown much less useful.

Thankfully I'm not alone, and soon clumsy runners around the world will be able to reverse those errant button presses, whether they're the result of numb finger or tight base layer sleeves.

Cursed with clumsiness?

Not everyone is so excited – at the end of a cheekily sarcastic article, the5krunner concludes that it's a nice feature that they're unlikely to ever use. That's fair enough; it's definitely not going to make anyone a better runner or help you smash your PBs, but for those of us cursed with clumsiness it'll be a great help.

For full details of beta software version 18.12, check out Garmin's official forums. Thinking about joining the testing program? Take a look at our list of reasons why you should and shouldn't install beta software on your watch, then check out how to join Garmin's public beta testing program if you want to go ahead.

Cat Ellis
Former editor

Cat is Homes Editor at TechRadar and former editor of Advnture. She's been a journalist for 15 years, and cut her teeth on magazines before moving online. She helps readers choose the right tech for their home, get the best deals, and do more with their new devices.

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