Instinct 3
Two very different watches under one name. The AMOLED editions run full-color faces like any modern Garmin; the Solar editions use a small, rugged MIP screen that most Connect IQ faces, ours included, do not target.
The display, per variant
The single most important fact about any Garmin for watch faces: what screen it has. MIP variants are always-on and sunlight-first with a limited palette; faces need dedicated MIP rendering to look right.
| Variant | Display | Resolution | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instinct 3 AMOLED 45 mm | AMOLED | 390 × 390 | bright AMOLED |
| Instinct 3 AMOLED 50 mm | AMOLED | 416 × 416 | bright AMOLED |
| Instinct 3 Solar | MIP | 176 × 176 | small monochrome-style MIP |
Changing the face on the Instinct 3
Hold MENU (the top-left CTRL button), then select Watch Face, scroll, apply with the GPS button. New faces come from the Connect IQ store app on your phone; the install guide covers that end, and the per-model switching guide covers every other Garmin.
Our faces on the Instinct 3
Ours, so we are biased; every claim below is verifiable on the store page.
Beyond ours: the full catalogue for this watch lives in the Connect IQ store.
Frequently asked
Do your faces work on the Instinct 3 Solar?
Last verified: 2026-07-18 · SDK 9.1.0 device data + our face manifests