Every Garmin I've ever purchased, I have always updated the software out of the box. I just couldn't determine if the device is up to date or not. This will take several hours, so let it run over night. There's the Garmin Express software you'll download from Garmin's website and update the device by connecting it to your computer - usb cable is usually included in the box. The last time I checked (not recently), you can update 4 times a year with the lifetime map option