Can't add children to family account

[ben86]

Hi

I can't set up family account to set up Childs ace 3

I bought a ace 3 for my daughter, im not a Fitbit user so had to set an account up 1st. I used my google account to log in. I set up my family how ever on my family it just say

to add children, make sure they're part of your family on Google, then set them up on Fitbit, their name will appear

I have made my daughter a account on my account as she is only 5 and added her to my family on google but nothing is showing up in my family on Fitbit app

please can someone help 

thanks

ben

[SaraOwen]

Hello, I'm sure it's written down below, but these instructions don't work. When I try and log in with my child's google account, I get an error "Can't add account".... the Google Account is managed with Family Link. To add your child to this device you can either remove all other accounts or create a new user for your child". How do we get past this? 

[aed82]

@SaraOwen... The only way past it (read thru all the threads). Your options
are:
1. Have a dedicated smart device (iPad, etc) for your child with their own account and login to the device and Fitbit app. Follow Fitbit recommended steps.
2. Uninstall or factory reset your profile from your smartphone if you dare. Load child profile (as if it is their phone) to allow the their profile to link to the account). Follow Fitbit recommended steps.
3. Return the Fitbit watch.

[SaraOwen]

Thanks, yes I realise that, just find admin comments annoying when they say
it works... And couldn't help commenting 😬

Don't know how to get a refund, it was a Christmas present and the box was
ripped and then thrown out, not anticipating these kind of issues!

So incredibly frustrating!

[aleks001]

Completely understand. Maybe re-gift it or sell it. The whole issue is a joke and the fact that there is no solution to this day shows the companies care factor. First and last fitbit product for me. 

[aed82]

@SaraOwen @I'm not sure your local laws; but NYS ensures 90 day returns direct to manufacturer. While it may be different for technology devices (usually 14 days) it may be worth looking up if you have options worth pursuing to return

[vajgrtp]

There is a solution but it is painful. This worked on my pixel 7 pro
phone.

You have to disable 2 factor authentication while you set this up.

Set up a new user on the phone for your child. It makes the phone
essentially a separate device.

Then load the app onto that users profile on the phone. Then set up the
fitbit using the app while in that users profile.

The fitbit will now sync and be usable.

Dont forget to re-enable 2 factor authentication in your google account
when ypu are done.

[aed82]

@vajgrtp, newer Android OS in the USA will not allow a separate user for children on the phone, claiming that "multiple accounts create permission challenges" and are not permitted anymore.  So this solution might work for some users, but not all.

[wowmandango]

Just as SunsetRunner said we encounter both errors "I could not log in to Fitbit from a supervised account." & "it said I had to remove the already logged in google account" [in this case his brothers account] This error happens on 3 android devices (S10+, S22, S24,) and on an iPad, we are swiftly moving towards SunsetRunner's solution because. All our devices have more than one account logged in, and we physically keep the devices when they have not earned screen time yet, rather than relying on the companies "child protection" features. 

Simply not having the devices so strictly check for age would also fix people trying to add it to an adult account for various reasons. https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Ace-Family-Accounts/Setting-up-an-Ace-3-for-an-Adult/td-p/4915992

I think I am just going to change his age back to my birthday and get a device that is not so worried about the age requiring us to buy a entire second screen just for the kid... they are not quite old enough to have their own dedicated phone yet.

[Kelsocheese]

Returning our Ace 3. This is absolutely ridiculous. If this is how hard it is to set up something for a kid I can only imagine what their other products are like to use. Had it for 3 days now trying to simply get it started. 
DONE WITH FITBIT FOR LIFE. 

[SaraOwen]

How do you return it when your kids destroyed the box at Christmas, but you
bought it from a shop and not direct full Fitbit or a mobile phone shop..

[Bokya]

Try this create a new non gmail account like hotmail make then go to
http://www.fitbit.com/setup/ once you create they will ask you if you want
to Merge to google you click not now. Then you can create family account
Good luck

[aed82]

@aleks001 I have sent direct messages to two moderators asking them to please re-open this thread and escalate this situation.  I was trying to be respectful, since they requested that any concerns I have, should go direct to them.  So that's what I did.  I sent messages on Jan 4 and Feb 8 to separate mods.  Both requests have gone unanswered.  It's unprofessional.

[Fredsy198]

My child doesn't have a mobile. Any suggestions 

[GeorgieB25]

Take it back!

[NewUsername937]

This doesn't work of course. The process for switching back and forth for accounts using my Fitbit login was arduous, so I decided to change to my Google account. What a mistake. Now I can't view my child's information at all, and there seems to be no actual fix?  Between this and Fitbit breaking a ton of Charge 5's (including my wife's) with their latest updates, it's time to start shopping for a new smartwatch for my family. 

[RayoJ]

I just bought my 9 year old son a Fitbit Ace3 and setting it up is like applying for job with NASA! I have tried everything the last 2 days which includes adding him to a google family account and still being told I cannot add him on the fitbit app. I am trying to set up a fitness tracker for my son so it really shouldn't be so complicated between Google & Fitbit. I don't have the patience or the time to continue figuring out how to set it up and will be returning it for a Garmin. Really should have done my research first before getting this fitbit Ace3.  

[AdnanH]

10 months and 21 pages of complaints after the original message, and still Fitbit and Google have not resolved this.

What a waste of time and money!

To anybody thinking of buying the Kids Tracker, then DON'T.

Fitbit does not allow you to login with a supervised account, but all Google Child accounts are supervised! And then, you can't even create a new account because Fitbit won't allow the adding of kid's devices to adult accounts!

I've wasted an entire evening trying to get this working, even started a Live Chat with Fitbit support but they couldn't help. This whole experience has made me so fed-up and angry!

[ArrrBlue]

This doesn't seem to work.  I've tried following these instructions, but got stuck in a loop between the "Get help from a parent" and "Parents need a Google Account to continue" screens.

This is a really terrible experience for families with children.  The previous functionality of being able to switch to a child profile within the app was much better.  Now I either need a separate device for my child, or I need to switch accounts on my phone (not in the app, the whole phone needs to be switch to the child account).  Just to be able to sync my child's device for 30 seconds?  It's ridiculous! 

[aleks001]

You cant switch your device to the child account, because then a parent
needs to authorise it and it can't be done on the same device.

[Cookiecat9]

What if your child doesn't have a phone?!