Creating a Family Account

[Cat_Jaimes]

I recently purchased an Ace for my child and am not able to find the "Create Family Account" from the Account icon on my phone.  Is it under another tab?  I have an existing account (Alta).  Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

[Julia_G]

Hi, @DonnyG, if you are not seeing the option to set up a Family Account you will need to update your Fitbit app -- please download the latest version from your app store (Google Playstore or Apple or Windows store).

When you have upgraded your app, click on the account icon (thats the small rectangle with a circle and 3 lines inside -- it's meant to look like a drawing of an ID card).   In the account area you will find "Set up a Family Account".  Follow the steps from there.  Make sure you add your child to the family first, and then set up the Ace under their name.

If you are still having difficulties, please let us know which version of the app you are using iOS, Android, Windows.

[JuanJoFitbit]

@DonnyG Welcome to our Fitbit Community! I'm sorry to hear about the difficulties you've experienced when trying to set up your Family account and son's Fitbit Ace. I would like to follow up and would like to know if the issue persists or if you managed to set it up after following the great troubleshooting steps that provided my friend @Julia_G.

Looking forward to your response! 

[FelliMom]

I'm trying to follow this advice but when I log in to my fitbit account on my childs device, I still see no option for a family account. I made the mistake of creating a family account on my own phone but have not added my daughters ACE yet. Child device is running Fire OS 5.3.6.4. Reinstalled the latest version of Fitbit app. Is the child device not running a new enough OS? Any idead?

[JuanJoFitbit]

@FelliMom Thank you for joining us in this thread and our Fitbit Community! I'm sorry to hear about the difficulties you've experienced while trying to add your child's Ace to your Family account. Since you mentioned that your child's device is a Fire, this may be the reason why it's not showing the Family account button, unluckily. Please visit this help article, which contains a list of the compatible devices.

You can go ahead and link your child's device to your own mobile device and sync the Ace from there.

Let me know if you have any doubts and I'll be happy to assist you! 

[ScottHStuart]

So i wanted 3 accounts for my grandchildren in 2 households. I gave up and
gave to the parents who also gave up and set up adult accounts for the
kids. The family and child's accounts are very restrictive (probably by
design for security) but too restrictive for us.

I don't blame fitbit but a new architecture might help.

Moderator edit: removed personal info

[bgronas]

My children now use Xiaomi amazfit. They rock and have the same functions as Ionic, just better battery. No restrictions. 

[JuanJoFitbit]

@ScottHStuart @bgronas Thank you so much for sharing your feedback since this helps us to keep improving.

[JennMcC]

I too have no option to create a family account.  I just downloaded the app to a new iPad and still no option

[hawksworth]

I had no idea it was so hard to create Apple like simplicity in setting up a device.  I had assumed when I bought the versa 2 for my 11 year old daughter that i would press a few buttons and enter some info.  Yet here I am searching forums, in a bad mood the day after Christmas because there is nothing more annoying than being told to press a button that doesn’t exist on an app that is a complete mess when you are used to dealing with Apple products. I guess I will promote her to 13 years old. What a joke.

[LLC132]

I AGREE WITH THE DIFFICULTY. QUICK QUESTION...DO "I, ME, MYSELF" NEED A FITBIT TO CREATE A "FAMILY ACCOUNT"? WE BOUGHT ONE FOR EACH CHILD. I THOUGHT I COULD CREATE A FITBIT ACCOUNT AND THEN LOAD THE CHILDREN ON UNDER THE FAMILY ACCOUNT. AM I WRONG?

[LLC132]

I AGREE WITH THE DIFFICULTY. QUICK QUESTION...DO "I, ME, MYSELF" NEED A FITBIT TO CREATE A "FAMILY ACCOUNT"? WE BOUGHT ONE FOR EACH CHILD. I THOUGHT I COULD CREATE A FITBIT ACCOUNT AND THEN LOAD THE CHILDREN ON UNDER THE FAMILY ACCOUNT. AM I WRONG?

[CraigAT]

Came here because I was struggling to set up a new Inpsire for my daughter (aged 10).

Currently have it setup using my account because of the restriction, thankfully I don't have a Fitbit myself so this is less of an issue, but I cannot see why under my approval I could not create a child account like on the Ace that I could assign to her Inspire.

Luckily I have a Samsung watch and don't see me wanting a Fitbit.

So for anyone who does have an existing Fitbit profile, probably the best thing to do is use another email address and lie about the child's age???  

[Wyzarde]

I have the same problem, but two kids (9 & 11) who each received an Inspire HR from an overseas relative. Can't send them back, can't have them both on my email, can't have them set up as Child Accounts within the one Family.

I think all I can do is lie about their age, set up fake email addresses, and then try to make the accounts as restricted as possible.

Less than ideal and I'd really like to see the list of usable devices opened up beyond the Ace series.

[MartinaEthiopia]

Good to know. I have bought the ace and ace 2 for my kids but it is pretty useless - seems to be designed by people who dont know kids or parents 🙂 I really struggle to see any benefit. Am thinking of gradually moving us all off fitbit if I can find a more family friendly platform