Alta HR not recognizing exercise automatically

[Candiclas]

Alta exercise has stopped recognizing my activities.  Have reloaded, soft started and uninstalled reinstalled.  I just went for a half-mile brisk walk, Alta HR said I had walked for 13 minutes and now, when I look it has gone to 0.  What’s happening?

Moderator edit: Updated title for clarity

[NellyG]

What exactly do you mean by soft started? Have you restarted it? Do it several times if you havent already. If it still doesnt recognise exercise properly, let the battery run completely flat for several hours and then fully recharge it again. If it is still not recognising your exercise properly you will need to contact support (link in my signature)

Restart your tracker

[FerdinandFitbit · Accepted solution]

Hi there @Candiclas, welcome to the Fitbit Community Forums! 🙂

I'm sorry to hear that your Fitbit Alta HR is not recognizing your activity correctly. Thanks for all that you've tried to get it to work.

I'd like to add to @NellyG suggestion. SmartTrack recognizes activities based on the continuous movement of your arms. Sometimes, motions such as placing your arms on the bar of a treadmill, or pushing a stroller while you walk, may interrupt SmartTrack. Additionally, stopping in the middle of an exercise may interrupt the activity tracking.

By default, SmartTrack recognizes an exercise that lasts at least 15 minutes. If your activities aren't being recognized, lowering the time auto-exercise recognition setting to 10 minutes may help ensure they record properly.

For more information about how SmartTrack tracks activities, please review our help article: What should I know about SmartTrack exercise detection

I hope these suggestions help you get back on track, but please let me know if you have any other questions.

Hope this helps. Let us know if you need more assistance.

[Candiclas]

I use cross-country ski poles when I walk—so I do move my arms and have lowered my time to recognize 10-minutes to post. I have now tried someone’s suggestion to restart the Alta HR three times while attached via the USB cord to a computer. Hopefully this will solve the problem.

iCandi

[Rosiesno1]

I am on a bit of a downer about my Fitbit Alta HR at the moment ... but that's another story.  However, I truely believe that the Alta HR is not best at 'recognising' the owners activity, over the last year I have constantly been unhappy about it's inability to recognise my exercise. In the autumn I was visiting my brother in a buitiful part of France, and when he was at work, I went out on long walks around the city he lives in. I walked constantly, did not stop, on one afternoon I walked >100 minutes along the lakeside, at some speed, I was not 'dawdelling'.  When I finaly stopped I sat down and ate an ice-cream, to find that no exercise had been recognised! (the steps of course had been counted).  I then wandered around the park for 15 minuted, finishing my ice-cream and watching the stylish passers by, and guess what - it recorded that wander as exercise!!  That happened 3 times that holiday!.  Similarly, I can go out and walk for 30 minutes at lunchtime, and nothing is recorded, yet, on checking my phone app, after synching of course, no exercise was noted, yet, when I drive home, I find my driving is classified 'outdoor bike'!!  I drove my daughter to work at a ridiculously early time, yesterday morning, and later on I noted two recordings of 'outdoor bike' exercise, doring the time I drover to work, and then drove home.

My fitbit has 'died' overnight last night, unfortunately about a month over a year old, and though I felt 'naked' not wearing it today, as I love recording my activity, I really am unsure about buying another fitbit activity tracker, when,:-

1 - it breaks down so quickly, and

2 - it cant record my activity accurately!!

I am very frustrated!

[JoanaBP]

I've been having problems with the alta HR sensor since almost the beginning, as the device didn't recognise the activities, not even when I was doing 30 min runs. The sensor itself stopped working altogether last August. Already been in contact with the team on several occasions, did the troubleshooting, but nothing has the problem solved. It is clear the sensor isn't working. I assume the Fitbit alta HR sensor is very prone to malfunctioning and feel ripped off by Fitbit at the moment since I can't get it replaced so far and I'm stuck with what is essentially a very expensive step tracker.

[HarlowM]

My Alta HR stopped recognising exercise long ago, sadly. I've been manually adding it on a daily basis which seems to defeat the point of having a fitness tracker. I have tried every method to try to reset in order to trigger the exercise recognition capability but have not had any luck. Fingers crossed someone finds a solution.

[HiStepTom]

My Fitbit stopped auto recognizing exercise today.  Nothing new, nothing changed, nothing to do with arms swinging or change in motion.  Has always recognized my walking and running which is usually at least 3 times a day ... today hasn't recognized 2 normal 40 minute walks, and one normal 30 minute run.  I reset and restarted.  Settings haven't been changed.  Is it just broken?

[HarlowM]

I'm not sure if it's broken or a connection issue. Since mine stopped recognising exercise I have bought a new phone which didn't rectify the problem either. 

[HiStepTom]

Its tracking steps and time just fine … just won’t recognize exercises … so seems like a software thing.

Moderator edit: personal info removed

[HarlowM]

Same with mine. I like seeing the wheel fill up with my daily excerise so some weeks I'll just take my tracker off when I use the treadmill and manually enter the workout. Helps keep me motivated during those weeks when the wheel shows my accomplishments. 

[HiStepTom]

Yeah … me too … it is of course an OCD thing … I NEED to see the wheel filled up and the dots turning red. Even though I know I’m doing the activities, I need to SEE them recorded!! I NEED the darn thing to work right! LOL

Moderator edit: personal info removed

[Smlfry]

My Fitbit Alta also stopped tracking my exercise. It did recognize the 6,000 steps and 60 min activity.. but doesn't appear in the exercise (showing heart rate, etc). I manually added it and my steps dropped to 4,000. I did the restart on my device this morning. After reading all these comments I am wondering if there is a problem with the software?

[Jensunflower76]

I am having the same issue. I am not happy and will be moving to a different brand I think, as my Alta has has issues off and on since I bought it.

[Rosiesno1]

Yep i moved onto a Charge 3 a year ago and have already had a replacement for that!! Will be going with another make next time!!