Alta only working when on charger

[Laur6734]

My Fitbit Alta only seems to work while it is charging . I have tried to reset it several times using the button on the charger. It syncs with my phone while it charges and shows full charge. Once I remove it from the charger, it does not work at all. It won't light up when not charging and my phone can't find it at all.

Any suggestions, besides the reset?!  

[Laur6734]

I switched to an Apple Watch series 1.  I got it for $149.00 at my local Walmart.  I love it! 

[SunsetRunner]

Thank you!! I was about to log a case to see if there is any hope. Sounds like I am out of luck. It was a good run with the Alta (2 years old) I guess but disappointing that they just want to offer a discount for what sounds like a product defect.

[tax]

There are a ton of what I'll call "off-brand" fitness trackers on Amazon, and they cost ~$25-50. They all have apps and similar features. I don't expect it to last forever, but it is a fraction of what I paid for a name-brand tracker that didn't even last two years, so I can live with that.

[NMQuilter]

Well, I guess mine is the same as all these others, won't work once it is disconnected from the charger only 1.5 years old. Very disappointed that it can't be fixed, I guess I too will be looking for a new brand to replace it!

[Jam863]

I'm experiencing the same problem. They gave me the same crummy offer, which isn't any better than their current sale (and cannot be combined with the existing sale). I suggest posting reviews to Amazon, Target and other major sites. 

[FerdinandFitbit]

Hi there everyone! Good to see you in the Fitbit Community Forums! 🙂

I'm sorry to hear that your trackers are only working when in the charger, so I'd like to help you guys out!

For those who haven't tried any suggestion or just to make sure, I'd recommend giving your Alta a restart. You can easily do this by clipping your tracker to the charger and plugging the charger to a USB port on your computer or a wall charger. Then, Press the button on your charging cable three times within four seconds and your tracker should vibrate and show the Fitbit logo. This will make your tracker to reboot.

Once you've done this, see if you're able to take the tracker out of the charger and see if it responds or not. Also, if it's outside the charger, despite of if it's responding or not, do you see it syncs to your dashboard or it doesn't sync at all?

If none of that works, please let me know so that I can further assist you.

@talu85, I noticed that the Support Team is already helping you with this, so if you need anything else, let me know!

@Dawncole06 I've escalated your case to the Support Team, so keep an eye on your inbox for more instructions.

[NMQuilter]

Nothing stated has helped mine at all!

Moderator edit: Removed personal information

[BCazee]

That's because although Fitbit won't admit it they have a defective product on their hands.  At 18-28 months the Altas all seem to be dying. They've either built them to be disposable, or have a defect they can't figure out.  

[Johnson21Girls]

Mine is now no longer working unless on the charger. sounds like they made them disposable. very disappointed

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@BCazee wrote:

That's because although Fitbit won't admit it they have a defective product on their hands.  At 18-28 months the Altas all seem to be dying. They've either built them to be disposable, or have a defect they can't figure out.  

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[BDeVitto]

I switched to Apple Watch series 1 - love it!! FitBit wants you to jump through hoops to make it seems like they are trying to fix the problem - shut it down - let the battery run down then charge it fully- So you try all these fixes and still nothing works.

fitbit will not address all the issues we are all experiencing - this is a battery defect with them and all they can say is purchase another one at 25% off - seriously why would I purchase another one when the first one lasted 14 months they should not Be disposalable.  Definitely not returning as a customer, take your business else where - find a company that cares about your business.  

[Jam863]

@FerdinandFitbit We ALL did what was suggested to no avail and went to customer service. We all got an offer from FitBit that is more expensive than purchasing from standard retailers like Amazon and Target.

I also switched to Apple Watch because of the lack of reliability and a defect that multiple people appear to be experiencing.

[INDIG4]

I am also facing the same problem of Alta not working when taken out of charging mode. It is hardly 2 years old. I tried to restart as suggested be the support team but no change. It is really disappointing to see such a poor quality product from FitBit

[FerdinandFitbit]

Great to see you all around for those who are getting back and a warm welcome to the new members! 🙂

@NMQuilter @Johnson21Girls @INDIG4 I'm sorry that nothing has helped but thanks for trying what I suggested before. I've gone ahead and escalated your case to the Support Team for them to help you out and get you back on track with the available options. Please, keep an eye on your inbox to continue with the process.

If you need anything else, I'm here to help!

[sassysarah5]

I don’t know if your problem is exactly the same as mine but I know it is not a battery problem. When I remove mine from charge, as long as I keep tapping, the display remains on and scrolls through the categories. I can keep doing this for as long as I like. 

As as soon as I stop and the display times out, it is dead. No sinc, no steps, no wake up. When I reconnect the charger is restarts. Fitbit logo, software version etc. Not battery charging with diagonal lines as it is fully charged. 

Mine is 16 months old and to me this sounds more of a software issue than a hardware problem. I bought 2 at the same time and to be honest they will probably be the last Fitbit products I buy based on their cost and lifespan. 

Very unhappy and very disappointed. 

[SusieRus]

The same problem here with my second Fitbit  😞 Only two years old and works only when is on charge 😣 My first one lasted only year and a half 😣Will  never buy Fitbit again !

[GanMK]

Hi,

I have the same issue like alta only working when on charger. How to solve it???????

[FerdinandFitbit]

Hi there guys, good to see you in the Forums! 😉

@sassysarah5, I've gone ahead and escalated your case to our Support Team. Please, keep an eye on your inbox for more instructions and if you need more help, let me know!

@SusieRus @GanMK I'm sorry you're having these issues too. Have you tried by any chance to restart your tracker and see if this makes any difference? If not, you can easily do this by clipping your tracker to the charger and plugging the charger to a USB port on your computer or a wall charger. Then, Press the button on your charging cable three times within four seconds and your tracker should vibrate and show the Fitbit logo. This will make your tracker to reboot.

Let me know if that helps!

[Laur6734]

Take FitBit and throw it in garbage. Unfortunately the only assistance FitBit customer services offers is a discount on a new FitBit. 😕

Sent from my iPhone

[JoanPahl]

I am having this same problem with a BRAND NEW Fitbit Alta.  Although I loved my old Alta and had it for quite a few years before I lost it on a trip, I will not be buying anymore Fitbit products.  Sounds like even if I got through to Support, it would be a waste of time. 

[tax]

If it's within warranty, they can probably replace it. Mine died after a couple of years, which was out of warranty, and they offered me a discount to buy a new one. I used their products religiously from the very start in 2009, got my friends and family to buy their products, and their disappointing quality and support model of late forced me to move to another brand.