Lifespan of the Fitbit Alta

[JustMel17]

I have read most of the posts on problems with Alta charging and staying charged.  I have restarted my device several times, cleaned my charger and Alta battery areas, tried to charge on a computer versus the wall and even tried 2 different Alta chargers to ensure it wasn't the specific charger I was using which was faulty.  

I received my Alta as a Mother's Day gift last year, so it's not even 1 year old.  I've already had to replace the band because the glue came undone on the part that connects to the actual Fitbit.  What is the average lifespan of a Fitbit Alta?  I love my Fitbit, but don't think it's a good investment to buy a new one every year.  It's a shame because I also received the Fitbit Aria scale as a Christmas present, so I'd like to stay with this brand and would hate to have to switch activity trackers.

Any help would be appreciated!  Cheers!

Moderator edit: Updated title for clarity

[JuanJoFitbit]

@JustMel17 It's great to have you aboard in our Fitbit Community! So sorry to hear that your Alta is not taking a charge nor turning on. It seems that you have tried the troubleshooting steps that I would recommend. I have forwarded your case to our Support team so they can investigate further and provide a solution for you.

Let me know if more questions arise my friend! 

[New_Sound]

I have the same problem with my Alta. It would not turn on so I connected it to the charger and the charge was not depleted. However, that caused it to turn on. I synced it again to update the time. In the morning I had the same trouble.  It only turned on by connecting to the charger although it was fully charged. I synced again to set the time. I like the little gadget and would like it to work.

[CeCe78]

My charge only lasts about 3 hours but when I go back to re-charge it shows that it is fully charged. I have only had my Alta fitbit for less than a year. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[JuanJoFitbit]

@New_Sound Thanks for joining us in this thread and our Fitbit Community! Sounds weird that your Fitbit Alta only works for when you plug it in the charger. Please try cleaning the contacts of your tracker and charger with a cotton swab and a little bit of alcohol. Once this has been done, restart your tracker as advised in Melissa's post. After this, check out if your tracker works properly again.

@CeCe78 Thanks for participating in our Fitbit Community! I'm pretty sure that Magin's post will help you to troubleshoot this issue since it has great workarounds. Also, make sure that the "All-Day" option is not turned on, you don't have many alarms set since this can also drain the battery quickly.

See you both later! 

[the3amigos]

I've done a search for Alta HR life expectancy and haven't found a difinitive answer. What is the average lifespan of the device?

[GloriaBF]

My experience  less than a year

Congrats yours lasted longer

[the3amigos]

Ouch.

[FerdinandFitbit]

Hi there @the3amigos @GloriaBF, good to see you in the Forums! 🙂

The lifespan of the Fitbit trackers in general depens on the care it receives which mades it different for everyone. Fitbit covers each tracker under the limited warranty for 1 year (2 in the EU) for any factory defect.

For information on the best ways to care for your tracker and wear it to make it last longer, see the care and wear tips here.

Anything else you may need, I'm here to help!

[the3amigos]

Thank you for your response and I apologize for such a late reply.

The link you provided describes care for the different bands for Fitbit devices, not the actual devices. I didn't have problems with the band but with the tracker itself, thus my questions regarding device lifespan.

One line in the entire article addressed the tracker, which was a caution not to apply sunscreen or insect repellent directly to the tracker. It advised removing the tracker, applying the products, then putting the tracker back on.

Thank you again for your response, which I found unhelpful as my question has always addressed tracker lifespans.That question was vaguely answered, in my opinion, with the comment that the warranty is good for a year in the United States. I was trying to find out if and 18 month lifespan is the norm or if my Alta HR died prematurely. .

[Noname7890]

My Fitbit Alta lasted about 2 years, though I went for about 6 months without using it much.  After repeated calls to Customer Service, we determined that it's basically dead and I received an e-mail with a 25% discount for buying another one.  Mine would shut down randomly and wouldn't start back up unless I plugged it into the charger.  Then it would start again, but the same problem would occur again soon.  That was extremely frustrating.  If you are ok with buying a new one every 12-18 months, then I recommend it.  If you don't want to invest $8-12/month on a Fitbit (for an Alta - other models will cost more) then I'd recommend trying something else.

Hi Juan.  No, this is not weird at all.  It's just a standard Fitbit issue, which seems to occur in the lives of most Fitbit Altas somewhere between 12-18 months of use.  Then it's time to move on to a new Fitbit or to just get rid of it altogether.  They simply don't live very long.

Moderator edit: merged reply

[TaraL]

Just checking out this thread, really late, because I wanted to see how long my Fitbit would last. 

I replaced my band once, but I must be in a minority because I have had the same Fitbit Alta for 3 years now. It is still going strong. I have had it since April 2016. I have never had issues with it charging or anything.

[debbras]

Mine has done this too.  I've not worn in it a year...but it still has 1/2 life battery. Just won't turn on anymore. 

[2adem]

I guess I’m in the same minority. I’ve had my Fitbit since June 2016 and love it. It’s working like a charm. I never take it off except to clean it or charge it. It still keeps its charge for many days.

The surface is scratched from daily use but I guess that’s to be expected, plus, scratches show more on a black surface. The charger clip broke after 2 years but I put a rubber band around it and can still connect and charge my tracker. I also got a second charger for the trailer. 

Now that I’m 60, I wish the numbers were bigger (easier to read) and that they would show in daylight. I find it very frustrating not being able to read my watch outside. And the last thing, I wish it was water resistant or waterproof.

I’m debating whether to update or not. My old faithful is still totally dependable and I wouldn’t know what to update to. I’ve gotten my money’s worth with this one and replacing it would be expensive.

[NN101]

I have the same issue with my fitbit alta. It suddenly stops working. When I connect the power chord and reset it, it has almost full charge. It then works for a few hours and then stops working again. I have had this fitbit over less than 2 years. I called fitbit support and was told my only option is to buy a new fitbit. I love my fitbit, but I don't think I want to spend $150 every year! I wish they had an option to fix this. I am not getting a new one 😞

[SunsetRunner]

My Alta HR died just today. Have tried to reset/restart it on the charger. It was fully charged just yesterday. I’ve had it about 2 years, and so I’m very disappointed it died. I’ve been so brand loyal (my 4th Fitbit!), but I may have to go with an Apple Watch (will check their reliability first).  So disappointed.

[TaraL]

My Fitbit Alta just started acting squirrelly. It was sitting on the table next to me and started flashing the time then the little message that came after it. I was bummed, but been expecting it because I have had my alta for 3 years now! 3 years. I am actually fairly amazed by the longevity of it. If I take the original cost of it ($129.95) and divide it by 38 months, it only cost $3.42 a month to own. Not bad at all.

I just ordered a Fitbit Versa. I thought about an Apple Watch, but the cost of one of those compared to a Versa... no contest. I hope I get the same long use out of it.

[SunsetRunner]

Turns out Amazon had a record of my original purchase. It was less than 2 yrs old. I’ve ordered a brand new one on Amazon that was discounted and bought a 5 year insurance policy through Amazon. At least I’ll get 5 yrs out of it (or its replacements), which will make it even cheaper.

Sent from my iPad

[mereg]

My Fitbit Alta recently quit working as well! I’ve had it about 3 years with no problems before now. It will show as if it has a fully charged battery; then less than an hour into the wearing it, it shuts off. Anyone found a way to have this corrected without requiring a purchase of a new device? 

[Tmc210llhr]

I bought my Alta in July 2016.  This past week it is shutting down without the charge reminder that I rely on. I'm still getting a few days out of before it shuts down but it's frustrating.  I guess I'm old-fashioned but I expect an item like this to last longer when it is well care for. 

Also, I understand wear and tear on the band but even with 3 different bands in rotation, they all have broken in less than a year.