Not recording treadmill activity

[Jezika]

I just switched from the Charge HR to the Alta HR because the band on my Charge was coming apart and I liked the idea of being able to switch bands with the Alta. 

At first, I loved this new Fitbit, but I am now noticing really annoying details. For one, my walks/jogs on the treadmill (a popular form of exercise) do not track my distance. For two, this morning I spent 45 minutes on my treadmill, my Fitbit logged the active minutes but did not give me credit for a workout. It shows I did not workout today at all! So I went in and manually logged my workout.. only to see that it then wiped my active minutes!

I suppose I will take out my manually logged workout and see if it gives me back credit for my active minutes.. and then just workout again tonight. Ridiculous that I spent good money on a product that is not telling me how far I walk and sometimes doesn't track a workout at all!

Yes, my auto workout recognizer is on. I had 'ignored' the outdoor bike and elliptical activities because I do not participate in those.

I am so disappointed with this 'new' Fitbit.

Modified by moderator: Title for clarity 

[SpinSpinSugar69]

Has the problem been fixed? I'm tempted to get a Alta Hr but hearing this,plus not being able to view in daylight has me on the fence. Also try toggling the workout recognition button off and on. I have had to do this with my Charge 2.

[Jezika]

I wish I could toggle the workouts via the button, but the Alta HR does not have the button. It tracks workouts completely automatically now. I think what happened was the tracker was trying to label my workout as elliptical, but where I had it set to ignore that activity, it just didn't give me credit at all. Really frustrating. Also, Alta HR does not have the floor tracker and doesn't tell me how many miles I did during my workout. I just see the overall miles for the day, not each work out 😞

Good aspects to the Alta HR, but still much to fix.

[SpinSpinSugar69]

No inside the app. Go to the auto-detect settings and toggle off and on. I had to do it twice today for my walks. I think the issue might be in the app or server side and maybe not your fitbit. And when my workout showed up guess what? Elliptical! I had to go and change it to a walk. I really wanted that Alta Hr but I will wait it  out. Try what I said. I will try and take a screenshot to show you. 🙂

[Julia_G]

Hi, @Jezika and @SpinSpinSugar69, as you know the Alta relies on SmartTrack to detect your activities.  There is not a way to track them manually as you can with Fitbits that have buttons and multi-sport mode.

As you have seen, SmartTrack works pretty well, but it isn't 100%.  Treadmill can be difficult because there may not be sufficient forward motion.  You can log this manually, as you know, but in order to get active minutes credit you will need to log a calorie burn at least 3 times your BMR calorie burn (you can see what your BMR is by checking an online calculator or by looking at your Fitbit account to a day before you had your Fitbit -- even if you aren't wearing it, it will calculate your BMR).

Also if SmartTrack detects the wrong exercise you have the option of renaming it.

As you have also noticed, at this time SmartTrack will not calculate the distance element of any workout, including step based ones like walk or run.  If you would like this to change please vote for this feature request .  You can also add your comments there.  Voting for feature requests is the best way of influencing how the Fitbit works, as these requests are regularly monitored and fed back to the design team.  The more popular the request the more likely it is to be implemented.

[Salo]

I have the same issue, the Alta HR is virtually robbing me of distance covered and steps. Only 2/3 of my distance is recorded on the Fitbit and the same with my time. Very disappointed with the device😡.

[NellyG]

@Salo Try restarting your tracker

Restart your Tracker

[TriathlonMom]

@NellyG  Unfortunately, the restart instructions you linked detail the pressing of a button on the device.  The Alta HR has no buttons.  😞  I wish I could reset my device, because though I just bought my Alta HR, it shows someone's heart rate and steps for a month during February, when it should have been sealed in the box.  The device appeared brand new, as did the packaging, so I'm guessing it was a return.  ??  It's not a big deal, but it is underwhelming, since it does throw off averages and shows up in the stats as some of the heart rate data was higher and lower than mine.  And, hello, I bought it to measure my own progress, not benchmark against a previous owner.  I'm planning to return it.  I'm just not impressed.  

[Julia_G]

Hi, @TriathlonMom, the instructions for restarting are different for each tracker.  @NellyG shared the correct file that allows you to select your tracker.

It seems you have the Alta HR.  In this case the button is on the charging cable, not the tracker itself.  It is a little difficult to spot as it is on the cable at the USB end.  To restart the Alta HR you will need to plug it in to charge and then press that button 3 times within 4 seconds.

I am really puzzled by what you say about having HR data for a month before you received your Alta HR, as I didn't think the Alta HR could store such detailed data for more than 5-7 days.

Would you mind sharing some screenshots so someone can look into this?  Or could you give some more information about what you are seeing?

[TriathlonMom]

Thanks for the note!  I'll check my charger.  Meanwhile, yeah, it is weird to see data on the dashboard.  I bought my fitbit new the weekend of Mother's Day, just a few weeks ago.  So, the February through April data could not be mine from this device.  I suspected my Charge HR data was somehow cross-syncing.  But, that data does not match this data.  And, I had lost my Charge HR charger for part of the mystery data, so I wasn't even wearing that device.  No biggie.  Just a mystery.  I'm sorry, but I don't know how to post a screenshot.  😞

[Julia_G]

Hi, @TriathlonMom, that makes much more sense if you already had a Fitbit on your account.  The Alta HR is really not capable of storing detailed HR data for more than 5 days, so the data really couldn't be coming from that.

If you want to share a screen shot someone might be able to help get to the bottom of it. If you do decide to keep your Alta HR, and you have any questions, just post again -- there is always someone here to help.

BTW I love the sleek, comfortable design of the Alta HR, but I do miss the button on the Charge HR to track exercises manually... What do you think?  Are you happy for everything to be automatic on the Alta HR or do you miss the control of the Charge HR.  I'm on the fence on this...

[TriathlonMom]

Thanks.  While I'm unsure if it is somehow accessing part of the data, it's okay.  Just a mystery. Meanwhile, I'm okay with the missing button, stair counting, etc., because the smaller size and sleekness mean I actually wear it.  Having the button and all were cool, but less meaningful as I wasn't inclined to wear the bulkier Charge HR.  You know who does love the more masculine looking ChargeHR?  My son!  So, it's his now.  Not sure how accurate it is on youth, but I am a fan of whatever encourages us to move, and whatever style gets us to wear bought gear & get moving.  🙂  Happy trails.

[Julia_G]

@TriathlonMom, totally agreed!  For day to day I only wear the Alta HR now, but I do like to have a fitbit with more options for gym and running.

I think your Charge HR should be just as accurate on a youth.  To have his own account, due to federal regulations, he should be at least 13.  That's for his privacy and protection.

[NellyG]

@TriathlonMom As @Julia_G says, the button is on the USB end of the charging cable and isnt paticularly obvious if you dont know it is there! Hope @Julia_G great advice has helped you.

[gweiser]

This is happening to me, too.  When I first received it, the Alta HR was pretty accurate and matching the miles and duration of activity as recorded on my treadmill.  Recently I've noticed it getting more out of sync.  Yesterday, I completed my walk as programmed in my treadmill for 52 minutes for 3 miles and my Alta HR only recorded about 31 minutes and almost half of the distance.  This morning my 32 minute walk was recorded on my Alta HR as only 13 minutes. 

I'm very disappointed, too.

[Salo]

It is very annoying because I had a Garmin vevo prior to this and it very accurate with treadmill and walking distance. My Alta Hr doesn't even recognise my gym activities as well like the other cardio machines for example the stepper and the rower etc. It is a waste of money.

Sent from my iPhone

[NellyG]

I am sorry you are disappointed, but maybe if you had done some research before you bought yoh might have found out what it measures and if it was what you wanted. You can return it if you bought it from fitbit tho - I think you have 45 days.

[DetailGuy]

I have discovered that steps do register unless my arm is swinging. When held stationary, as with a shopping cart, no step register. Bum deal

[NellyG]

@DetailGuy Well it is not really a bum deal. It is the way wrist trackers recognise steps. It is just the way they do it. If you want a tracker that recognises steps when yiur arm isnt swinging you need to choose one that is not wrist based.

[DetailGuy]

Thank you. I discovered this and sometimes alternate to my zipbit.