All-day sync option removed from the app

[Jessiej]

Hi,

I have the Fitbit adidas ionic & a samsung galaxy s10e phone & since a fitbit update, I've noticed that the fitbit app is on all day sync but the button to switch it off has disappeared! I've logged into my profile to see if there is an option in there but no joy! I don't want all day sync on as it drains the battery! Anyone know how I turn it off?

Thanks in advance!

Jess

Moderator edit: subject for clarity

[SunsetRunner]

Uninstall and reinstall your App.

[SunsetRunner · Accepted solution]

Hi Jessie,

I found my battery life on my Versa 2 had gone down from 7 days to 6 days recently and nothing really had changed. I used to have all-day sync turned off. I started to look around and I found this on the Fitbit Help:

" WHY WAS THE ALL-DAY SYNC OPTION REMOVED FROM THE FITBIT APP?

To improve your experience with notifications, syncing, and firmware updates, we removed the option to turn off all-day sync from the Fitbit app on Android phones. When your phone is near your Fitbit device with Bluetooth turned on, it periodically syncs with the Fitbit app to update your stats and download available firmware updates. More frequent syncing rarely, if ever, noticeably decreases your device’s battery life. To learn more about what factors affect battery life, see Can I extend my Fitbit device’s battery life? "

Now that's all well and good but I was happy with only needing to sync when I looked at the app and not in the background without me needing to and it has sapped my battery life by almost exactly a day. I loved the fact that my Versa 2 would go a week between charges.

I'm pleased with some of the feature changes FItbit have (eventually) introduced recently but the removal of this option is reducing our choice. I guess they had a lot of problems with notifications not syncing and they felt this was a way to reduce those issues but I didn't have a problem with it.

[Jessiej]

Thanks fboy.

How flippin annoying that theyve removed the button to turn the all day sync off/on! My battery life has now gone to only lasting 3 days as I also track a lot of my runs. It used to last about 5-6 days before needing to be charged. I suppose we could turn bluetooth off but I tend to use that quite often too!

[SunsetRunner]

No problem. You could but the faff I wouldn't have thought worth it.

You could try syncing your Ionic, removing from your account and then doing
a full factory reset and re-add it through the Fitbit app. Nothing to lose
by trying that.

[LZeeW]

@SunsetRunner   Thank-you for finding the section in the Help article that explains that this is intentional and not a bug.  There are a few threads in the Android forum.

I am moving this thread to the Android app forum.  This issue isn't unique to the Ionic.  It will help other Android users.  For those who want to see it in print, here is the link: How do Fitbit devices sync their data? 

[Mammazuk]

Not only is the button gone but now my Charge 3 is not syncing all day nor only one in a blue moon when I try to manually sync!

[mcleanar]

So is there going to be an option to deactivate the all day sync? I really prefer not to have it syncing all day as it reduces both my phone and Iconic. I can't turn bluetooth off.

[RichardUK1983]

Yes I've found my phones battery life is draining immensely fast since I have been unable to turn it off. Only way at the moment is to turn off Bluetooth altogether which isn't convenient when I have other devices connected. 

[fallfromgrace67]

My battery went from 8 days to 36 hours! "Rarely noticable"? Uh what?

[nurp]

It's super disappointing. I only wear at night and I only need to sync once in the morning. Now it syncs the whole day for no reason and drains the battery. Using Fitbit is not fun anymore!

[Perseids]

Just in the last week it's doing it to me too.  Just two weeks ago my Fitbit Charge 2 lasted a week on a charge, now it doesn't last a day.  It's draining my Android phone within 8 hours.  They did some update that really screwed up battery life recently and won't admit it.

Now I have to turn Bluetooth on and off on my phone throughout the day.  Bad plan Fitbit.

Ugh - They need to fix it fast!!!

[fallfromgrace67]

I contacted tech support for Fitbit and they are sending me a new one since mine was still under warranty.

[LiliyaFitbit]

Hello all, thank you for your participation in the forums and for sharing your comments and experiences. 

I appreciate your feedback regarding the option to turn off all-day sync being removed from the Fitbit app. Our team is always working on improving our devices and user experiences, and your comments are always welcome. As it was mentioned previously, it was done to improve your experience with notifications, syncing, and firmware updates, it can't be turned off and it shouldn't noticeably decreases your device’s battery life. Battery use is affected by various factors and settings and you can follow these tips if your device's battery is draining faster than expected. 

Regarding the issue with the phone's battery, all apps that run in the background affect your phone’s battery life. While some users mentioned that closing the app and leaving the Bluetooth on can help with the battery life of your phone, the Fitbit app needs to run in the background to keep you connected with certain Fitbit app features such as connected GPS, and app notifications from your phone. For more information, please see Why does the Fitbit app need to run in the background on my Android phone?

To share additional feedback or if you want to see features to be improved, feel free to visit our Feature suggestion board. Here our product development teams consult regularly to ensure we're delivering on what our customers need and want. Please take a moment to visit and give us your feedback. You can do a search first, in case someone else has already suggested your idea, or something similar. Please check the FAQ to better understand how that board works.

@SunsetRunner @LZeeW thank you for your support!

I'll be around if you have any questions. 

[nurselizzie]

I have the same problem as you, but different than everyone else, in that mine just stopped syncing, and the only way to get it to sync is manually. I guess I do have to recharge it frequently, but I don’t mind that. What I mind is that when I’m stepping or walking, I can’t see the running step count. It stays stuck at the same number until I manually sync it-very annoying!  Also, and I don’t know if it’s related to the sync, when I enter different food items that I’ve eaten, it takes a while for the calories to show up. Don’t know if anyone else is having that problem. 

[nurselizzie]

I would like the option to have it all day sync. I don’t mind having to recharge frequently. What I don’t like is having to manually sync. I don’t even have the choice anymore. They should allow us to make the choice. 

Update:

Are you sayin that this will bring back the option to all day sync?  I thought Fitbit took this away. 

Are you saying this will bring back the option to turn on/off the all day sync?  I thought that Fitbit got rid of this. 

I meant this question for cbwilsha. Did uninstalling and reinstalling your app get this option to come back?

Moderator edit: merged replies

[jimmyrose]

I wondered why my Charge suddenly is only lasting 24 hours. This thread answers it. Nice one Fitbit 

[LiliyaFitbit]

Welcome to the Fitbit Community, @nurselizzie @jimmyrose.

@nurselizzie thank you for joining the thread and sharing the details of the syncing difficulty you're experiencing. I totally understand how you are feeling and appreciate your feedback since this helps us to keep improving. Upon checking with our Support team, I was told that you have already contacted them and that they were able to assist you. Thank you for your time and efforts.

@jimmyrose I am sorry to hear the battery on your device is draining fast. More frequent syncing rarely, if ever, noticeably decreases your device’s battery life. Because battery life is affected by use and other settings, I recommend following the complete tips for preventing battery drain at Can I extend my Fitbit device's battery life?

Let me know how it goes. I'll be around if you have any additional questions.

[nurselizzie]

Hi. Thanks. Yes I spoke with support, but they weren’t able to help me, as this was deleted by people higher up than them. That is why I got on this thread. I don’t mind my battery dying more often-well, I don’t love it either, but I do mind it not auto syncing. It’s a pain to have to manually sync constantly when I’m out for a walk and want a running tally of my steps. Any chance they will put this all-day sync back as an option? Liz

Sent from my iPhone

[NathanDoom]

My phone battery is definitely affected by the all-day sync.

In a 5 hour window Fitbit had used 11% of my battery and that was with Facebook (10%) 1hr 47 mins and WhatsApp (9%) 48 mins. Plus me playing games as well.

My phone battery dropped by around 80% meaning that fit bit is using around 8% of my battery every 5 hours. Which means around 40% per day if I don't use other apps...

This is not acceptable.

I should be able to chose the frequency that they sync. Once every 15 minutes or once an hour.  At the moment my Versa 2 is syncing every 3 minutes.

This also then DOES have an affect on my Versa 2 battery as battery life has dropped from circa 7 days to 3. 

I have checked all the suggestions. I know what other apps are using my phone battery, but Fitbit is using the most.