Android 9.0 (Pie) not able to sync

[AlessFitbit]

Fitbit Update: 3/6/19

Hello everyone! 

We have some updated troubleshooting suggestions we'd like for all of you on Android Pie (9.0) to try. 

First, turn off Background Restrictions/Limitations: Phone settings > Apps & Notifications > Fitbit app > Background restrictions or Background limits.

Then, disable battery limitations:

1. Go to Settings > Apps > Fitbit app > Advanced > Battery > Battery optimization
2. Change view to All apps
3. Search for Fitbit app
4. Choose Not optimized

Please give the steps above a try to improve syncing with your Fitbit device and Android 9.0 OS. We're still researching and testing out long-term solutions to this ongoing syncing issue. We thank you for all your patience while we continue to work on this effort.

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Fitbit Update: 2/14/19

Hi everyone!

Thanks for all your reports and patience with these Android 9.0 syncing difficulties. We’re aware of this ongoing issue and have been working to identify a resolution as quickly as possible. 

We're sorry for any trouble. We appreciate your patience and look forward to getting you back on track as soon as possible. 

I'll let you know if I receive any additional information on this matter. 

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Fitbit Update: 10/3/18 

Hey Everyone!

Our team is still working on implementing a longterm fix for syncing with Android devices on Pie (9.0). 

For the background syncing issue, I have posted an update in the other floated thread which you can find here. 

We released Fitbit for Android version 2.80 today which contains improvements for that syncing issue. 

I'll make sure to keep you all updated with more information, as soon as I have it available. We're still working on this and I really appreciate everyone's patience. 

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Fitbit Update: 9/26/18

Hey everyone! 

Thanks so much for your patience and cooperation. We are aware of the issue and working with Google on a solution.

I will continue to provide updates here, so keep an eye on this thread. 

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Fitbit Update: 9/10/18 

Hi, everybody! 

Thanks for your patience while our team continues to work on improving syncing for those on Android Pie (9.0). They are actively working on this and for the time being, I recommend you keep the Fitbit app updated on the latest version for best syncing results. Right now that is version 2.78, so if you're not on this version please update! Also, another troubleshoot we recommend is performing a restart on your phone. 

When there are more improvements made in the future I'll announce them here. Stay tuned and subscribed to this thread. 

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Fitbit Update: 8/19/18

We have escalated these syncing issues for those who are now using Android Pie (9.0) to our team for investigation. There aren't any updates at the moment, but rest assured we will keep you informed in this thread when more information is available.

Thanks for your patience! 

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Fitbit Update: 8/11/18 

Hi, everyone! Thanks for stopping by the Community Forums. 

Seems like many of you who updated to Android Pie (9.0) are now having trouble syncing your Fitbit trackers. I'm going to escalate this to our team so they can look into it.

In the meantime, please update the Fitbit app to version 2.76.1 if you haven't yet. Let me know if that changes the syncing behavior. Please follow this thread for updates. I'll keep you all posted here! 

[Abhishek12]

I have a fitbit charge 2 and OnePlus 6 with android P stable release. 

Now when I try to sync my fitbit it keeps on asking to restart my bluetooth and do not sync. 

[SunsetRunner]

I deleted current Fitbit version and installed the old V2.74.2 on my PIxel 1 with Pie.   My Fitbit will now sync.     Sync hasn't worked since Pie installed on my phone in early August. Also turned off the Google Play auto-update feature.   Hopefully Fitbit will release a new software version that actually works. 

[MikeKC]

This solution may work for some Fitbit devices that establish a Bluetooth connection, but it won't work for the One, since it doesn't establish a dedicated connection. That's why One users won't see it in the previously connected devices section.

Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

[elwright360]

I deleted my app. Now I have a high priced pedometer.

Elaine Wright

[SheWatt]

I also installed old version. And so far i am working. I don't know if i insralled it right or what but it is working so far today.

[meherenow]

Been ok all day

[peter0785]

Stil syncs the way it used to 

[jsicurelly]

Just begrudgingly returned mine to the store and uninstalled the app. They're not concerned enough to fix it and I'm not waiting. I'm probably going to get a Garmin Vivoactive 3. I hope you all get this fixed soon! 

[atlanticpdx]

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@jsicurelly wrote:

Just begrudgingly returned mine to the store and uninstalled the app. They're not concerned enough to fix it and I'm not waiting. I'm probably going to get a Garmin Vivoactive 3. I hope you all get this fixed soon! 

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I just picked up a TicWatch Pro. I'm excited for it!

[Keanen]

This older version is not working on my OnePlus 6. Anyone else?

[AlessFitbit]

Hey, everyone!

I'm aware many of you are having extra trouble syncing with the Fitbit app. Beginning with the last Fitbit for Android app version - 2.79, background syncing has stopped working for users on Android OS 8.0 and 9.0. Please check out my post for more information on this, I will provide updates there. Thank you! 

[jsicurelly]

@AlessFitbit I can't speak for everyone, but at least for me this was not just a background syncing issue. I couldn't even manually sync it. I tried everything, uninstalling/reinstalling, log out/log in, forget/connect, factory reset the Versa... nothing worked. It looks as though this issue has been going on since at least early August, not just starting 9/20/18 as you said. A company that stands behind its product and cares about its customers would have fixed this so we could move on and use the devices we've spent our hard-earned money on, but Fitbit has not done that. Perhaps Fitbit should stop marketing to Android users because the app is not fully compatible, and not at all functional for many of us. 

[RKLVV]

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@AlessFitbit wrote:

Hey, everyone!

I'm aware many of you are having extra trouble syncing with the Fitbit app. Beginning with the last Fitbit for Android app version - 2.79, background syncing has stopped working for users on Android OS 8.0 and 9.0. Please check out my post for more information on this, I will provide updates there. Thank you! 

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@AlessFitbit, This wasn't an issue that started with the app version 2.79, it has been a issue since the Android 9.0 update, sometime early August I believe. Thanks!

[SheWatt]

Please explain to me why people on an earler version of Android can no longer sync. Because if this was just an Android 9 issue i should not be having problems.

[AlessFitbit]

@RKLVV Thanks for making this point. Many users began having syncing difficulty after updating to Pie in August when it was being rolled out. That is when this thread began and our team has been investigating since. Currently, there were some additional changes that are affecting a larger amount of our Android users. I am tracking that in a separate thread, but it is also affecting users on Android Pie. 

I'm sorry if there is any confusion, but please know our team is aware and investigating these syncing issues. We greatly appreciate everyone's patience!  

[k3rning]

Instructions on using 2.74.2 July 11 edition of the app. I get consistent syncs in the app ever since I did this almost 2 weeks ago. 

Before doing so, please note the following for my setup:

- Original Google Pixel (not XL)

- FitBit One Firmware Version 6.64

- FitBit App 2.74.2 July 11 Edition

- Android 9 with September 5, 2018 security patch level

- All-Day Sync On (I still have to pull down in the app to get it to sync)

- Always Connected On

- Keep-Alive Widget Off

1. Uninstall your current FitBit App

2. You need to get the old app. Search for it on Google and download the 2.74.2 July 11 Edition (I can't link to it here, even mentioning the type of file says I am spamming...)

3. Open the downloaded app. You will most likely be prompted to turn on installation of apps from "Unknown Sources". Allow the app to be installed.

4. Open up Google Play

5. Hit the top left 3 line menu and click "My apps & games" 

6. Go to the "Installed" tab

7. Scroll to your newly installed FitBit app and click on its icon (DO NOT CLICK UPDATE)

8. Click the 3 dots menu on the top right

9. Uncheck "Enable auto update" (this is important so you don't get the new app)

Now open up the FitBit app and sync your device. You may need to restart your phone. You most likely will need to reset your FitBit at your computer to get it to sync. You may need to uninstall your FitBit. You may have some syncing issues at first. Try going to airplane more on and off. Or do a restart of your phone. Also try resetting your FitBit at a computer. Whatever you need to do to eventually start a first sync again. Once you do it should sync. If it stops syncing after a while try doing a phone restart again or go into airplane mode. It might be buggy a day or two, but eventually, it will start to sync regularly. 

This is what works for me and I get regular syncs now. Give it a good shot and try the app out for a few days. Do a reset on the FitBit if it stops syncing and a restart on your phone. It should hopefully work itself out. I hope it works for you better than their recent app. 

[sourzucchini]

I've been watching this thread since 8/15 when the Android 9.0 update was made available to me. I have not updated my phone yet, as I was hoping this would be resolved quickly. I had remembered that notifications on my Charge 2 broke for a couple month with the Oreo update so I came on here to see whether there were any problems with the Pie update. Glad I checked before updating, but that was over a month ago and I'm disappointed this still isn't fixed. 

At the moment, my Charge 2 is syncing fine with my Pixel 1 on Oreo with Fitbit app 2.77 (stopped updating the app automatically to avoid getting that bad version a few weeks ago and have only manually updated a couple times; thankfully I'm avoiding the new app disaster). 

I had been thinking about getting a Charge 3 and upgrading my phone to a Pixel 3, but the last year or so Fitbit seems to be struggling to support Android phones. I love my Fitbit, but having to check the forums before accepting new updates is really ridiculous.

[spatula]

I've been having problems since LONG before the Pie upgrade; it's just that with Pie, they went from "every couple days" to "every couple hours" to "every time."  If i want to sync at all now, I have to first toggle Airplane Mode.  Then it will work, once.

But these problems are not NEW for those of us using Android.  Android sync has never worked reliably or consistently for me.  What is consistent is Fitbit's response to the problem, which is to do nothing.

Notably, they don't communicate with their outsourced support case-closing mechanoids that there are problems with Android sync, so they consistently waste people's time chasing their tails trying all different permutations of uninstalling, reinstalling, unpairing, re-pairing, turning on all-day sync, turning off all-day sync, enabling the widget, disabling the widget, restarting the tracker, replacing the tracker, restarting the phone, etc.  The amount of time I've personally wasted on this problem is staggering; imagine it compounded across everyone who used this app.

At the very least, Fitbit should have added telemetry and log uploading to their app by now to provide data back to the development team to troubleshoot when people experience sync problems, or to allow you to report a problem from within the app.  There should be no mystery to it.

[TheMiddleWest]

Ok, I finally have my first reliably working solution since August 9th.

I also rolled back to previous versions of the app, ultimately taking
everyone's advice and going to 2.74.2

I could use the manual workaround after the rollback, but no background
syncing.

I use Tasker to automate other unrelated stuff and I realized today that
when Tasker collected Bluetooth information about other connected devices,
the Fitbit syncs one time after that.

So I setup a profile that pings for current Bluetooth connections every 30
minutes, and now I am getting a sync about once every 30 minutes.

I'm using the Bluetask Tasker plugin to do this.

My Fitbit device is a Flex, so it's not a dedicated permanent Bluetooth
connection. It has its own weird protocol which requires it to reconnect
for every sync, and is not a remembered connection as some others have
pointed out. This means that I can't have Bluetask search for my Flex by
name, but that doesn't seem to matter. The search is not finding the Flex.
It's just unclogging something in the phone's Bluetooth which is allowing
the Flex to reconnect.

[elwright360]

Y'all have a lot more time on my your hands than I do. I'm just using my
tracker now is that really expensive pedometer.

Elaine Wright