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! 

[Tabby82]

Following as I am having the same issue

[Bitterfitt]

HOW WE GOT IT BACK WORKING:

As reported in this thread, after our Xiaomi phones got the Android 9 update, we never got the Fitbit pairing to work using any of the advice available.

But when digging up our old cracked phones, with our Android accounts still on them, we started them and the Fitbits connected to them as they should. Then we put those old phones away and tried with the new Xiaomi ones again, and bing - sync at first try!

(This even worked with an old Motorola phone where the Fitbit app had never been installed before. It was enough to use it with the same Android account, install the Fitbit app, and connect it.

This indicates that it could probably be solved by using just any phone, add your Android account on it, install the Fitbit app, pair with your device, and then go back to your new phone to see if it suddenly works.)

All Fitbit support people should give this advice instead of regurgitating the methods that apparently don't work... come on! And the developers should use the example to understand what is missing in their product so far. AFTER fixing the obvious Night Mode that has been under consideration FOR FOUR LONG SLEEPLESS YEARS!

[Vegasbby]

Just tried bitterfits solution with my old Samsung A5 and it connects with that one and notifications work. Got back on my Samsung A8 and still "bluetooth issues" error comes up.

[jbishop99]

Devices: Mi A1 with Charge 2

@Bitterfitt , i will try this with mine later. Can you clarify if you need to unpair from the old device first before going back to the Xiaomi phone? Or it doesn't matter?

[ladonnamobile]

Hi there. @Jeffrey04, first of all, I love the spreadsheet - somehow, using the spreadsheet feels like progress. I added my issue to the spreadsheet last night, and wouldn't you know, today I've noticed additional issue(s). Is there a way to edit an existing entry? (Or should I just fill out the form again, with only the new information?) I could have sworn I saw an edit option last night...

[Webfeet]

To add to Bitterfitt's observation.  I had a similar result.  I was having trouble getting my Nokia 6.1 using Android Pie to sync with my Charge 2.  My wife was having trouble with her Nokia 6.1 synching to her Alta. I tried a lot of thing so I am not sure what made the difference but after connecting to my desktop computer and then trying to sync with my Charge 2 the problems went away. I then used my phone to sync to my wife's Alta and that worked.  When I reconnected her Alta with her phone it now magically synced. Somehow synching with another device causes it to work with the original device. Sorry but I did not take detailed notes on what I did. I think using the BLE Scanner app and bonding Bluetooth devices helped.  There were some detailed instructions posted by someone in the messages on how to use a Bluetooth app to bond devices.

[Jeffrey04]

@ladonnamobile  it is possible to edit if you still have the link, however as I don't want to collect email addresses, the form is unable to send the edit link to your mailbox for reference. If you don't have the link to edit your entry I suppose just submit a new entry (:

The spreadsheet is a community effort to offer some sort of self-help as fitbit is not doing much to help here. Hopefully it is somewhat helpful for others and for the fitbit devs to pinpoint the problem

The form can be found here

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc4f64DvkmKn_RNRCM898C9jG7aIKk8SdhOgJVuR6WzMfxd1w/viewform

and the resulting spreadsheet with all the submissions is here

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1h33eNhh9FljCtK5CoRtSlDaPEx-lEeC37QUxjTVIbnE/edit?usp=sharing

[ladonnamobile]

@Jeffrey04 thanks! I did enter a new form, if you'd like to remove my old entry, that would be great (it's currently Row 41 (replaced by Row 45).

[Heatherox03]

I updated my Samsung A8 2018 to Oreo a couple days ago and I have not been able to sync my Alta HR to my phone. I enabled all day sync, the widget to trigger updates, removed the Alta HR from the app and now it will not connect to my phone. I can see that I am able to pair to it through Bluetooth but I am not able to. I am able to get to the part in the set up to insert the numbers found on the Alta HR, but when it tries connecting it is not able to. I have also restarted the Alta HR. I pressed the button on the charging cable 3 times with it connected and it still will not connect. 

[Bitterfitt]

Sorry @jbishop99 but I'm not sure if I did, or if it matters.

Btw, what did NOT work again for us is call notifications. Even if all other Bluetooth communication seems to work and the settings are the same as before, the calls don't show up on the device.

[grantbez]

So I followed this advice, using my work phone which is running Android 8.0.0. Eureka! It works without any issues. Syncing is constant and I even get notifications on my wrist again. THe only problem is after following the Fitbit "advice" I am now unable to even pair my watch to my personal phone running the latest Android.

Simply put, I am fed up with Fitbit and the constant issues. I only bought Fitbit as I thought they would improve after buying pebble, but that seems to have just been a ploy to remove a competitor. This is unacceptable for such a big firm with such expensive products.

Fitbit, please sort this issue out. I am already dissapointed the SPo2 sensor is nothing more than a gimmick to sell products. What a waste of money 😞

[Jeffrey04]

it's ok, i suppose just leave it there @ladonnamobile 

[LanuzaFitbit]

Hello everyone.

Thanks for all of your feedback, and concerns on the matter.

At this time we do not have any updates on the situation but we'll be sure to post about it as soon as we do. 

To the ones that have not done so yet, please try to follow the steps listed in this help article. They have helped other users to get their Fitbits to sync.

Thanks for your patience and understanding.

[kentpenney]

I had tried to do the article recommendations before, and they did not work. 

I tried again and confirmed that I do not have a selection called 'Background Limits' or 'Background Restrictions' listed under the FitBit App settings.  I did however select 'Battery' and there is information for 'Manage Battery Usage' which states, in grayed lettering 'Background restriction - Background usage can't be restricted'.  Below that is states in standard lettering 'Battery optimization - not optimized'.

I do not know if this helps but this is what I am seeing.  

FitBit Zip still not syncing on Moto Z3 with Android 9

[Lynnp1]

Same with me 😔 4 Fitbit users in the house and it's about to become less........ totally fed up off having a watch that just doesn't live up to the expectation or advertising!!!!! Sadly I'm just out of time to get my money back 😔

[sebpoit]

Hi,

I did your trick with an android 8 phone, and then synced it with my android 9. It's sync immediately! But after it got stuck there(see screenshot) . So the device is now in sync but notifications doesn't work. So I m half way, but already thanks you

@Bitterfitt 

After I receive messages of pairings problems due to wrong code. 

So, fitbit engineer, it's unacceptable that after so many months this issue is still not fixed. I'll never buy or recommend your products. 

[ScottKilbo]

This is a good troubleshooting idea, except for:

1. I'm wondering what information it actually gives Fitbit.  I had no problems syncing my current phone, until the Android P update was forced on my phone.  Of course I'm going to be able to sync to a device that has an older version of Android.

2. Not everyone keeps old devices lying around.  I trade mine in, give them away, or just get rid of them.  I should not have to have an old phone around to get my product working again (for however long it works).

Android P was not a secret that came out when it was released.  Fitbit had access to it many months in advance, just like every other app and device producer.  I don't understand how it is possible that this widespread issue was ever permitted to occur in the first place.  If they'd spent even a few minutes testing these devices on a phone with Android P on it, it would have become apparent that it just doesn't work.  Do they even have a dedicated quality assurance team?  All they'd have to do is send a couple of people home with an Android P phone and an Ionic for a few nights and the issues would have become apparent.

Yet these types of things happened with every new Android release and every new Fitbit device.  Every. Single.  Time.

[d1papaha]

Mine stopped syncing April 4th on my Moto. Tried restarting both, turning Bluetooth on and off. Can't even do update.

[Kaymac]

It looks like this has been an issue since August. How can it still be an issue after 9 months?  I tried the fixes, they didn't work.  I am extremely frustrated.  

[zsk240]

I think it continues to be an issue directly related to Bluetooth and specifically related to the number of Bluetooth connections you have to your phone. My Fitbit syncs to my Pixe II XL until my phone sees a bunch of Bluetooth devices nearby. I use a Bluetooth pairing app that shows me Bluetooth devices nearby. Even if I don't try to pair with them, sometimes they knock my Fitbit off and the app can't find my device. I have to go somewhere else to get away from the Bluetooth devices and then unpair and repair with my Versa. Eventually I am paired again and syncing starts again. Fitbit needs to look at that issue.

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