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.

---

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. 

---

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. 

---

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. 

---

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. 

---

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! 

---

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! 

[Airdra]

Hey @AlessFitbit thank you so much for keeping us updated on this.

My Fitbit has been able to sync and receive notifications since I restarted my phone after the app update a few days ago which I'm happy (but still a little wary about). It's been working everyday without interruption since the update!

However, I am not able to have connected GPS working completely on my runs yet. I had it working for about a kilometre or two on my run yesterday but then it stopped.

I'd really like connected GPS to work again. It's not a show stopper, but it's really nice to have an accurate distance and a nice little map for my runs!

Otherwise I'm happy with the progress the team has been making. I'm a software developer and I understand that sometimes bugs just take a while and it's hard to provide updates as often as clients and customers want sometimes - so I appreciate any updates that you and your team have provided and will provide. I don't understand why people are getting so angry. Unfortunately, bugs happen, especially when separate software/hardware is updated. Also don't understand why people want more updates than are received if there's nothing to update - do they seriously want 'Hey still no fix today' every few hours and not just when an advancement is made? 

Thanks FitBit! Can't wait to have connected GPS back!

EDIT: Turned off battery saver mode and connected GPS was on for most of today's run (turned on and off a few times but mostly was on).

However, the pace and distance was a little worse (slower pace, less distance) from what I expected, though that could be because I went from auto detecting to actual GPS and this is now the actual distance. Though I've run similar paths before and had it be what I expected. Happy that things are working now (mostly).

[Symo-1]

The answer is to fit a Fitbit dongle. I have had no problems since fitting
it to my Mac.

[Lisfish]

You don't understand why people are upset with a broken 100$+ gadget? It hasn't worked for over a month and it has been a game changer for many of us in our weight loss journey. I also imagine that for many of us we don't have the time to fiddle around it with it until it maybe works, or to mess around on the computer app. I personally pick up my computer maybe twice a week. It's great that it's working for you, but ever since I updated the app I can't even use a work around to get it to sync. The app simply doesn't recognize my tracker. I now have an expensive plastic bracelt.

[LanuzaFitbit]

Hello Everyone! 

It's great to read that some of you have been able to get it to work.

We'll continue to pass all details on to the team and keep you all updated if there is anything to share. 

Feel free to reach out with any other questions.

[reisbm]

I've just connected my Ionic with my OnePlus 6 (Pie beta) using the workaround steps below:

1. Open the Fitbit app and start the sync process. It will say “looking…”
2. While it is looking for your device, quickly go to Android Bluetooth settings, choose Pair New Device, and select the tracker as if to pair it for the first time.
3. Switch back to the app and the sync process should complete.

[elwright360]

That doesn't work for me. I wish it did.

[Lisfish]

This no longer works for me since doing the Android security update and the most recent Fitbit update, but thanks for the tip.

[reisbm]

Step 0: forget the "previous" Fitbit Bluetooth device under Bluetooth &
device connection option.

Bruno Muniz

[Cghegg]

Nope. My battery saver was never on. My location permission s were always
set to on for Fitbit too. Nothing has helped it to sync and my phone
doesn't even recognize it to Bluetooth anymore.

[SheWatt]

How many times do we have to tell you IT IS NOT A PIE ISSUE. I don't have pie and my phone can't even find my iconic. Its usless. Can't even tell time without a connection.

[SunsetRunner]

SheWatt, you're assuming that the problem you're experiencing is the same as the problem others are experiencing. That may not be the case.

[RKLVV]

Well I have an HTC 10 running Oreo and an htc M8 running Marshmallow. Both of these devices running the latest Fitbit app still sync flawlessly with my Fitbit Zip. My Google Pixel XL too used to sync just fine before the Pie update. I certainly think it is a Pie related issue. I still use one of my HTCs to sync a few times a day. I've given up on trying to sync with my pixel.

[TheMiddleWest]

For what it is worth, I checked whether battery saver (in general) or
battery optimization for the Fitbit app were turned on-- pretty early on
because I suspect that the much touted Pie optimization is part of this
problem. Neither was turned on and my sync problems were like everyone
else's. It started with the Pie upgrade, then we lost the workaround with
the Fitbit update to 2.78, and the September security update had no
discernable impact.

[aydee]

It's been almost a week since I have been unable to sync (following all updates and troubleshooting) and over two months of unstable syncing. 

Seriously this is a terrible experience and the fitbit team should have a better QA team or project planning.  Beta users have already been flagging this as an issue for months and still no resolution. It wasn't as if Android P fell from the sky.  

Already passed the return period on the Versa so hopefully there will be a resolution within 2018.

[SunsetRunner]

A potentially interesting update for Fitbit's app developers:

Since I've been unable to sync my One using the app, I've gone back to syncing it via the Fitbit Connect app on my Mac, using native Bluetooth (i.e., with no Fitbit wireless dongle plugged into the Mac). It's not set up to sync automatically; instead, I launch Fitbit Connect, and click the "Sync Now" button to initiate the sync. I've gotten into the habit of doing this once a day, in the morning.

This morning, I launched Fitbit Connect, and started a sync. It failed, saying it was unable to find the device. On a hunch, I checked the status of the Fitbit app on my phone (just by pulling down the notification shade; not by launching the app), and it showed that a sync was in progress. I immediately tried to sync again, via my Mac. It failed again. I checked my phone again: sync in progress.

This continued a couple more times. Eventually the sync attempt on my phone failed; it just went back to showing the latest sync (which I did yesterday morning via my Mac). It took two more attempts on my Mac to finally get my One to sync.

To me, this brings up a couple possibilities:

1. The radio activity between the app on my phone attempting to sync, and my Mac also attempting to sync just garbled everything so that no sync was possible.

2. The sync attempt from my phone had gotten to the point in the process where my One had been "alerted" of the impending sync, and was either attempting to respond (and the phone app didn't detect it), or was waiting for the phone app to initiate the next step in the process, but the phone app never did.

I think possibility #2 is the more likely of the two, as it took a couple sync attempts on the Mac *after* the phone app's attempt failed before the sync actually succeeded. To me, this indicates that the One was not in a "ready to connect with a sync app" state, but was instead in a "sync app contacted me; waiting for the next step in the sync process to begin" state. That state then had to time out before the One went back into the "ready to connect with a sync app" and the Mac app could initiate (and complete) a sync.

Anyway, I just thought I'd share, on the chance that this might be useful information.

[mr-Navarath]

Developers had a long time to test the android Pie beta. At the very least the Fitbit team should have warned us to consider waiting on the upgrade because of known issues with syncing..just common courtesy to customers. Is it possible they never even tested it out ahead of time? 

[Anitaweev]

My ionic had the same issues, but the new update fixed it about one month ago. 

[DivaCary]

based on the fact that some of you are having success syncing, I just tried again with my Charge HR and it worked. We'll see how long it lasts

[Smoczek82]

My fit bit alta hr been sync for 2 days and Its again a problem 😞 

[MikeKC]

You may be experiencing a different problem, but the analysis posted on this thread along with my own convinces me that this problem was caused by a change in Android 9 and the way Fitbit connects to sync.