Connected GPS Running

[Pamelag1221]

I've started getting notifications that my Connected GPS is running. Not sure how I turned this on.  But I would like it off.  Since I've started getting these notifications my phone battery is being used up terribly fast.  I live in a rural area where GPS can be spotty. I'm not even sure what I need it for.  I don't need to track my movements. 

[Fluff58]

I'm getting the same message "connected GPS is running" while sitting in my car.  I think this is what's using up my battery.

[Zabo]

I have a potential reproduction: I passed though a noisy radio environment, had some mild connectivity issues with other Bluetooth devices. They all recovered quickly but Fitbit did not. It wasn't until the tracker could sync that the message disappeared.

What's more - this is a replacement tracker. The old one suffered battery issues. Multiple phones, multiple tracker, multiple years. I'm thinking that this is an issue that might need more than just repeating basic troubleshooting workflows. How can I gather logs to give a meaningful bug report?

[SunsetRunner]

I checked few older discussion around "connected gps is running". I am facing this issue with latest version 3.20 and Android 10. No matter what i do, i see "connected gps is running" and it drains the battery. Even if i turn off the location service, i see this.

Any fix for it? 

Moderator edit: Subject for clarity 

[RicardoFitbit]

Hi @SunsetRunner, welcome to the Community Forums!

Thanks for bringing this to our attention and for the details that were shared in your post. To better assist you with this and since you're using the latest Fitbit app and Android version, can you please let me know which mobile device are you using? When was the first time you experienced this issue and how many times since then? This could be related to the compatibility of your mobile device with our products and services, please check this help article for more information.

Keep me posted and let me know if you have any additional questions. 

[SunsetRunner]

I am using Samsung Note 10 pro with android 10. I noticed this almost 20days back. However, there was an update but even after updating fitbit app, I still face the same issue.

[SunsetRunner]

Do you need any other details?

[B-RI]

You have to go onto your device ..in my case the charge HR I swiped up to settings and then found my Phone GPS setting was turned ON. I will mention this happened out of no where andIand didn't turn it on consciously. Maybe happenened when I was sleeping.....To turn it OFF just click your screen and once it says OFF click the main button a few times times exit back out. 

[Sal47]

I finally got this message to stop. 

Google Pixel 4. Android Version 10, May 1, 2020 update

Fitbit App version: 3.23

Fitbit Inspire. FIT OS 32.20001.63.5

This took a lot of steps, some of which were probably unnecessary. But they worked.

Here's what I did.

1) In the watch, swipe up to Settings, make sure Phone GPS is OFF.  Also, Clear User Data (press the screen for 3 seconds)

2) On the phone, remove the Fitbit app. Reboot the phone. Reinstall Fitbit app from Google Play. 

3) Connect the watch to the USB cable, press the side button for 5 seconds to reboot the watch

4) Repeat Step 1

5) Repeat Step 2

This is a nasty bug. Good luck squashing it!

[AL_0706]

I'm having the same issue. I've tried the solutions that people have posted in previous comments - restarting phone, uninstalling and reinstalling the app, turning off my location, turning off phone GPS on my fitbit Inspire HR - nothing has worked. My phone has the notification "Connected GPS Running" ALL the time except when I have the app open. It's draining my battery so I have to charge my phone 2 or 3 times a day. I have an Android phone. It's started for the first time last week Wednesday, and has been doing it non-stop since then. Is there anything else I can do? 

[Sal47]

Make sure both the watch software and the Android software are up-to-date. Write down the version numbers, you will need them If All Else Fails.

Next, reset your Fitbit. Make sure it's connected to the charging cable and charging, then press the side button for several seconds. Then, repeat my instructions. If that doesn't work, it's time to call Tech Support. Be sure to have your version numbers handy.

Good Luck!

[dan_whitston]

Same issue, but I've got some idea of what might cause it, in my case. I've seen it happen several times in the past few months, with my Charge 3 and Pixel 3.

To produce the error: I start running, without setting manual exercise. The watch auto-connects to the phone to track the exercise. Then I stop running, right around the point where the automatic tracking kicks in. For some reason, the automatic tracking doesn't finish setting itself up, and I'm left with connected GPS tracking, but no exercise attached to it, and no way of turning it off.

Previously, I was able to resolve this by starting a manual exercise then immediately stopping it. The exercise stopping would reset the tracking state of the charge and phone, and all would be well.

That has stopped working following a recent update. I have to move around for a while before the exercise tracker will let me save, and when it does save the exercise, it no longer resets the tracking state to off. So I'm stuck with this like everyone else now. Which isn't great as it means I need to turn off bluetooth on my phone to disconnect the fitbit and save battery, and presumably I'll have to uninstall and clear everything to try and 'fix' it. Ironically, it's a strong motivator to not engage in spontaneous exercise in future.

If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say that the development focus has shifted to the charge 4, and the Android dev team have introduced a bug affecting the charge 3 and other fitbits because their state management is a bit rubbish and their testing isn't all that great either.

[BohnMan]

Sorry Dan, it's a logical guess that this bug would be tied to poor change control but alas I have the fancy new Charge 4 and the bug exists there as well.  I initiated a walk exercise from the fitbit using the embedded GPS.  Did the walk sans phone and ended the walk from the fitbit.  Once I synced with the phone I now get the dreaded Connected GPS is running.  These threads on this issue have been going on forever and there's no fix still?  My goodness.

Looks like I bought the wrong brand device.  Good news is there's lots of competition in this space so I'l go find something that works and drop a 1 star on Amazon to keep others from making this expensive mistake.  I wish this thing was heavy enough to be a paperweight at least.

[BohnMan]

I may have good news.  @Sal47 instructions may work but I'm way to lazy to try all that.  I did a Force Stop on the fitbit app on my android device and that has stopped the battery drain and the message has not come back.  Fingers crossed 🙂

[Feetonground]

Thanks! I turned off Phone GPS on my fitbit device (Inspire HR) in settings, then did a force stop on my Android.  I think that did it! 

[bmoliver]

I started a walk activity on my Versa this afternoon for the first time in quite a while.  The walk was recorded successfully, and transferred to Strava.  However, I too noticed that the "connected GPS Running" notification was still showing on my phone (Pixel 4a running Android 11) after stopping the activity.  The only way I could stop the notification was to also force stop the app on my phone.  The Android app version is 3.39.2.

[wdbfb]

I did a force stop on the app from my Android phone settings. I also changed the GPS settings on my charge 4 from dynamic to built-in. The message ha gone away now.