Data syncs only if Fitbit app is open

[adebaser]

This has been going on for weeks, ever since an update. It doesn't sync automatically in the background any more, I have to open the app and then it syncs. I have to remember to do this or I lose my data.

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[SteveH]

I'm surprised by your comment about losing data - fitbits can hold up to 7 days of data between syncs so although a daily sync is recommended, you should only have sync once a week to avoid losing data.

If you are losing data then it might be a sign of a deeper issue.

[adebaser]

I lose data when following the instructions that are always given about reinstalling or removing/adding the device etc. Afterwords syncing might work again for a few days before having problems again.

[SteveH]

That would explain it. If you remove / add the tracker you would lose any unsynced data. That would be something I would do only as a last resort. When I have had syncing issues I have found one of the following usually works for me and I have not had to remove the device in the 5 years I have been using fitbits:

• restart phone
• restart fitbit
• "forget" the fitbit in the phone's bluetooth settings

[ColleenC89]

This exact same thing happens to me

[Psp513]

I know this post is old, but I haven’t seen a solution for this yet anywhere...

This issue has been happening to me for over a year. I have followed the troubleshooting instructions multiple times over the last year. I have waited for a software fix from Fitbit, hoped maybe the software upgrade would come when google bought the company, and am surprised this is still an issue.

I too lose data because I sometimes don’t check my app for weeks at a time, so I may lose weeks of data and only get the 7 days prior to my upload. All day sync means to me that it should sync and upload my data even if I don’t open the app. I don’t want to have to constantly open the app to upload data. That changes my watch from a convenient, passive health tracker to a pain in the a** that needs to be maintained and fussed over....I’d rather not wear a watch if it’s just another chore.

Has anyone see a solution beyond the standard troubleshooting guidelines offered on fitbit’s website?

[DonM2020]

My Fit Bit reliably synced without me open the app until I had to buy a new phone. Thing is, it is the exact same phone using the same operating system as the previous phone, so why the syncing problem?  Doesn’t make any sense. The tech people at Fit Bit need to do something about this very frustrating problem.

[DonM2020]

I chatted with someone from Fitbit support who proceeded to tell me my phone was not compatible with the Fitbit app. As I mentioned in a previous post, that made no sense since my previous phone was the exact model and syncing worked with few problems.

[Rickmag72]

I have the same problem,  very unhappy. 

[Bri2021]

Agree. Constantly having issues syncing and don’t want to have to open the app to sync. I generally have to open the app to sync to check the weather, defeats the purpose of having a watch. I’ve done all the standard stuff, switch phone off and on, force restart, delete and reinstall app, forget device on Bluetooth and so on. Makes no difference. For these reasons and the lack of convenience, have recommended to other family members considering to purchase the Fitbit sense, to do their homework and find a better alternative.

[Mindorra]

I've started experiencing this in the last few weeks. Neither my phone or device has changed in that time. I've done all the usual troubleshooting too. It's often slow or struggling to sync too, and sometimes even when it says it's synced it shows a step count of zero - you have to go out and back in again to show the correct value. Very frustrating as, since Fitbit doesn't link directly with Google Fit, I have to open the app several times a day to push my steps, to then push them to Google Fit to get them recognised by other reward and tracking programmes that I rely on. 

[radzieus]

I couldn't agree more. I link to My Fitness Pal and having background refresh on should continually sync my watch with Fitbit and update MFP accordingly. As it stands, I have to open the app and sometimes pull down so it syncs. I have had the Sense since December and it has never synced without opening the app -- sometimes it tells me it can't sync. Pretty ridiculous, since the Fitbit app constantly bugs me to "turn on background refresh" when I got fed up and turned it off. I shouldn't have to do this much work to keep my calories (MFP) in-line with my calorie burn via Fitbit.

I've reset, shut down, factory reset, removed from MFP/revoked access through Fitbit/reinstalled the app and access so many times to fix this. Every time there is some issue with it syncing with MFP, even when I open the app and sync with Fitbit.

[Rich_Laue]

With a sync issue, it is never recommended to remove the device from your fitbit account. It is fine to remove the device from your phones Bluetooth. 

Going back to the original, Won't sync without opening the app. 

The answer is to disable power management for the fitbit app. Also the app needs permission to run in the background. 

[NB503]

Same here. There is no answer for any of the issues. The app should be able to stay running in the background so it automatically syncs the whole time throughout the day yet it does not do this. I contacted Support and the person I spoke to was completely worthless with regards to this he told me I had to keep opening the app to sync it manually.

[NB503]

I too contacted Support and the person I spoke to told me I had to just keep opening the app to sync it, I asked him why since I didn’t have to previously and he just kept repeating himself to me which was extremely frustrating. Needless to say Support was worthless when helping with this issue

[Rich_Laue]

Check your Fitbit Apps permissions. Choose all permissions, check run in background. 

Do not stop the app through the phone settings, unless you want to restart the app. 

You should be able to swipe close the Fitbit UI, restart the phone, never open the fitbit app and it should try to sync within 30 minutes. The schedule use to be every 20 minutes and I assume this hasn't changed. 

You should also get fitbit updates for challenges when the Fitbit app is in the background. 

What version of the fitbit app do you have? 

[Silent-G]

There isn't a "Choose all permissions" option, nor "check run in background" that I can find anywhere in Android 13 One UI 5.0

Do you have a screenshot of what these settings look like?