Fitbit Background Mobile Data usage

[u8sand]

I was affected by the mobile data frenzy last month and it has drawn my attention to an unsettling reality. Despite having the Fitbit app's background data restricted, it continues to use it. Granted, not as much as before, yes, but every time I have mobile data on and Bluetooth connected, Fitbit uses a few megabytes in the background. Why? I have always connected disabled, background data restricted.. what is Fitbit doing? And why can't I *stop* it without disabling data entirely or Bluetooth? This has become an extremely annoying issue--when I forget to disable Bluetooth and turn on data, Fitbit uses a few cents here, a few cents there, and for what? Absolutely nothing that I am aware of, syncing is just as slow. *Please* make Fitbit respect the restricted background data setting. I really like the Fitbit Versa, but if I can't control its data usage, I'm going to look for another device which I can.

[LanuzaFitbit]

Welcome to the Forums @u8sand! 

Thanks for bringing this to out attention! 

Are you using the latest version of the Fitbit app? You can read more about it in here. That version of the app should've resolved any issues with data usage.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

[u8sand]

I'm using the beta app but I'm still experiencing the issue. Here are some screenshots (note they are in reverse order, check the time). Again it's not as much as before but it should be using 0B of data given that it shouldnt be doing *anything* in the background.. can you explain what it is doing on my data when it's restricted?

Despite everything turned off, data still being used

[LanuzaFitbit]

Hello @u8sand! 

Thanks for sharing your pictures.

You can read a bit more about the way the app works in here. It should answer your questions.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

[gtg947h]

I'm not the OP but that doesn't really answer the question, because I'm wondering the same thing.

The question is not "why does Fitbit run in the background?"; the question is "why is Fibit using mobile data in the background when background data is restricted on the phone?"

I've noticed that even with background data restricted on the phone, all-day sync off, and not even opening the app to sync, the app will pull 5-8MB or so of background data per day.  Over a billing cycle that's 150-240 MB or so, which is a lot on a 2GB data plan.

Now, I have a rooted phone, and I installed a firewall program back during the "massive data use" bug.  I have firewalled Fitbit so that it can't use mobile data.  By doing so, I can't sync, log food, etc. when not on wifi, but the connected GPS still works and I still get notifications (texts, etc).  And it's not eating up my limited data amounts. 

In short, the problem is that the app is using data even when it's not actively syncing.  And that's a problem when the phone OS is trying to restrict its data use.

[LanuzaFitbit]

Hello @gtg947h.

@gtg947h and @u8sand thanks for taking the time to provide us with your feedback. 

I'd like to recommend that you make sure that you are running the latest version of the app (2.76.1). You can read more about it by clicking here.

We will be forwarding this information to our developing team.

Feel free to let me know if there is anything else I can help you with.

[u8sand]

As @gtg947h has followed up, this is precisely the issue--the fact that fitbit is using Mobile Data at all in the background despite being restricted. As you saw in my screenshot, I am running 2.77 according to Google Play and I've included what it says on the fitbit app on the screenshot.

I may check out that firewall @gtg947h is using.

[Colinm39]

I agree with @u8sand because I had turned mine off since the issue a few weeks ago.. Fortunately I have a mobile plan the includes other phones in my house and we share the data and I don't exceed the limit. Fitbit data is only 8% of the MTD total.  Even so, the option is turned off and those who have a tight mobile plan something has to be done..

[LanuzaFitbit]

Hello @Colinm39 and @u8sand.

Thanks for sharing that.

As I mentioned, we'll be forwarding all of this information to our developing team. 

Please feel free to let me know if there are any further questions.

[monkeyfit]

Is there any update on this issue.  My fitbit app used 300+MB of mobile data this month.

[LanuzaFitbit · Accepted solution]

Hello @monkeyfit.

I'd recommend that you verify that you are using the latest version of the Fitbit app if you feel that it is using much more data than it used to. You can click here to read more about the latest version and how to install it.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

[gtg947h]

I have mine auto-updating and recently decided to un-block Fitbit from using mobile data (rooted phone).

Within about 4-5 days it had used 100MB of background data.  That's ridiculous.

I went back and re-blocked the app and now it only uses wifi.

It does not appear that this issue affects the iOS version of the app, which has only used 4.6MB in the last few days.

[LanuzaFitbit]

Hello @gtg947h.

I apologize for the delay in my response. Thanks for taking the time to share that insight with us! 

That definitely sounds very frustrating. Could you share what app version are you currently running and on what phone? That'd let us better understand what is going on.

Look forward to your reply.

[gtg947h]

---

@LanuzaFitbit wrote:

Hello @gtg947h.

I apologize for the delay in my response. Thanks for taking the time to share that insight with us! 

That definitely sounds very frustrating. Could you share what app version are you currently running and on what phone? That'd let us better understand what is going on.

Look forward to your reply.

---

App version is 2.86 beta on a Motorola G5 Plus, with Android 7.0. 

[LanuzaFitbit]

Hello @gtg947h.

Thanks for sharing those details.

Please know that this will be escalated to our team so that they can take a look. As soon as we have any news on the matter, we'll be sure to let everyone know.

Let me know if there is anything else I can help you with.

[gtg947h]

Just an update... tried this earlier this week.  Allowed mobile data around 1500, by 2100 it had used 30 megabytes of data.  In SIX HOURS.  Then I blocked mobile data.

This is freaking ridiculous. I'm getting to the point I'm going to need a new phone but if I won't be able to block mobile data usage I'm going to be in a world of hurt.  Not all of us have unlimited data plans or access to wifi everywhere we go.