Fitbit Flex won't sync since Android update to Nougat

[JiNXX9500]

I haven't been able to sync my Flex since yesterday afternoon right before I accepted the new Android update over-the-air from my carrier (Sprint). After doing some research it looks like Google did something to change the way Bluetooth works (whether intentionally or not). Really frustrating since Sprint doesn't really give you an option not to update.

My Galaxy S7 does not see my Fitbit at all. When I initiate a manual sync from the app, it just says "Looking..." for a bit and then "Tracker not found". The tracker is charged and sitting within 6 inches of the phone.

Has anyone else had this issue? Maybe figured out a workaround?

[sweeterpea]

I am having syncing issues as well.  I loaded the update from the Google Play store. Since then, I haven't been able to sync my  Galaxy S4.

[Debra3817]

Charge HR won't sync either on Galaxy S5

[Jacfer187]

Blaze will only sync with certain items. Notifications for emails works but not texts. The Samsung update in S7 Edge really screwed up a bunch of things. I just want to know how to fix it! 

[Dragonfruit]

My Fitbit Blaze doesn't work properly with Moto Z running Nougat either. Really hit and miss whether it syncs, seems to crash a lot, endless loops. Notifications are the same, mostly doesn't work.

As a test just paired the Blaze with my old Samsung S3, everything JUST WORKS. Syncing works first time, notifications work first time. It's like the perfect match.

Why can't Fibit make their application work with newer releases of Android?

[JiNXX9500]

I don't think it's the Fitbit app that's the problem. My phone's Bluetooth doesn't even see my Flex. From what I read, the Flex connects to the phone using some kind of low-power Bluetooth protocol, which doesn't affect connecting to, say, a wireless speaker. and I think that Google shouldn't be messing with established Bluetooth protocols.

My local Sprint store has been stocking Fitbits for a long time, I bet they have a lot of egg on their faces right now telling people "sure, we can sell them to you, but they won't work with the latest version of Android."

I don't even know if Google has acknowledged the problem, or if they see it as a problem.

[SunsetRunner]

I have had my FitBit Charge 2 since September and never had an issue until the last update.

Since the last update, I have been having syncing issues on my Android phone and on my iPad.

And weird issues even when I do get it to sync.

Like, yesterday, it showed that I worked out 2 days, and the type of exercise I did, if I clicked on the Weekly Exercise button and went into the secondary screens (the pages that have more detailed info.) But, on the main Weekly Exercise thumbnail display, on the dashboard, it would say that I worked out 1 out of 5 days. I had to delete Tuesday's workout and manually put it back in to get it to register it on the main dashboard. Which then deleted heart rate info. and such. Also yesterday, it was showing I walked over a thousand steps more than what my Fitbit device was saying.

After rebooting my Charge 2 3 x yesterday, it resynced and worked for the rest of the night - but it deleted the data from earlier this week.

Today it is back to "Cannot locate Fitbit Device" I tried all of the suggestions...

1. I tried updating my OS on my phone and iPad
2. I tried uninstalling and reinstalling the app
3. I tried force quitting my app
4. I tried restarting my Fitbit device
5. I tried the "Restart your Charge 2 3 x in a row",
6. I tried rebooting my phone and iPad
7. I tried Sync now
8. I tried sync all day
9. I tried plugging it into charger and holding button for 18 seconds
10. I tried turning off and back on my Bluetooth on phone and iPad
11. I tried making sure FitBit app Permissions - Location was turned on

Note - Phone and iPad were not near each other - Different rooms at home, or phone at work & iPad at home miles away. So, the FitBit should not have been confused.

I am seeing a lot of posts about this. Maybe there needs to be a patch to fix the issues from last update...???

[Lucidam]

I got the update on my Samsung S7 edge. Same problem. My Charge HR won't sync when it worked perfectly before.

[GieAn8]

Hi,  yes I've experienced something similar, and it seemed to start after the new fit bit app update. What I noticed is that my Flex is now affected by the Bluetooth in my Ford vehicle, it's a 2015 and is equipped with sync, and if my Flex is synced to my phone and then I get into my car, it will disconnect my phone from the car's Bluetooth or vise- versa the Flex will disconnect from my galaxy s6. Every time this happens I have to completely reset my cars Bluetooth connection and my Fitbit also. So I can use my Flex everywhere, except in my car, because it will cause it not to work. Is there a way to go back to the old fitbit app? I had no problems with that one.

[JS76]

I am having this exact issue with my Flex -- had a system update on Friday, and nothing has been the same since. What did you end up doing to resolve this? I've tried everything and am at a loss.

[SunsetRunner]

Me too - Updated Android yesterday and now Flex won't sync. Checked bluetooth - it's not finding the flex. Need a fix

[SunsetRunner]

Update - my bluetooth can now find the flex, but I keep getting the message "unable to communicate" - any ideas? This is so frustrating

[RobertoME]

Hello @JS76 and welcome aboard to the Fitbit Community @JS76.

I was passing by and I saw you are having issues to sync with your Flex tracker. I'm wondering if you have tried any suggestion so far? In case you haven;t please proceed to follow the directions of this post: Having trouble syncing? (here's how to fix this).

See you around and hope this helps.

[NP01]

Same issue here. Flex 2 won't connect to android 7.0 and it works fine with older versions of android. 

[SunsetRunner]

Roberto - Thank you for checking in. Yes, I have tried all of the solutions in the post you reference and nothing allows me to sync. I have traced this issue to the fact that bluetooth cannot communicate with the tracker. On the rare occasions when bluetooth even finds the tracker, it tries to pair and then sends the message "cannot comunicate with tracker". My last ability to sync was one minute before my recent android software update, 2 days ago.

[RobertoME]

Hello @NP01 welcome aboard to the Fitbit Community and thank you for keep me posted @SunsetRunner.

Please give it a try to following steps in case the issue persists:

Clear the App cache:

If you have the latest version 2.55 for Android, log out from your Fitbit app and go to your phone settings. Access to the App manager option and look for the Fitbit app in your downloaded apps list. Once you are there, clear the app cache and data and finish the workaround by restarting your phone. When your phone has initialized again, go back to your app and try again.

In your case @NP01 I'm wondering if you have tried my previous suggestion?

Based on your troubleshooting efforts, it's likely your syncing issues are due to Bluetooth connectivity with your phone as you mentioned @SunsetRunner. Our team is hard at work on improving Bluetooth connectivity for Android devices. In the meantime while is not ideal,  the recommended workaround to ensure you can continue using your tracker and in order to test is to sync with a computer or a different mobile device.

See you until the next time.

[CQuast725]

Do you have any new suggestions for resolving this problem?  I've been having trouble syncing my Flex since mid-August.

[SunsetRunner]

I never got this resolved. Moved to the flex 2 with no issues. It seemed
they were no longer supporting the flex and I'd had mine for 4 years, i
decided it was time to move on. I wish i had better news

[Aaeolien]

Super frustrated with this as I bought a flex 2 to upgrade from my flex and all was working well till latest Android update. Now it won't sync reliably, it won't give me notifications reliably. Its a crap shoot whether it syncs or not. I've had to resort to syncing with my iPad which is dumb because I can't use any of the notification features that I bought a flex 2 for. Very unhappy at the moment with my purchase

I have tried every suggestion for resetting, uninstalling, clearing caches, resetting Bluetooth. 

You can't say the solution is to just use another device. That's garbage honestly. Yes it's a work around but it really needs to be fixed as we can't use all the functionality on our trackers if we are having to sync and use other devices we don't carry with us all the time. 

Very close to calling customer service and demanding a refund since I can't use all the functionality I paid for so why do I have it. 

[JiNXX9500]

Hi all,

Sorry for kind of disappearing on this, but I was able to get my Flex talking to my phone again. It's happened a few more times since then, the Flex and my phone just seem to lose sight of each other, and the only reason I ever notice is because Achievement tells me they haven't gotten information from my Fitbit account in a couple of days.

Each time it happens, I just get my Flex charger out and use it to reset the Flex. A good 15-second hold on the reset button seems to do the job.

I'm honestly not impressed with the newer Fitbit models (especially considering my wife's Charge HR having to be replaced because of the band while the tracker is likely fine). More features mean more bugs. I'll stick to my simple five-dot screen until the thing turns to dust.