Flex 2 and Moto G5 syncing issues

[Cagouille]

Yet more sync issues. My Flex 2 would synchronise with my Moto G5 until an app update 2 or 3 weeks ago. Now it syncs erratically, say once every 2 or 3 days. It will not synchronise on request. I've tried all of the remedies suggested on the site to no avail. Any ideas for solving the issue gratefully received.

Moderator Edit: Updated Subject For Clarity.

[jpaden]

I just glanced through several of the manufacturers listed in the Compatible Devices list. It seems to me that most (all?) of the recent Android phones on the list are Samsung. Said differently, if you have a recent phone (last 2 or so years) and it's not a Samsung, it's probably not on the Compatibility List. Not to say that the newer phones won't work, but it sure would be nice if they specifically tested and certified on recent non-Samsung devices.

[jpaden]

Fixed maybe?

For what it's worth, I ran across this thread because I haven't been able to get my old Fitbit One to sync reliably with my Moto G5 Plus for a number of months now. Finally decided I either needed to find a fix or shelve it. I read several other threads and found a solution that worked for me. Since the issue seems to be related to the Android app, I'm thinking it may work for you too.

What I did: From the Notification bar, I went into Settings, then Apps, and selected the Fitbit app to see the details. Then I tapped Permissions to view the app permissions. I noticed only one permission was turned on for the app on my phone, so I turned all of them on. For the past 7 hours since doing that, the sync to my Fitbit One has been working steadily and reliably for me.

I guess there's something wrong with the app in that it's not triggering Android to prompt for additional permissions when it needs them, and just failing out on the sync. it's just weird because it would always sync once after I rebooted the phone or toggled Bluetooth off and back on, but only once. This fix seems to have worked for me.

YMMV of course, but really curious if it fixes the sync for your Alta as well.

Cheers!

[Mole07]

Is there a way we can receive a message or email that let us know when the moto5gplus is going to be supported by fitbit officially??

Thanks

[jpaden]

I feel like I should post a follow-up to my previous post, since it appears people may still be finding this thread.

So, my potential fix did help me, but it didn't solve my problem. Generally my Fitbit One would sync with my Moto G5 Plus periodically (though maybe not quite reliably) for the better part of a day, occasionally maybe more than a day. But after a while, invariably, it would eventually stop syncing.

A couple of brief observations: It would typically sync for most of a day. It would reconnect and start syncing again if I turned the phone's Bluetooth off and turned it back on again a few seconds later.

How did I make this workable? I downloaded an app to automate the cycling of Bluetooth on my phone. There are several free and paid apps than can do this. In my case, I picked Automate by LlamaLab, which is free enough for what I needed (limited free mode, but worked for me). I created an automation script to turn off Bluetooth at 4:30am and turn it back on at 4:31am.

Pick any time you typically aren't using the phone, like when you are asleep, maybe close to your wake-up time. Hopefully, it'll stay syncing most of the day, then you can kick it back into shape before you wake up the next morning.

Again, YMMV, but hopefully this little hack will help some of you out until Fitbit adds formal support for the G5 Plus.

[Mole07]

Ill love to try but I download the application and it looks a little more complicated than I thought ( ok, a lot more complicated) to build the automation script, where can I find instructions on this?

Thanks for the help

Moderator Edit: Removed Personal Information

[Mole07]

Hi Roberto,

mmm so i've search a lot on this issue and there are some opinions on solutions one of those to reboot he bluethoot , another to install the later version 2.58 to make it work. but 1. if i reboot the bluethoot it doesent particulatly sync and i tried to dowload a later version and it always install the new version.

so nothing its working for me to make my motog5 plus to work with my flex 2. please please tell me you guys have come up with something to help us with this issue or at least what can we do to try to make it wor? or a release time for a version that we can use?

thank you for your help

[jpaden]

Mole07,

I didn't think it was too bad, but then again, I'm the kind of person who likes to poke around software and can usually figure things out pretty quick.  FYI, the one gotcha I didn't discover until a day later was that I forgot to loop the script so it would go back to the beginning and wait for the next 4:30am (so it would basically run forever).  If you don't loop the script, then it will work the first time, but not run after that until you tell it to run again.

Like I said, there are a bunch of these kind of automation applications.  If Automate isn't working for you, then there are definitely others to try out.

Moderator Edit: Removed external links

[RobertoME]

Hello there everyone! Good to see you @Mole07 and welcome aboard to the Fitbit Community @jpaden! Thank you for all your feedback about the compatibility of the Moto G5 and your suggestions to improve the connectivity of the Fitbit tracker.

@Mole07 I do not recommend to downgrade the Fitbit app to older versions, since it may not work as is expected or malicious software can be installed on your phone. Despite there are Android devices pending to be tested, we keep releasing new versions that will improve the stability of the Fitbit app to work with all Android devices.

I'm gonna sound repetitive here, but due to the app is not optimized to work with this phone it may work sporadically as you have been experiencing.

At the moment I do not have more details if this model will be supported. Of course if new information arise I will let you know. For more help please visit our help article: Which phones and tablets can I use with my Fitbit watch or tracker?

See you until the next opportunity.

[Flex2MP]

I think I found the answer, and really wanted to share it with everyone although I never post on boards.  This war very frustrating and I hope this helps others.  This will work with the newest fitbit app.  First of all start from the beginning.  Forget the Flex2 from your blutooth list and delete the Flex 2 from your fitbit app.  DO NOT reconnect your Flex 2 with your blutooth.  ONLY connect it through the app.  DO NOT EVER connect it through the blutooth menu.  That could have been the solution but just to be safe I also turned off All Day Sync, Always Connected, and Keep-Alive Widget under the Flex 2 options.

If you pull down on the screen to sync the radio signal icon will turn grey and flash, then turn blue and flash, and finally go green.  All good from there.

I hope this helps others because I was getting very annoyed.

Thanks.

[mugglemom24]

I have a Moto G5 Plus and my carrier is Republic Wireless. I ordered my Fitbit Flex 2 from Amazon and just received it yesterday. Initially I experienced all these same issues with bluetooth and syncing. I can attest (so far) that the suggestion @Flex2MP has provided here has worked in resolving my syncing issues with this phone.

Before reading this I tried every combination of restarting my phone, uninstalling/reinstalling the app, restarting the Fitbit pebble itself, deleting the device from the app and re-syncing it, etc. Every time I'd go to my bluetooth settings I could see that the Flex 2 was paired with my phone so I was like "What's the problem? It shows it's connected so why won't it sync?!" SO ANNOYED and SO FRUSTRATED. Thank goodness for Google and forums. 🙂

SO! I tried what @Flex2MP recommends:

First, I deleted all traces of my Flex 2 and Fitbit from my phone:

1. I deleted my Flex 2 in my Fitbit account through the app
2. I then uninstalled the Fitbit app from the phone
3. I opened my bluetooth settings and "forgot" the Flex 2 device
4. I powered off my phone and left it off for my drive to work (about 10 minutes)

Then I started from scratch:

1. I restarted my phone and made sure bluetooth was turned on (Note: I could still see my Flex 2 listed but I DID NOT CONNECT IT through the bluetooth area of the phone - as @Flex2MP has said, that part is the KEY in resolving this problem)
2. I installed the Fitbit app and logged into my account
3. I went into my profile and clicked "Set up a Device." I followed all the instructions (my Flex was charged to full) and my phone found/connected to my Flex 2 (still took a few minutes but it did it which is further than I was getting before!)
4. I made sure all my Fitbit settings/notifications were as I want them and I also made sure to disable All Day Sync, Always Connected, and Keep Alive so that my sycning ability is in full manual mode and just needs my "prodding" throughout the day (Save that battery!).

From this point I recommend only syncing from the home screen when you first open the app. You do this by touching your screen and "pulling down." You should see the syncing circle rotate and a blue line run across the top of your screen to show the syncing process. So far, I've not had any issues in getting things to sync up this way.

I did notice on possible "quirk" with syncing. At first, I tried to sync by clicking on the tiny Flex 2 picture on the top right of my app in the home screen. This takes you into the "Flex 2" device screen and there is an option to click the syncing circle from there but when I did I got a message at the bottom saying "Your sync has been scheduled and will start soon" but then nothing ever happened. I went back into my bluetooth settings and "forgot" the device again and then went directly back to the app and synced by pulling down on the home screen and it worked fine. So, from now I just plan to sync from the home screen. It has worked this way each time I've tried it.

I've literally had my Flex 2 for less than 24 hours so if my experience changes I'll come back and share.

But, I'm crossing my fingers that I won't be back because I really want to have a successful experience in using this device! 🙂

Hopes this helps!

[EZ71 · Accepted solution]

Oh thank you! I also was trying to figure out the syncing. I have had this for only for a couple of weeks but I could only get it to sync once in awhile. I tried removing the app a few times and logging out and "forgetting" the Flex 2 device. None of it worked consistently.  After reading your post, I started by simply removing the Flex 2 from the Bluetooth connection. And it worked!! I didn't have to go through all the other steps you recommended. Whew! Now once a day or so, I sync my Flex 2 manually from the app by pulling down the home screen. And it has worked every time for the last several days. It takes a few minutes but I can wait. Yay! Now I can actually use my Fitbit!! Thank you again! 

[ShirlD17]

Thank you for sharing your sync issue tips.  I just got my Fitbit Flex 2 yesterday from Target and I have a Moto G5 (not G5 plus) and I followed your instructions.  Fingers crossed that it is resolved for me as well.

[Karen605]

Worked perfectly! Thank you!