Inaccurate GPS Tracking on Map

[MattSidor]

My last several runs have had weird maps for my GPS tracking. It's either a single point at my start or finish location, or a very short line between my start and finish points.

In all cases, the total distance tracked seems accurate, it's just that the path I took is not reflected accurately (or at all) on the map. But I'm wondering if GPS is even working correctly, or if it's just estimating my distances based on number of steps.

I track my runs by starting a "Run" workout on my Charge 2, synced to my phone. I verify that the connection is successful by looking at the little phone icon on my Charge 2 display before I start running. There are no other issues with my phone's bluetooth or GPS connections.

I am currently running version 3.3.1 of the Android app, and my Charge 2 has firmware version 22.22.58.0.

[Kilt]

Is it an urban areas with a lot of tall buildings?  Also, does it have "all day sync" enabled?

[RicardoFitbit]

Hello @MattSidor and @Kilt, it's nice to see you guys participating here in the Community Forums!

@MattSidor I appreciate the details and screenshots that were shared in your post, sorry for the difficulties you've been experiencing with your Fitbit Charge 2 and the GPS feature. Let me share with you that, just as @Kilt asked, environmental factors including tall buildings, dense forest, steep hills, and even thick cloud cover can interfere with your phone’s ability to connect to GPS satellites. 
 
Note that your device uses your step count to calculate distance until it finds a GPS signal. The total distance calculated for a workout may be slightly less accurate when GPS data isn't available for the entire time. For more information, see How accurate is GPS?. Please take in consideration the following requirements:

• Turn on Bluetooth on your phone and make sure your device is connected to the phone. To confirm, go into your phone's Bluetooth settings and make sure you see your device listed.
• (Android only) Make sure the Fitbit app is allowed to run in the background on your phone. For more information, see What should I know about using the Fitbit app on my Android phone?
• Your phone is within 30 feet of your device.
• Your phone can identify your location and can track your location. For more information on which phone settings you may need to adjust, see How do I track my workouts with my Fitbit device?
• (Android only) If your phone is running Android 6.0 or later, see What should I know about using the Fitbit app on my Android phone?

Keep me posted.

[MattSidor]

It's not an urban area. I am familiar with GPS signal issues; my professional background is in GIS. It's not a signal issue.

All Day Sync is *not* enabled, and I did recently disable this feature to help with my phone's battery life; is All Day Sync required to be enabled for this feature to work?

EDIT: Sorry, I was confused. "All Day Sync" *is* enabled, "Always Connected" *is not* enabled. I recently disabled "Always Connected".

[Jakina22]

I have the same issue. I am Always Connected, and have All Day Sync. The last time it mapped was Aug 1. Aug 6 and every walk after is a dot. Maybe something happened with the update? I live in a suburban area- no environmental factors.

[RicardoFitbit]

Welcome to the Community Forums @Jakina22, your reply is appreciated @MattSidor. My sincere apologies for the delay in responding your posts.

@Jakina22 Thanks for your post. To move forward with your concern, can you please let me know which Android device you're currently using? Please make sure that's compatible with our products and services. Also, please let me know which Fitbit device you're using to track your exercise. Make sure that the Fitbit app and your Android versions are up to date. Keep me posted.

@MattSidor I appreciate the details that were shared in your reply. After disabling Always Connected you saw any difference? Also, since you're using a Charge 2, can you please let me know which Android mobile device you're using? In the meantime I receive your answers, please restart your tracker. Looking forward to your reply.

I'll be around.

[KatEli]

I'm having the same problem. For over a year I had no problems with the Fitbit map tracking,  tI and could set it and let my phone fall asleep in my pocket and have my walk tracked perfectly.

Sometime in the fall of 2018 it stopped tracking properly.

I've woken up my phone mid walk to see the map dot stuck where I had been some time before and then the map will reset to find me, it will just draw the shortest line possible from where it was to where I am, a straight line over houses and things when I would have followed the streets and turned many corners. I know the distance is way off as well because I've walked identical routes when the tracking was accurate.

If I keep my phone awake, AND keep the Fitbit map view in the walk tracking open it will track mostly accurately. Anytime my phone goes to sleep it will lag and lose my movement. I cannot even just keep my phone awake and run another app over top, say talk on the phone or scroll through social media, if the map view on the Fitbit so is not the active page it won't track properly.

The whole point is to be able to have it track in the background, it's a waste of battery to keep my phone awake (or keep waking it up every the couple minutes) for entire walks to ensure proper tracking.

[Summertime_jen]

I have needed to double track my runs for a long time now. With each update, some other thing happens. Sometimes my distance is long, sometimes it is accurate,  sometimes it is short. Usually the map looks ok. The effort required to get someone to look at it is not met with any satisfaction.  I have been on multiple threads, and the answer is always "we are working on it, be patient ", but I never see any resolution for anyone.  I have been an advocate of Fitbit, buying for relatives, and encouraging others. But I cannot trust it at all. At best it is ok for the recreational use, but not for a runner, an no longer for anyone who needs to track sleep (due to the sleep score fiasco).

Moderator edit: Format 

[Jbhansen823]

Same. I've resorted to using Runkeeper in addition to Fitbit for my walks, runs, or hikes due to the inaccuracy of Fitbit's tracking. Just today Runkeeper tracked at 1.51 miles whereas Fitbit tracked at 1.08 miles. For such a short distance that difference is HUGE!

[johnnfx]

Are you still having a problem with maps?  I experienced the same issue and managed to come up with a solution. Let me know if you would like to know what worked for me.   

[Uaapse]

I'm having this trouble,  have tried what people previously suggested,  and am still having this issue. 

I really don't like those inaccuracies straight lines:-)

I'm very interested to hear what you came up with!

Thanks!

[johnnfx]

I am using a charge 2 connected to a Samsung Galaxy S9.

My bad maps started after my device updated to Android 10, for me this
update happened about 3 weeks ago.
Samsung is always late to the party, because they have to modify the o/s to
blend in their own skin.

With android 10 you can setup, on a per app basis, "location"
Your options are "deny", "allow only while using the app" and "allow all
the time"

I had set up the "fitbit app" to "allow only while using the app "
This was the issue and I had to change this option to "allow all the time "

Once I made that change, my maps were fine again

For a S9 you go to settings\apps\fitbit\permissions\locations..and change
to "allow all the time"

This totally fixed me up, I hope it works for you.

John

[Uaapse]

Wow! Thank you so much! I'm also using a Samsung s9. I followed your
instructions, and am excited to go on my walk today! I'll let you know
how it goes.

Success!  Everything now seems to be tracking well!  Well, it was last week.  Now I have a new issue to troubleshoot...but you fixed the map issue!

Thanks again!

Anne

Thanks again!

Moderator edit: merged reply

[Btravelling]

If you see straight lines along your route instead of a detailed walking and running map, it means location serves and gps only run periodically, this typically happens because the battery is set to a power saver mode which limits background services including location services, which then only activates gps evey few minutes, creates a marker at the point in time, and draws straight lines between these markers after your run. I have tested turning off my battery saver and the map showed my detailed walking trail. Turn battery saver on and I get straight lines again. If not battery saver then you have done some other setting to limit background services. 

[JuanJoFitbit]

Hi @johnnfx @Btravelling, due to the recent events, I apologize for the delayed response. However, thank you for participating in our Fitbit forums. Thank you also for sharing the the information and the steps that helped you to get this issue resolved. I appreciate your feedback also.

@Uaapse thank you for joining us in this thread. I'm glad to hear that the solution shared by @johnnfx helped you to get the GPS map issue that your Fitbit Versa experienced. Regarding the other issue, please provide more details about it and I'll be happy to follow up and assist you accordingly.

See you guys around.

[bauerej]

I am having this exact same problem with my Charge 2 connected to an iPhoneX running iOS 13.5.1. It used to work fine for over 2 years, but in the last couple months the map either shows me in the middle of the ocean, or just a couple of points around the start and finish. During the exercise, the phone icon appears to be doing GPS syncing, and the speeds and distances appear correct. So the GPS data is being recorded, but not going into the map at the completion of the exercise.

I have tried deleting and reinstalling the FitBit app on my phone, removing and reconnecting the Charge 2 from my account, and restarting the Charge 2. None of these things helped.

[Btravelling]

I can't comment on being in the middle of the ocean that sounds like a real GPS issue. But my suggestions is to look to the phone first. In my case I was using android and when I looked at Google maps, it showed me the same mapping issues, straight lines between strategic points on my walk and not a detailed route along the road. Seeing this was an issue with Google maps as well and not only with fitbit meant the issue originated on the phone and not the fitbit and I could start my investigation. You mention distance was accurate but it is my understanding distance is based on stride not GPS so your distance will be somewhat accurate even if GPS is not working. As I am not a iPhone user I do not have direct advice on what to check, but I assume there are mapping apps on the phone other than fitbit and it is best to check them first. If they are not working either then it is not a fitbit issue. And when you say you see GPS synchronizing is this between the iPhone and GPS or iPhone and fitbit? If it is just between iPhone and fitbit, and GPS is not working or not running constantly, then the  fitbit is not going to represent the walk accurately either. In my case it turned out to be the GPS background service was only running intermittently, this was due to my setting on my battery saver. I know in android there are other things that may put background services to sleep, and it may be this is the case on the iPhone. But in the end once I got GPS working on the phone and could see my walk in detail in default apps like google maps, then fitbit worked as well. So I would start my investigation at the phone and GPS service level.

[SunsetRunner]

Did you ever get a fix? I’m having the same issue as of late. Watch is connected, not in a battery save mode, not in an urban area, app and phone are up-to-date... there’s times where I walk along a lake and the map says I went through the lake. Today it skipped an entire portion of my route. Yesterday it said I went a few miles but the map said I didn’t leave my house. 

[lhoulette]

Hi. I am having a similar issue, but with the Charge 4 where the GPS is already embedded. The route of my run is there, but there is an additional route that I obviously did not run, cutting back to my starting point. It's not a question of tall buildings or forest, and I was not synching to phone GPS.

[ArDiAcMe]

I am having the same issues! Its very annoying. Today on my hike I connected fitbit charge 4 gps to my phone. Had phone in my backpack, I thought everything was fine because the watch was keeping very accurate track of my hike.

I got him to look at the route and it was wayyyy off. I used Strava App at the same time...with the same phone....and it was completely accurate, wtf?