Step sync is broken

[chuckbeasley]

For about a month now, step syncing between my Pixel 2 watch and Pixel 6 Pro has been broken. They start everyday syncing correctly. Somewhere it loses sync. For example, right now my watch has logged 4195 steps. When I sync to the phone, it says 4040 steps. This has been happening everyday. I've seen the discrepancy of several hundred steps by the end of the day. The phone always lags the watch no matter how many times I manually reset and sync. So, something serious is broken.

App version 4.26.1 (110119829)

[chuckbeasley]

Yeah, it's the steps disappearing that is most enraging. Like, why would the step count ever decrease? Even walking backwards should add to the step count. I can't figure out how it's possible to take negative steps. And, my phone and watch are out of sync by over 300 steps on the latest version.

[gtw087728]

I got the 10 til move reminder at 10:50 am (40 mins ago) and it said "4 steps remaining". I got up from my desk and walked around a bit (20 - 30 steps at least) and my step count on my watch didn't budge. FINALLY a few minutes later it added enough steps to reach the hourly 250 and I got the little celebration alert. The watch showed 2/10 hours (I have it set to 9a-7p). The phone app showed 1/10 hours still, but the step count matched what was on the watch. Fast forward 2 minutes to 11am and my watch went back down 1/10 and the step count DECREASED by almost 100 steps. I literally watched it change. On top of all of that - the auto activity tracker doesn't work anymore. It used to alert me 10 minutes into a walk or hike that it detected I was doing something, and then it would count the previous 10 minutes as part of the activity. Last night I got the detection alert, but when the exercise tracker started it did not include the previous 10 minutes distance or steps. I think I'll be shopping for a Garmin. I'm done with fitbit.

[lincbeck]

I was in sync all day yesterday, but I also had the issue of it saying I got the hourly steps and then later showing I didn't. Today I hit my hourly steps and then when I looked at my watch again I had fewer steps than before and it then said I did NOT hit the hourly steps. I was still in sync though. Then I went for a walk which I tracked and now I'm out of sync by 445 steps. So yep, definitely even worse than before.

[svsmailus]

So 2 months later. 

Is there a fix for this or can someone recommend an alternative fitness app/service that actually works? I might need to return to using my Garmin Fenix.

[xlevix10]

Unfortunately no fix, just have to wait on Google/Fitbit to fix it. I had a case open with Fitbit support and they said if I continued to have the issue after the 4.28 update to re-open the case, but I've done that and they haven't replied, so clearly this isn't a priority for them.

[penny26]

@xlevix10 I just got 4.28.2 today for my Android phone (not a Pixel).  Didn't fix anything for my Fitbit One, but it might help you!

[xlevix10]

Here's to hoping! I downloaded the update last night, so we'll see. Hopefully if this does fix the issue with the Pixel Watch, they'll apply it to non-Pixel Watch devices.

[JuanFitbit]

Hi everybody! 

We released the Android app v.4.28.2 . This should solve the issue with syncing and setup . Please make sure that you updated the Fitbit app.
If after the update you are still having difficulties please try restarting your phone (off/on).

Try also removing the Fitbit from the Bluetooth menu and restart the phone afterwards. 
Open then the Fitbit app and swipe down to force a synchronization.

Please let us know over here, if you are still having difficulties 

[xlevix10]

I'm unhappy to report update 4.28.2 did not resolve this issue. I did all of your troubleshooting suggestions (which, I should add, forced me to fully factory reset my watch) and my Pixel Watch still shows ~300 more steps than my Fitbit app.

We're closing in on 2 months since this started!

[xlevix10]

Update: part of the troubleshooting caused me to have to fully factory reset my watch. In doing so, I also fully uninstalled the Fitbit app and restarted my phone before reinstalling the app and re-setting up my watch. It initially still showed incorrect step counts on my Fitbit app, but I just went for a 20 minute walk and now the steps on my watch match my Fitbit app, so... It likely means nothing and the issue isn't fixed (I refuse to get my hopes up), but that's something, at least.

[xlevix10]

@JuanFitbit just went for a 4 mile GPS tracked walk and my Pixel Watch and Fitbit app are out of sync by 162 steps, so this issue is confirmed still not fixed.

[JuanFitbit]

@xlevix10 , Thank you for your replies and keeping me updated

The main issue that the new app update should have solved are the difficulties to sync or pair the devices. 
As your Pixel Watch is syncing with the Fitbit app, this seems to have helped. 

Regarding the discrepancies, after sync. Our Team is still investigating this. 

[RiekoC]

Hello @JuanFitbit 

Unfortunately, the update to version 4.28.2 didn't fix the syncing or pairing issue for many of the users on the various syncing issue threads. Thank you for forwarding this information to the team.

Looking forward to your next update.

[xlevix10]

@JuanFitbit I've never had a syncing or pairing issue with my Pixel Watch, my issue has always been the step discrepancy between my Watch and the Fitbit app (and historical exercise data not showing in the app). Since your comment was on the step sync issue thread, I thought that's what you meant when you said this issue should be resolved, so that's my mistake.

I'm both happy and frustrated to hear the step discrepancy is still being investigated. Thanks for the update either way, it's nice to actually hear from someone at Fitbit!

[xlevix10]

I'm so tired of this problem 🫠 steps synced fine all weekend (with no tracked activities as I use weekends to rest), but just went for a GPS tracked run and my Fitbit app is 548 steps off from my Pixel Watch. I miss when this stuff just worked!

[xlevix10]

Ended the day with my watch having 779 more steps than the Fitbit app, the worst step discrepancy I've had in quite some time 😔

[xlevix10]

@JuanFitbit @RiekoC just wanted to let you guys know that version 4.28.3 has still not fixed the step discrepancy issue. 

[lin317]

Same with me, but my app is steps and distance.  The app info is always behind. 4.28.3 has not helped!

[lin317]

I got the 4.29 update today.  It did not fix my steps and distance syncing discrepancy.

[xlevix10]

Mine is somewhat fixed. I've noticed if the steps on the app don't match the steps on my watch, I have to pull down on the home screen to manually sync 3-4 times, then the steps will match on the app. I'm not sure why I have to do that to get the steps to properly show, but that's what's worked for me. Here's to hoping they're getting close to actually having this fixed, but if I have to manually sync 3-4 times to get the steps to match, I don't consider that a fix.