Sync Issue after App Update

[SunsetRunner]

Quick Background, I have a Pixel 2 running Android Pie (9.0). I have a Fitbit Versa that I bought about a month ago. I read a ton about sync issue with the Versa but figured since I've never had syncing issues with my charge 2 before the Versa that I could get it to work, well I was wrong at first.

I was unable to get all time sync to work for notifications when I first got my Versa and was about to give up when I remembered a quite annoying thing from my Charge 2 that I has not seen in a while and that was the keep alive widget notification that always stays on. As annoying as it was (i eventually got used to it) it always kept me synced and I always got notifications with it on. Once I remembered that, I enabled it and boom! sync started working, notifications were instant on my Versa even phone calls showed up as my phone started ringing and everything was wonderful for about a month....then a fitbit app update happened three days ago, and now sync and notifications don't work again and the keep alive widget option is now gone from the android app and the persistent icon is gone from my notification bar. What gives why was this removed!?

Moderator edit: Clarified subject

[LanuzaFitbit]

Welcome to the Forums @SunsetRunner.

Thanks for sharing those details and your experience with your Versa.

In this case I'd like to recommend that you try to follow the steps listed in this help article for the syncing issues and this one for the notifications. Please try going through all of them and then see how it goes.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

[FossilBill]

My keep alive widget just disappeared today, and have failed in every attempt to restore it...

I have been researching this issue all day and trying everything I can think of.

Now past 4:30 in the evening with no progress, and have officially wasted my day.

NOT Happy...  It may only be a minor feature, but I really like it.

I am using a Kyocera DuraForce Pro 2 with android 8.1.0

One of the last things I tried was updating my Fitbit app to version 2.87, but there was no change with my issue.

[FatTim]

Do you have any suggestions for turning back on the notification widget? Having the same problems as the original poster. I tried the steps mentioned in your links. A few times per day my Versa stops syncing with my Android 8.0 phone. Only fix is rebooting my phone. I often don't even notice the connection's broken until hours later.

This is after 6 months of working perfectly with the keep alive widget enabled. Now the option for the widget is gone.

[SunsetRunner]

I've had this issue for the last 3 updates including the 2 February update. I've contacted Fitbit support and they said my phone sucks. But when installing the older version which can be found on a*kmirror all is fine again. 

I'm talking about version

Fitbit 2.84

December 17, 2018

Fitbit your support sucks and the updates suck as well. I'm almost done with this headache stuff .the iPhone app has also huge issues with not auto syncing I'm about to sell mine. 

Because I'm not allowed to post some words I used a * change it to a p

[LanuzaFitbit]

Welcome to the Forums @FossilBill. Hello @FatTim and @SunsetRunner.

I apologize for the delay in my response.

@FatTim what phone is it that you are using? Does it show up on the list of supported devices. 

@FossilBill In your case, the phone you mentioned is not part of the supported devices list. This means that the app has not been fully optimized to work with that phone.

As long as it fulfills the minimum requirements, Android 4.4 and Bluetooth 4.0, there is a possibility that it can work but we cannot guarantee it. Some users of unsupported devices have mentioned that following these steps helps with the syncing.

If none of the above works, you could try to use a computer or another mobile device to try and sync your Fitbit to your account. Click here to get instructions on how to sync with other devices.

@SunsetRunner Did you try to follow the steps I shared above? If not, please give them a shot.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

[SunsetRunner]

What steps are you talking about .getting a new phone? Of course I did all the other stuff. Something got broken in the latest version which has nothing to do with my device since it was working fine on older versions .

[kr10n]

I think you are right and this should be fixed on the Fitbit app. The pixel is part of the Google Android program meaning it gets the latest security updates. I am having problem too with other Android phones that are part of this program the Xiaomi A2, Motorola X4, and the OnePlus 5 and 6.  And I tried Syncing a Charge, Charge 2, and Versa.  All of them failed. Once I rolled one back to 8.1 they worked fine. 

[stepperstepper]

Has anyone found a fix for this? I recently updated my app. The persistent Fitbit Sync Service notification (which I initially found annoying, but had started to consider useful) has disappeared, and all day/background syncing on my Charge 2 is no longer working at all. Is rolling back to an earlier version of an app the only solution?? Edit: And yes, I'm using a supported device. 

[SunsetRunner]

DId you even read this topic?? YES....

[stepperstepper]

Did you even read my question? Because that doesn't answer it. There is no fix mentioned in this thread, at least not one that I haven't already tried. Thanks anyways  

[SunsetRunner]

try again... and read:

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Android-App/Sync-Issue-after-App-Update/m-p/3263051/highlight/true#M...

Yes it does work when reverting back, I even gave the correct version to roll back to.

[stepperstepper]

Try again and read my question. I'll make it a little clearer:

Has anyone found any solution BESIDES rolling back the app, or is rolling back the app the ONLY solution?

Hopefully this helps. 

[SunsetRunner]

Buy a supported phone. That is the only option acording to fitbit.

I tried everything already like the following:

- Reinstalling

- Resetting my fitbit

- Factory reset my phone

When I did the second thing I got it back for 1 sync than it dissapaired again. Contacted fitbit support themselves they said my phone was not supported and I had to buy a new one if I wanted support.

I told them I have an Oneplus 3 and they said they only support Oneplus 1 and the Oneplus 6. like wtf Fitbit?

[stepperstepper]

Again, read my original reply. My phone is definitely supported and this is still happening to me. I guess I'll have to go ahead and roll back the app but I do wonder when they'll fix this. I can't stay on an old version of the app forever. Thank you. 

[FossilBill]

This really is aggravating me, especially since it worked perfectly on my old phone...

My old phone is ALSO not on the supported devices list, the Kyocera Duraforce Pro, but will run the app with no issues or loss of functionality or widgets!

I also think Fitbit Moderators should actually read comments/issues because I can tell from the recommendations on here have all been repairs to Sync issues, including mine, which I only complained about the widget and never once did I mention that it wouldn't Sync to my device.

"If none of the above works, you could try to use a computer or another mobile device to try and sync your Fitbit to your account. Click here to get instructions on how to sync with other devices."

Direct quote from LanuzaFitbit

-Bill

[LanuzaFitbit]

Hello everyone.

@SunsetRunner I was referring to these steps. Not to getting a new phone. 

@stepperstepper The steps I linked to in this post should help if your phone is on the supported devices list. In addition I'd like to ask, what Android version is it running?

@FossilBill The keep alive widget was removed on the latest version of the app. However be sure that we take all feedback seriously and we're always looking for ways to improve the overall Fitbit experience. I apologize for my misunderstanding of your post above! Thanks for pointing it out.

Feel free to reach out with any other questions.