Syncing Issues on Android 3.37

[KateFitbit]

Update 2/1/2021: This issue was resolved with the release of android app version 3.37.1. We appreciate your reports and patience as we worked on a resolution.

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Update 1/29/2021: We've released Android app version 3.37.1 to address syncing issues. Please update your device if you are experiencing issues syncing. Thanks again for your patience as we worked to resolve this issue. 

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Update 1/28/2021: We are still working on this issue and hope to have a fix real soon. We will update this thread as soon as we have more information. Thanks again for your reports and patience. 

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Our team is aware of a syncing issue on Andriod 3.37 and is currently working on a fix. Thank you very much for your reports and patience. Please stay tuned to this thread for updates. 

[mjflory]

I too have a Sense, mainly for the ECG, and mine isn't syncing properly either. I've been storing my ECG records on my computer, separate from the Sense and the FitBit app. Thanks to the bizarre interface design it took me a while to figure out how to do this.  I think most of the steps are probably familiar to you, but it's a little tricky at the end. 

(1) Take an ECG. 

(2) Sync with the phone app (when sync is fixed!) 

(3) Leave the "Today" page, where almost all data are to be found, and go to the "Discover" page. 

(4) Scroll past all the irrelevant items on the "Discover" page (when I first tried this an article about kangaroos and wallabees was on top, I kid you not) until you find the "Assessments and Reports" section at the bottom.

(5) Open the window marked "CHECK YOUR ECG / Heart Rhythm Assessment".

(6) Ignore the promotional material and click on "View Results" at the bottom.

(7) Choose one of the ECG reports, which are listed in inverse chronological order. 

(8) Choose "Export a PDF for your doctor."  In a moment a notification will pop up saying "Your Heart Rhythm Assessment PDF is ready! Check it out."

(9) At this point, DO NOT choose "CLOSE" and go looking for your PDF.  You won't find it anywhere.  Choose "VIEW."

(10) A page called "Download your Heart Rhythm Assessment PDF" will appear.  Click on "DOWNLOAD PDF" at the bottom of the page. 

(11) If requested, click "ALLOW" to a notification asking if you'll "Allow FitBit to access [...] files on your device?" (You should only need to do this once.)

(12) A note will appear *very* briefly telling you that the report will be found in the Downloads folder on your phone.  

(13) Navigate to the Downloads folder on your phone.  (If you don't have a file manager on your phone, I'd suggest Cx File Explorer, though there are several others available on the Play Store.)  Your report will be in the Downloads folder with a title reflecting the time at which the PDF was created, NOT the time at which the ECG was taken.  You may want to re-title the PDFs to show when they were taken.

(14) Optionally, transfer the PDF to your PC using whatever utility you usually use to transfer files.  Recently I haven't even bothered to open the Downloads folder but to go directly to my Dropbox app and use it to upload the PDF to dropbox. 

As you can see, this is a far-too-involved, far-from-intuitive process, but it has worked for me --- WHEN SYNCING IS WORKING!

[Djscott77]

So true! When does anyone tell us what's happened and when it will be fixed! 

[gabawaba]

agreed 100%

Gabbi

[Djscott77]

That's what I have, stopped syncing last night and now even the time is wrong!

[Doshea]

Please help. This is awful!

[DebraG_66]

Guys, it's 6:47 p.m. in California, so I doubt we're getting an answer tonight. Patience.

[MNgirl]

I agree with all posts here! I spent 5 LONG hours today - going to
theT-Mobile store for 1+hrs, speaking for 1 1/2 hours to the Fitbit
technician and then another 2 hours with the T-Mobile technician. I don't
even have any green or red lights on my Versa 3. Thank goodness it isn't
just me. Sorry for all you other folks having the same syncing problems
too, but I do feel better that I'm not alone in this sinking ship!

[CJLarkin]

Thank you SOOO much for finally admitting there is a problem.  I chatted with tech support for about 2 HOURS yesterday and they would NOT admit this is a problem.  I told them repeatedly that there are many, many posts on the Google Play store and on their own forums for a week now with this exact complaint, and they did not care at all.  They said the forums are a totally different team.  A BETTER team, apparently.

I found a workaround for my particular device (Ionic). What finally worked for me was to use the wireless connection instead of Bluetooth. The wireless is usually used only to sync music, but apparently it syncs the data, too. I connected it via wireless as though I was going to transfer music, but then I didn't transfer music. This synced the data.

This is not nearly as convenient as syncing via the Bluetooth on my phone, so I haven't decided if I will continue to do this, in the hopes that Fitbit will soon resolve the issue. At least I was able to sync my last workout that had been stuck on the Ionic. Alternatively, I could switch to using my old Blaze, which is still syncing just fine.

I know my app updated when I was in the middle of a workout (the last data it synced before the update was in the middle of my workout). I wonder if that's the scenario that causes the problem, because it does not seem to impact everyone.

Fitbit's tech support is literally worse than nothing. I work in support myself (I am a computer scientist), so I can say with some authority that they are the worst tech support I have ever had the misfortune of trying to work with. Their Tier 1 support (the first line of support) is really bad, but that has sadly become the industry standard. They make you go through a troubleshooting script, even if you have already done all of the steps. It takes forever. They will not deviate from the script, even when it makes no sense. However, this is pretty much the MO for tech support these days.

What is so appalling about Fitbit's tech "support" is that they refuse to escalate any issue to second tier support. With any other company, once you get through Tier 1, you can finally get to someone who can actually help you in Tier 2, or even 3. FITBIT SUPPORT REFUSES TO ESCALATE TICKETS. 2 different people told me this. The first person claimed they were not aware of any complaints regarding the new app update, but the second person admitted they were aware of complaints, but their "reports" from their higher tiers of support said not to escalate those tickets. They insisted it was not a defect, and there was no issue. Apparently their story was it was a coincidence that so many devices stopped working with the update.

Fitbit has determined that it is in their best interest to refuse to investigate issues, and instead to push people to buy new devices. It's quite the clever business model, to break people's devices to get them to pay for new ones. Companies have been sued for this same tactic, and have had to pay big time.

[AngelDavis]

Same here!!!

[ranger1989]

also on ios 14.3 - iPhone 6s plus

[mjflory]

I have a Sense running software version 44.128.4.17 and I think I've inadvertently performed a little controlled experiment.  Since Dec. 25th I've been syncing this wonderful Christmas present to a Google (Motorola) Nexus 6 phone running Android 8.1.0 (LineageOS 15.1-20200219-NIGHTLY-shamu), using the FitBit app I installed at that time.  Unfortunately, I neglected to note the version that was installed then.  I don't generally automatically update anything and I received no notice of an update, so the current version, 3.37 (20243547) could be what was initially installed, though I doubt it, as it's marked "(C) 2021 FitBit, Inc."  Syncing worked well until this weekend, when it stopped working entirely.  I tried all recommended steps to fix it: stop Bluetooth and restart it; remove other Bluetooth devices and turn off Bluetooth on other nearby devices; stop the app and restart it; reboot the telephone; reboot the watch; remove the Sense from the app's list and attempt to reconnect it ("Set up a Device"); try all of this in the middle of the night when fewer neighbors are running Bluetooth Devices; and so forth.  Nothing worked, nor is it working on this telephone now. 

I then shut down Bluetooth on the phone and installed the FitBit app on my backup phone, an identical Nexus 6.  The app version on this phone is the same: 3.37 (20243547).  The phone, however, is running Android 7.1.1 (stock, build number N8I11F, kernel 3.10.40-gc7ebca13933, from August 16, 2017, baseband version MDM9625_104670.31.01.51R).  I then attempted to "Set up a Device".  It quickly found the Sense, connected to it, and has been for the most part (though not always) syncing properly.  (At this moment it's not syncing, but I did manage to sync it earlier and recover recent ECG records that I'd thought were lost.)  The Bluetooth on the Android 8.1.0 phone works well with other devices and has been working for a month with the Sense, so I can only suspect that Version 3.37 of the FitBit app has an incompatibility with that version but not with Android 7.1.1 . 

[gordon123456]

did this start since Friday  morning by any chance , cause i havent been able to sync since then 

[AngelDavis]

Started yesterday for me ..after updating.

[lilredcass]

I just received another response on FB Messenger. They have been giving me script answers all day. They just told me to do a factory reset. 

My reply was if factory reset is my only option left then I am done with Fitbit. They did have good support back many years ago. That kept me with them for a long time. But I guess 10 years is my break up point. 

[Djscott77]

How do you do a factory reset?

[Djscott77]

True! I've been messaging them but noone has responded!

[CJLarkin]

DO NOT DO A FACTORY RESET!  Also, don't remove and re-add the device.  If you do, you won't be able to add the device again until the defect is resolved. The problem is that the app cannot communicate with the device.

You can keep using your device, and it keeps about a week's worth of data in memory (last I heard, it was a week).  Once the issue is resolved, you should be able to sync it all.  

Alternatively, to sync it sooner, you can try the workarounds that users (NOT Fitbit) have identified.  If your device has wireless, the wireless sync (with your computer) probably still works.  

I found a workaround for my particular device (Ionic). What finally worked for me was to use the wireless connection instead of Bluetooth. The wireless is usually used only to sync music, but apparently it syncs the data, too. I connected it via wireless as though I was going to transfer music, but then I didn't transfer music. This synced the data.

This is not nearly as convenient as syncing via the Bluetooth on my phone, but hopefully it's only temporary and Fitbit will soon resolve the issue. At least I was able to sync my last workout that had been stuck on the Ionic. 

[tyger4]

It would have been nice to see acknowledgement long before now, but at least you are finally doing so. Acknowledgement could have been posted to website, social media, etc. Many experiencing this problem have returned device, gone to other companies, etc. Acknowledgement instead of blanket replies from CS, could have saved the company as well as steeled very unhappy customers...and former customers. 

[eyuzwa]

Does this ALSO affect iOS?

As I see the same behaviors there too. I can't sync even when going through all the usual support steps.

[Priya696]

Thank you so much. I have been doing everything I could multiple times and for hours trying to figure out what is wrong with my Ionic why it would not sync. Now i know it is not my phone or my fitbit.