Unable to pair Charge 3 with Pixel 3

[sanman202]

Hi, I just got the C3 this past week right in the middle of a phone change. On the Pixel 2 it paired fairly easy but with the new Pixel 3 it's not pairing at all. I've done the restarting of the C3 ana that doesn't help. When I go to Bluetooth on my phone and it searches for Bluetooth devices it's hit and miss with finding the C3. The times it does find and you try to pair it just keeps trying and then stops. As another possible solution, I  didn't want to remove the device from the Fitbit app yet to see if this will help due to losing previous data. Are there any other possible solutions. I can say this seems like something that Fitbit missed. Bluetooth has been around a long time now and Fitbit devices have been using them for just as long. I don't believe the new phone has any Bluetooth issues because it has connected to other devices.

Update- for anyone with a Pixel 3 device with pairing issues you will want to delete the tracker in the Fitbit app if you've previously had one in there. Then you'll want to add a new tracker and selrcs the Charge 3. If your Bluetooth is off then the app should ask permission to turn it on. Say yes of course. Next it's advisable to connect the C3 to the charger, then press and hold the C3 recessed button on the left side for 8 seconds. This is while the Fitbit app is open on the screen searching for the tracker. Once the tracker restarts then hit try again in the app. Once it does this it should find the tracker to pair. This was a little wonky. What should happen to save users time and frustration is with the tracker already showing up in to the app from a previous setup with a another phone,  it should pair easily without the need to remove it, connect the tracker to the charger and then restarting it .

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[SantiR]

@sanman202 I hope you're doing well! I moved your post to the Android App Board as there ae more chances for you to receive answers to your post in here.

Thanks for taking the time to post the situation you were experiencing while pairing your Charge 3 with a Pixel 3. Thanks for updating your post with the steps that helped you out through this. I'm sure this will be very helpful for other users who might be experiencing the same.

I was checking the list of compatible devices and the Pixel 3 is currently not listed there. If you happen to experience any trouble syncing it this may be the reason why. However, if your phone meets the requirement of Minimum Supported OS (Android 5.0 Lollipop), you can try the tips on this helpful article to sort this out. There are some users who can synchronize with non-compatible devices.

Feel free to share your experience here again.

Keep me posted! 

[MRF2018]

I face the same issue. I have to remove the battery and then it syncs once. Then back to hold.

---

@SantiR wrote:

@sanman202 I hope you're doing well! I moved your post to the Android App Board as there ae more chances for you to receive answers to your post in here.

Thanks for taking the time to post the situation you were experiencing while pairing your Charge 3 with a Pixel 3. Thanks for updating your post with the steps that helped you out through this. I'm sure this will be very helpful for other users who might be experiencing the same.

I was checking the list of compatible devices and the Pixel 3 is currently not listed there. If you happen to experience any trouble syncing it this may be the reason why. However, if your phone meets the requirement of Minimum Supported OS (Android 5.0 Lollipop), you can try the tips on this helpful article to sort this out. There are some users who can synchronize with non-compatible devices.

Feel free to share your experience here again.

Keep me posted! 

---

[JFelzien]

I am having very similar issues pairing my Alta HR to my new Pixel 3. I've tried everything from reinstalling the app and deleting the affiliated device to giving the Fitbit app full permissions. Your description of the issues is spot on. Unfortunately, the Alta HR has no way to keep it active except for tapping it (even when charging). Every time I can get the device to successfully display the pairing code, I type it into the app and the app just grinds away and never connects. Even more insulting, when I madly tap on the Alta HR during this process it gives me a cute little check mark that is rather insulting since it's definitely not connecting. 

If there are any other suggestions from the community I'd love to hear them, but at this point I've tried: restarting, reinstalling, pairing with Bluetooth before connecting in the app, increasing permissions on the app, leaving Bluetooth off and allowing the app to turn it on for me, madly tapping the Alta during the pairing process, and various combinations and orders of these steps all of it to no avail. Every time it fails after I've typed in the four-digit pairing code. 

I'm guessing at this point it will just be a waiting game for Fitbit to correct the software end of this... In the meantime, I guess they get my $7 for a wireless dongle for my PC.

[shaynaciao]

The fix posted above works for the One too. Just to give easier instructions:

1. Click on the box in the upper right corner of the main screen of your Fitbit app

2. Click on your device

3. Click the trashcan on the top right to delete device

4. Click Set up Device

5. You will need to restart your Fitbit, plug it into power and hold down the button for 12 seconds, unplug it and push button until it comes on again

6. Follow instructions on phone to finish setup of Fitbit

[JFelzien]

Alright... I'm starting to get pissed off. After about another week, my Alta HR kinda connected to my Pixel 3. It will sync maybe once every other day if I'm lucky. I went ahead and spent the $10 bucks and had Fitbit send me a stupid Bluetooth dongle (since they felt they couldn't afford to include it with my $150 watch). It worked last night. Then, this morning (no restart on my computer and my Fitbit is at full battery) their stupid app can't detect the dongle anymore... I've tried multiple USB ports and Windows 10 has no problem identifying it as a "Fitbit Dongle" it's only Fitbit's app that can't detect it. It's been quite a while now on these forums since my first post and I've had absolutely no support on from the company on how to fix this. I've been pretty **ahem** patient and I only complained a little when I had to fork out more money to get my Altra HR to sync, but now that I've spent that money and it's still not. I'm really upset. These issues are very clearly software related, and they really should be addressed.

I would very much like to return this $10 dongle which is a huge waste of time... honestly at this point I wish I could return the Alta HR, the screen protectors, the silicon covers, and the extra wristbands, but I'm now $200 deep on a rubber band pedometer that doesn't contain a single smart feature anymore now that it can't sync properly.

Sorry for the venting, but I'm really upset that I've spent this much time trying to get this Fitbit to do the one thing it's supposed to do...

[shaynaciao]

This stopped working. It only pairs now when I reset the Fitbit One and sync from my phone at the same time. Come on, Fitbit. Get with the program and add Pixel3 to your supported devices.

[redheadlg]

Don't hold your breath - they couldn't care less. I finally went out and bought a Misfit Shine 2, which like the fitbit one (now discontinued by the way) fits into a pocket or clips onto clothing. Works great with my Pixel 3 and every other device. I'm done with Fitbit.

[the_gazelle19]

I followed the troubleshooting link here and it worked for me!
https://help.fitbit.com/articles/en_US/Help_article/1866#android

Specifically:

1. Force quit and then reopen the Fitbit app.
2. Go to Settings > Bluetooth and turn Bluetooth off and back on.
3. Open the Fitbit app.
4. Tap Set up a Device

It found my Versa after that 🙂

[rooftopangel]

This is not an answer. This is the same standard compatability statement made by all of your moderators. Any chance we can get some real information here?

[fiverimjag]

I had the same exact issue for my C3 and a brand new Pixel 3 XL.  It initially connected/paired and worked for a few weeks, then it completely stopped.  It took me several tries but the below is what worked for me:

Note: I've had various Fitbit models for years so my account/app has several devices connected/linked to my fitbit account.  I do not ever use any of the older devices, I just left them there as they hadn't caused any issues before.

- I had tried all others suggestions

o restart both devices, restart bluetooth, hard boot the C3

- I had the same experience you describe: the app found the C3 but never actually connected

My 'Fix':

- i removed/deleted all other devices from my account

- did a hard restart of C3 and Phone

- performed the 'Add New Device' setup

- i actually received a PIN on the C3 this time (good indicator it will at least connect)

- it took a while, like 7-10 minutes after entering the PIN, but it finally did complete the setup.

[cstarlette]

I had the same problem -- I've switched (Android) phones a few times recently, last time from a Motorola Z2 Force to a Pixel 2 and back the Motorola Z2 Force again. Didn't have any issues syncing with my Charge 3 device. This time I moved from a Motorola Z2 Force to a Pixel 3A phone, and had the same issue you described. I followed the restart procedure while FitBit was searching for the device, and that did the trick. The odd thing is that the watch seemed to sync my data properly this morning using pairing data transferred from the previous device, but the Fitbit app itself was having problems, which is why I went through the re-pairing process.

[Sarah1292]

Thanks for your message, this method also worked between my pixel 3 and charge 2

[MichelleJenings]

I've been trying all the above fixes for sometime now ( months) . I loose Bluetooth contact with my charge 2 at least twice a week. So I miss sleep recording and steps. Is this issue actually going to be fixed? 

[Nikoak13]

My charge 3 will consistently disconnect from my pixel 3 (shows as "No Device Found" in the app). I generally just have to restart the phone and my charge 3 will resync. This is idiotic though, I shouldn't have to keep doing this and only noticing because my notifications stop coming through to the watch. Definitely ditching Fitbit for something more reliable.

[SunsetRunner]

This is the same action that is happening with my Pixel 3XL and my Ionic and my Wife's Pixel 3XL and her Versa.  The fitbits will just lose connection to the phones.  A quick reboot of the phone's and the Fitbits are back in action.  This started about 2 months ago.  It is not the most idealistic solution, but a reboot of the phones seem to get them backup and going for a few days.

[LtFacemelter]

I own an Inspire HR and a Pixel 3, running Android 9. When I first got the fitbit, I was able to pair and sync successfully with no issues for about 2 months. A few weeks ago I noticed a "firmware update" for the Inspire HR and since then, I have had a ton of syncing issues. From intermittent syncs of only a couple times a day, to 24+ hours of no syncing at all. Worst of all, the phone was incapable of installing the update - it would freeze and reset every time I tried. I eventually got it to update by pairing it with a friend's iphone, so it's clearly a problem with the Pixel 3.

I've contacted support and I get the same runaround. Just copy/paste links to their unhelpful troubleshooting pages. I've tried soft and hard resets of the fitbit. Hard resets of the phone. Uninstalling and reinstalling the app. Some solutions will work temporarily, but within 24 hours I'm back to the same problems. Insanely frustrating and I have no idea what else to do short of factory resetting my phone, which is something I would love to avoid.

Would love to hear any other ideas on how to get this working again.

[Estherharty]

Hello,

I am having the same issue with my pixel 3 and charge 3. I got the charge 3 in June (so I've had it for a few months). At first it synced fine, then a couple of months after it stopped syncing daily and I have to restart the phone several times a day to make the connection work again. If I don't, it says "device not found" and won't connect.

I just got a new pixel 3 yesterday due to my previous one breaking, connected the Fitbit charge 3, and today already I am having the same issues. 

Fitbit, what is going on? This is an expensive device and the pixel is one of the best phones on the market, why is it not supported? More importantly, why did the connection all of a sudden stop working, after months of working fine?

Please, help.

[EBrown]

Thanks for working on this.  I wish they would figure out what is causing it in the first place.  A fix is nice, but I'd rather not have to keep using it.  Seems like it is happening all the time now.

[kathysueb]

AFter two days of screwing around, your set of instructions worked!!! Thanks!