Blaze Connected GPS Disconnects during exercise - Pls track instances here

[GarethDPhillips]

I thought it may be useful to have a simple topic to track instances of this problem (the buzz on your wrist during a run, you look down, and there is a little mobile icon with a red line through it).

You will find that after the run or exercise, that the GPS tracking died right at the moment you got the error on the Blaze screen. 

SO. Rather than discuss the problem, or possible work-around in this topic, can you perhaps just leave a reply to say "me too" and also list your mobile device?  

This issue may be more common on android, but I'm not sure. I know of at least one person experiencing this on an iPhone 7, but I have a friend with an iPhone 6 who has NEVER experienced this. 

So I'll go first..... I get this on every run, randomly. I use a Google Nexus 5x (android). VERY frustrated. 

[GoGarmin]

After 45 minutes with the 3rd party outsourced foreign call center, otherwise known as FitBit support, they can't figure out why my Blaze GPS won't sync on my iPhone 6 running the latest revision of iOS 11.  They don't even have the same screen shots on their call center PC screens as are in the FitBit app.  14 days of perfectly fine connected Bluetooth and message notifications, but also 13 out of 14 days where it can not connect to my phone's GPS even though all of the typical support remedies have been tried.  

I think it needs a lightening cable from the tracker to the iPhone, then it might work.  Going to return it today and go Garmin shopping or Duct tape my Surge with some nice black duct tape and go back to something that just worked, always.  And in case any one at FitBit is reading and paying attention, it was Case No. 21704681

[ausckime]

One more anecdotal data point.  

I have been having this issue consistently the last several weeks.  2 runs in a row I:
1) connected with Fitbit app

2) Put the Fitbit app in the background

3) **turned of Wifi**

Pretty sure I have done 1 & 2 in the past, but not 3).  2 runs in a row no drop of the connection with WiFi off.

Samsung S7Edge, Fitbit Blaze with latest Fitbit firmware.

[ofankhau]

Hi!

Same issue with Samsung Galaxy S4. I have noticed that restarting the Fitbit app and reconnecting bluetooth before a GPS connect session helps, but it is really annoying.

Also, having a software to keep GPS running and locked helps as well (e.g. GPS locker).

Ensure that Fitbit and GPS locker are not part of the list of applications that can be killed in apps such as Greenify.

Good luck!

[reallywhynot]

fthanks
for me, restarting the phone before is the only thing that seems to work

[Mikel10]

Me too. Galaxy JV7. Wished I had never bought the Blaze, useless!

[Wrxguru]

Me too. Huawri mate 9.

Only started happening last couple months.  Had a samsung s4 befire and always happened with that phone 

[Bryan.xbox44]

What was your fix?

[reallywhynot]

what I do is restart my phone and if that doesn't work, i sign out of the
app and fitbit itself, most of the time that seems to work

[almirx]

Me too using Galaxy S8+, never had the issue with S6. I think its bluetooth releated issues with the app and the watch not communicating appropriately. S8 and most modern phones have Bluetooth 5.0 and Fitbit, which uses only Bluetooth for communication is still stuck in 4, sad! It's like a wack a mole with the Blaze they solve one issue and 5 new ones crop up. The finally fixed the syncing/gps connection with Android like last month even though the phone has been out for 8 months. I think they focus so much on iOS they neglect Android even though its a bigger, better platform and Apple fanboys will most likely choose iWatch anyways so its so useless to make them happy. I think I am done after this round of Fitbits. 

[Kateskate80]

Me too. iPhone 6S

[Ladyash]

Me too on an iPhone 7. Just tried to use the feature for the first time today for the more accurate cardio fitness score. It connected for exactly 2 minutes before vibrating and showing the phone with a line through it. I stopped and restarted the run and same thing happened again a couple minutes in. Nothing changed between phone placement and watch so I have no idea how to make this work. It didn't reconnect at all during the 10 minute fitness test run. 

[celiawheelia]

Me too. Frequently

I have a Samsung galaxy s7 edge and fitbit blaze  

I have been having this problem intermittently for around 9 months. Fitbit support are less than useless and I have basically a very expensive pedometer. 

The first year I had my tracker it worked without any issues. I am so frustrated. As soon as I can afford it I am getting myself a Samsung watch 

[Rich_Laue]

How is this thread helping anyone in solving the issue?? Have you searched the forums? There are many solved threads ie with solutions posted on this subject. 

Most people. Could find a resolution without even posting. 

[Sprattakus]

Same, two nights in a row! Both times I started my workout from my Fitbit Blaze and it had connection to my phone. Within a mile it loses connection.

Fitbit Blaze firmware 17.8.402.1

Google Pixel 2 Android 8.1.0

Fitbit App 2.66

[ausckime]

@Rich_Laue- How does your response help when you don't point to any specific forum entries or information that could help the thread?

I and others have posted what various changes we tried in order to use the Fitbit for activity tracking - unsuccessfully.

* Uninstall and reinstall FitBit app (fail)

* Upgrade Fitbit firmware to the latest available (fail)

* Turn off wi-fi during exercise (fail)

* Run FitBit app in foreground (fail) and background (fail)

* Turn on new "FitBit sync" option in FitBit app - surely this would work, right?  Wrong.  (Fail).

The problem became much worse in 2018 - I am not sure if it was with a firmware update (probably).  As other users have noted, the watch usually loses contact with the phone/GPS in less than a mile.  With this behavior my Blaze is useless as an exercise tracker, and was a source of much frustration.  In the last couple of weeks, I abandoned it's exercise tracking completely and rely solely on Strava, which has proven to be quite stable - showing this is not a problem with the phone/GPS but with the watch/phone connection. 

I will try again in a month or so...maybe.  But at this point, if my Fitbit dies I will happily say goodbye and look for a replacement Garmin like most of my running friends have already.

Details:

* FitBit Blaze, Firmware 17.8.402.1

* Samsung 7 Edge

* FitBit app - version 2.66

[MarkRhys]

Same issues here.

Sometimes GPS doesn't connect to the phone, and then on times it does it disconnects after 5 minutes of walking or about a mile of a run.

I have tried so many 'solutions' to have non work.

I haven't even had the Blaze a year yet! My wife has a Blaze and has started to happen to hers as well, not as often, but sometime sit stops recording GPS after a mile (disconnected GPS).

[mathijssegers]

I've got a workaround by getting a Fitbit iOnic I no longer have issues
with connecting to my phone.

Yes I was lucky I didn't get new bands for my charge because it broke
somewhere on the train and I lost it. Waste of money 😞

[MarkRhys]

Not really a work around buying a new device...

[Dragneto]

Me too!  Android 8.x on Pixle

[MarkRhys]

Well mine seems to be flawless again now!

Thinking back I think it stopped working when I upgraded my Android OS version, so maybe the connectivity gets fudged when you upgrade the OS?

What I did was not touch the watch but uninstall the fitbit app (after syncing my last information as to not lose it), and delete any Bluetooth pairing reference to my Blaze in the bluetooth settings.

Reboot my phone, reinstall fitbit, re-pair my watch and then enable the always connected and keep alive widget options in settings.

I have left the fitbit connection/sync notification ON, so it always shows when it last sync'ed and if its connected to GPS.

So far since doing that I have successfully had GPS stay connected through a few workouts now - workouts which would disconnect GPS after 5 minutes or so.

This may work for some of you and after months of it not working for me I decided to just try it, and its working so far!