Blaze not connecting to phone GPS from watch

[AdrianReinboth]

Hi there,

I go to exercise -> run, and then it appears "connecting to phone". It stays on this for about 6 seconds before it prompts me that it failed and to "Check Fitbit App". When I go to my exercise tracking within the app I am able to start a run with the GPS tracking working perfectly. Why won't it work from the watch????

Please help as I primarily use my blaze for running!

Thank you!!

Adrian

[Rich_Laue]

@AdrianReinboth i see your posting from an Android phone, so I'll start there. 

For starters the app connects to the GPS, your Blaze connects to the notification app then the notifacation talks to the GPS. 

First is your Blaze receiving notifacations? If not, 

Swipe down on the phones notofacation panal, check for a message fitbit Notifacations are running.

You should be able to restart the phone and the GPS on the Blaze should connect, even without the fitbit app is running

[AdrianReinboth]

I am receiving most notifications as normal, but seems to be on and off.

I have also paired the device in the way I was instructed in the app to to
gain music controls yet I still can not use them or connect to my phone for
GPS purposes through the watch.

This all worked flawlessly on my old iPhone. Not sure why it is now so
difficult with my new android.

[AdrianReinboth]

I am receiving most notifications as normal, but seems to be on and off.

I have also paired the device in the way I was instructed in the app to to gain music controls yet I still can not use them or connect to my phone for GPS purposes through the watch.

This all worked flawlessly on my old iPhone. Not sure why it is now so difficult with my new android.

[AlejandraFitbit]

Welcome to the Community @AdrianReinboth and @Rich_Laue thanks for stopping by. I would like to know if you keep having problems with your connected GPS? If you do, please take into consideration the following requirements:

• Bluetooth is enabled on your phone and your tracker is connected to the phone. To confirm, go into your phone's Bluetooth settings and make sure you see Blaze on the list of devices.
• You selected an exercise type from the Exercise menu that has a gear icon in the bottom left corner. The gear icon represents connected GPS.
• GPS is turned on for the exercise type. Tap the gear icon and make sure the Use Phone GPS setting is on.
• Your phone is within about 20 feet of your tracker.
• Your phone can identify your location and can track your location when you're not using Wi-Fi. 
• The Fitbit app is open on your phone or running in the background. Do not force quit the Fitbit app. 

After verifying all the requirements, try using GPS again. If you're still having difficulty, try these troubleshooting steps:

1. Open the Fitbit app to reestablish a connection with your tracker.
2. Reboot your mobile device.

I hope this helps, let me know the outcome. 

[Mr_Zesty]

I am experiencing the same problem but with a windows phone 10. I got to exercise>Bike and it will try and connect to my phone but say that it couldn't connect and asks me to go to fitbit app. I have checked all the settings advised above, location settings and background usage etc. But it still can not connect to my phone.

[JG_FB]

Alejandra, thank you for your troubleshooting steps. It finally started working after I rebooted my phone (Samsung Galaxy Note 4).

[AlejandraFitbit]

It's great to welcome you @JG_FB and to hear that your Blaze inconvenience has been resolved. If you need anything else, do not hesitate in posting it.

Happy stepping! 

[SunsetRunner]

Hello Alejandra,

unfortunately my Fitbit is still not connecting to my phone. I have an iPhone 7 fully updated. I have checked all my settings. Bluetooth and gps and notifications are all on. But still no luck. 

[SpinSpinSugar69]

I have the same issue and the broken back button too. 

[Jerbearruns]

I have that problem too with my iphone 7+.  I've been battling that since i've bought the Blaze.  Something that i've recently noticed was that everytime my Blaze is out of range of my iphone, it obviously loses bluetooth connection but once you're back in range, it doesn't reestablish a connection with the FitBit app.  So lately, I just have to resync my Blaze with the app then i'm good to go.  I would also suggest to go through your Location Services Privacy settings and check to see how many apps are "Always" using GPS/Your Location.  I have noticed that after editing permissions for some apps, i get a more consistent signal.

[SunsetRunner]

Hello I have tried everything listed to get my blaze use my Samsung S8 GPS to map my runs. It keeps telling me phone not found even when I'll get text message alerts. This is very annoying, it's the reason I bought the Blaze.

Is there anyway to correct this?

[Rich_Laue]

Hello @SunsetRunner do you have Fitbit notifications enabled or the Fitbit app loaded into memory? It does not have to be running in the foreground. 

Also try a restart of the phone, I find before the phone completely restarts gps is connected. 

Also swiping unneeded apps out of memory I have pc dishonor found us full. 

[SunsetRunner]

Thank you but, yes I have restarted the phone. Yes I've closed so other apps and I have notifications on and added the Blaze as a trusted devise. Still nothing. I am ready to buy a Garmin

[Emily777]

I have exactly the same problem that I can’t get my blaze to connect to the gps on my new phone (huawei mate 10 pro). I’ve read that there have been some syncing issues with these phones but I have no problem syncing the data, just can’t map a run without the gps connection.

I have tried all of the advice in your post but still no joy with this.

Run mapping is something that I want to use regularly and if I can’t make this work I will have to look for a different watch, very frustrating. 

Please advise

Thanks

[Slfeir]

I too am having the same problems with my Blaze GPS not connecting to my iPhone 6. It would do this periodically and now for the last week it refuses to connect. I’ve been using Fitbit products for the last two years and have had numerous syncing issues. I am at the point that I am seriously looking at replacing my Blaze with a Garmin.

[SunsetRunner]

I still cannot connect to the GPS in my new Samsung Galaxy S8.
Are there any fixes?

Michael

[JG_FB]

I have a Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and the Blaze. I've realized I can't be in a hurry for the Blaze to do anything when it attempts to communicate with my phone. I only turn Bluetooth on when I want the Blaze to use my phone's GPS for bicycling. First, I turn Bluetooth on (on my phone), then I select the Blaze when the Bluetooth dialog comes up. That never seems to accomplish anything, but I do it anyway. I also turn on the GPS option on my phone. Then I start the Fitbit app on my phone, leaving the phone and watch within a couple of feet of each other. Next, I do something else for about five or ten minutes to give the Blaze an inordinate amount of time to finally connect to my phone. That seems to do the trick for me. By then, I can choose the bicycling exercise option on the Blaze and it connects to my phone's GPS and off I go. When I've finished my ride, I sync the Blaze with my Fitbit app, which can take several tries. I end the Fitbit app, turn off GPS and Bluetooth and I'm done.

[Rich_Laue]

@JG_FB first I would stop selecting Blaze, this connection is established by the app not the user. After turning the Bluetooth on, you will need to wait for the app to realize that the Bluetooth has been turned on and connects the tracker. Now the request to use the Bluetooth may be sent from the tracker, and the wait to get a GPS lock on the satellites can now start. 

If Bluetooth needs to be turned off throughout the day. for some reason. I would turn it on start the GPS on the Blaze, then restart the phone .The restarting of the phone should force the app to reach out and connect the Blaze

[tayow]

I have the same problem with my Samsung Galaxy S8 and Fitbit Blaze. I spend 5-10 minutes before each run or bike ride just trying to get the Blaze to connect. I have the app open and the Blaze literally touching my phone, I can see my steps syncing to my phone,  but the blaze won't connect GPS. I restart my phone, bluetooth and even the blaze but no luck. Imagine doing that everytime you want to run. Sometimes, about one out of ten times, it connects. However, it disconnects and reconnects during my run, vibrating each time. This is very distracting. My phone is usually in my pocket or in a case around my arm, 2-3 feet maximum from my wrist. I never had this problem when I used the Samsung gear fit. Very inconvenient.