Blaze will not connect to GPS when running

[nmasjedi]

It used to work beautifully, but now more often than not I will get the red icon that I need to check my phone (Ipone 7+ IOS 11).  I no longer get to see the map on my Dashboard nor any details besides how hard I ran during different terrains.  Which is why I bought this unit for.

[nmasjedi]

mine was already enabled... but there was an IOS update today, so maybe this will fix it

[tikihead]

Still not working after the update. Another thread on this has been around since before the update anyway, and it is not just iPhones, either.

[nmasjedi]

Update: I had rebooted the Blaze, removed it from my phone Bluetooth list, and deleted the app.  Just did a clean sweep.  Started everything fresh, and now the last two runs have shown up with map and all the information that I am looking for.... not holding my breath, but being optimistic.  

Further update: 10/17/17

It would not sink my runs again, so I did the same thing deleted the app, deleted the blaze from bluetooth and added everything, but that didn't do it.  The only thing that helped is to actually remove the blaze from fitbit app and then add it again with the 4 number pairing.  Then it wants to connect to the app.  Lets see how long it will last this time around

[Oakie194]

I have a Surge with the built in GPS but it would not sync with my phone (Samsung S7). So I figured I would give Fitbit another chance with the Blaze. Both the Surge and the Blaze started out great, then all of a sudden they did not want to connect. I have gone through the full factory reboot, removed the App, and clean re-install a couple times. I even sent my Surge back to Fitbit for warranty service with no improvement. After reading these posts it makes me feel a little better that it is not just my phone. I have come to the conclusion that Fitbit's Bluetooth connectivity just sucks and they really don't have any intention of fixing the problem. They probably have a built in bug within the firmware's code to force to you buy a new device after a certain time period.  I will keep the watch for a little while longer, I think I will ask Santa for one of the Garmin training watches, at least I know the GPS will work.     

[TheRealLBoogie]

Didn’t work long. This is definitely a Fitbit problem. I’ve been a loyal Fitbit user for many years through many devices. It may be time for a change🤔

[MsLish]

I'm having the same issue but, once I close and reopen the app it seems to connect...eventually. My biggest concern is, when I'm in the middle of a run and it seems to be tracking fine, it closes out the tracking feature after a few miles..... SO ANNOYED. GARMIN HERE I COME.

[sdweinstock]

I've had the same issue now for a few months and was working fine for probably a year before that. 

Always the same scenario...tap the blaze to go to run or hike. It connects then 20-60 seconds later shows disconnected from phone. On iphone fully close the app (swipe up), re-open the fitbit app and it connects again. No problem.

Sure it "works" after going through the above, but that's not a fix at all, it's at best a weak workaround. 

PS also very seriously considering going to Garmin.

[Crusader]

I have been dealing with the same issues with two different Blazes on iPhone 6 / Tech Support has not been able to help me out, issue started with iOS 11

[nmasjedi]

Delete the blaze from the app and then reinstall it

Sent from my iPhone

[Taxitai]

Again, that is a temporary solution.. it stops working after a while. I am sure fitbit does not expect us to do that every time or every other time before running. 

These troubleshooting tips are temporary fixes, not solutions.

[Taxitai]

I made this post a while ago:

I have used my blaze for almost a year, working out every day and running every other day. All the apps, notifications, and controls work as advertised.

One feature that used to work extremely well (at least for me) was the connected GPS. I used to simply tap the running workout, it connected to my phone, and I would be on my way. When I upgraded to ios11, however, this ceased to be the case. I thought it was ok because I was on a public beta, so I did not think too much about it. I reverted to ios10 and it worked fine. Now that an official ios11 has been released, my device has the same issues and has become extremely unreliable.

Community users and Fitbit employees always suggest the same troubleshooting steps for this matter. Mainly, I should open the fitbit app, and restart my phone. Others include changing location settings on my iphone, pairing/unpairing, uninstalling the app, etc. etc. etc. Believe me, I have tried all of the different ways and they ALL work .... for a while. Yes, restarting my phone does work and allows me to record my full run with GPS with no issues, but do I really need to do this every.single.time. that I run? It is hilarious and ridiculous to think that this is acceptable. These are TEMPORARY fixes, NOT SOLUTIONS to this problem.

I have seen countless posts about this issue and they all have the same responses, and Fitbit has not recognized that this is their problem, not a particular device's. This has made not only the Blaze but Fitbit itself extremely unreliable, which makes me want to not only not buy the Ionic, but to leave the brand.