Problems with the latest firmware update

[TheCyberKnight]

My Blaze has been working flawlessly for months, automatically detecting my activities and properly tracking my HR. It was an excellent fitness tracker.

That was until the latest firmware update.

I waited few weeks before posting in order to make sure the issue was not on my side. After several tests, resets, training sessions and forum scouting, it seems clear Fitbit did screw-up with the last update.

• For months, the automatic activity detection succeeded 99% of the time at reporting my workouts. Since the last update, my Blaze consistently FAILS 100% of the time at detecting my activities.
• My Blaze properly locks my HR (I'm using the Auto mode) and tracks my rest HR but it FAILS to detect my raising HR and consider it's an activity.
• Even if I manually start an activity tracking, it FAILS to see my raising HR. Rarely, it finally see my elevated HR with a 10 to 15 minutes delay.
• Syncing used to take less than 10 seconds (closer to 5 actually). Now, I'm especially lucky if it can actually sync the first time, usually taking more than 20 seconds. BTW, I'm using "constant sync" which does not work anymore.

Fitbit, your latest firmware update transformed my fitness tracker into a USELESS watch.

This is annoying. Very annoying.

And considering the amount of people claiming the latest firmware caused major issues, I'm especially surprised (read disappointed) to see how long its taking you to do something about it...

Moderator edit: Clarified subject

[FerdinandFitbit]

Hey there @TheCyberKnight. Good to see you around!

Thanks a lot for sharing this with us. I've also seen some users having problems after the latest firmware update. Your feedback is very important to us, so I really appreciate you taking the time to let us know in detail what you're experiencing and I really hope that we can get this sorted out as soon as possible for everyone to keep enjoying their trackers.

Anything else you'd like to share, feel free to do so.

[TheCyberKnight]

Hi Ferdinand,

I've conducted additional tests.

Last week, I trained twice where I manually started the activity tracking. It was two distinct 30-minutes sessions of high intensity stationary bike. Unfortunately, both tracking were disastrous.

The first one never detected my elevated heart rate for the whole session.

The second one started tracking elevated HR about 15 minutes in for about 5 minutes only. Then it returned to my rest-like level (which is not possible).

I have tons of reference trainings like this that pre-date the last firmware update and that show proper 30 minutes tracking.

Please, do something. My Blaze is nothing more than a watch right now and these issues are completely ruining my training data.

[TheCyberKnight]

I forgot to specify that HR tracking is working perfectly during normal operations (that is not when training). My daily HR values and rest ones are all making perfect sense. Also, on the Today screen, the real time HR display is showing correct numbers that are varying every second or so.

Therefore, I don't think there's an issue with the HR reading device itself. It really seems to be a software bug (especially since it was working fine few weeks ago).

[KamsDaddy]

I've not only had difficulty registering my heart rate but ALSO my steps aren't being counted at all. Sucks going months on end with no issue and then the past 2 days.....13 total steps despite being on my feet at work for 8 hours plus. If this problem persists, I will return the favor I got my wife, sister and daughter and go with a Garmin or Apple watch.

[TheCyberKnight]

For the record, on December 16th, my Blaze restarted alone about 15 minutes after a training session.

It hasn't recovered since. It is now burning it's battery within half a day, it is warmer than usual, it almost never responds to tap or button presses, the touch screen is unresponsive but, the HR sensor is working and it can sync to my phone.

It looks like it's stuck processing something. Well, time to contact support it seems.

[Melmacky]

My Blaze has had syncing issues for the past two months after working flawlessly. It has now stopped syncing entirely and the Fitbit app seems h to have disappeared entirely from my iPhone. The time will not reset to current zone even after restarting the Fitbit. Please advise how to fix.

[JPSchreur]

My New Ionic needs top update first before I can youse it. De update is not working so I can’t youse my Ionic and that is nasty !

[Shellyz]

My versa now loses workout data. Its just screwy since the active minutes update. Had a 1 hour workout this am 400 plus calories. On the next sync made 2 workouts at the same time. Sync again and just 20 mins and 144 calories. Lost data the first day I did the update. PLEASE DON'T RELEASE A BETA UPGRADE! I was reluctant to update, because I've had issues before. I don't care about 'active minutes'. I care about cardio data. A useless upgrade and now it doesn'twork properly!

[IloveCharles]

Hi, my Fitbit won’t sync to my app. Very frustrating. What do I do?  

[Swings]

Fitbit Blaze doesn't want to sync it doesn't even show that it registers  my activity  for days . The battery doesn't last more than a day or two and it use too last almost five days,  the thing is a piece of junk now, I  have to charge it every other day at least. Very upset spending that kind of money on a Fitbit product that  doesn't work properly after updating.

[MarkMM]

Blaze hasn't updated for years. 🤔

[Swings]

I haven't used it for a few years. Just started using it again about 3 months ago and had nothing but issues after it updated

[MarkMM]

You're probably lucky it even works. Often the battery shuts down after sitting too long and you'd need a charger with "boost" to bring it back. 

What's it doing? Mine is still usable for when the Versa is charging. But I don't really like it anymore.